Hang Ten, Green Dude!
by Jeff McIntire-Strasburg, St. Louis, MO on 05.25.06
Surfing is apparently much more popular in the UK than we ever imagined, as new surfing magazine Drift comes to us from Great Britain. While we're not sure about the exact environmental impact of the sport itself, this new magazine aims to make a green contribution by not publishing a paper copy, and by contributing 5% of single-issue sales and 2% of subscription and back issue sales to Surfers Against Sewage (I did not make that up...). The magazine gives a thorough explanation of the environmental costs of paper magazine publication, and also links to numerous resources at Co-op America. If surfing is your thing, take a look at the sampler of articles they've provided, enjoy the spectacular photography, and consider subscribing. :: Drift Magazine
Surfing is no more polluting than let's say golf. But when you add up the carbon emmissions from driving to breaks searching for waves and junkets to far flung spots,things add do up. Secondly, PU blanks and the resins used to make boards can lead to health and safety problems.
Golf is pretty bad because of the amount of land it requires and the grass which requires tons of water, pesticides, herbicides, etc..
Surf certainly is not a zero impact sport, but few are. It's still pretty decent, especially if you live close to the beach, and it can be improved.
The idea behind our magazine is not to contribute any further to the problems which magazine production can unleash. On the web site you can read our summary of The Paper Project's report on magazine production in the US here
In the modern age it is easy to deliver Drift to you in a way which has less impact on our world.
There are still many environmental issues relating to materials and travel within the industry, however we felt it was time to make a step in the right direction.
Hope you enjoy the magazine,
Howard
Editor
Actually, there are environmental impacts from surfing - specifically, the materials used to create the surfboards themselves are particularly toxic. The surf community is currently reeling from the recent shutdown of Clark Foam, the foremost provider of the 'blanks' used to create surfboards due to pressure from the EPA. The industry is now trying to figure out how to move forward with more environmentally-friendly alternatives.
For surfers it's not as much about the surfboard, (although the industry is trying to "green" it's products), It's about the water quality. I surf a lot but can't surf for a least a day or two after it rains in San Diego because of runoff from the roads, lawns, the sewer system overflowing and a lot more stuff I don't even want to think about. The Surfing community is more aware of pollution than any other sport community I can think of. Surfers are very close to nature. I see seals, fish and dolphins almost every time I surf. But we also see the trash on the beach and feel the effects of water pollution when we get sick from surfing in polluted water.
So Enrique don't put down the surf community for "no more polluting than let's say golf". Golf is WAY worse with all the fertilizer and pesticides that runoff onto my beach.