Green Eco Services

SurfAid International Helps Communities Become Sustainable

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Surf Aid International

Surf Aid International (www.surfaidinternational.org) was started by of group of concerned surfers in 2000, who became concerned by the suffering and preventable dealth in the Mentawai Islands. Their mission is to ‘improve the health and well being of people living in isolated regions connected to use through surfing.’ They are involved in community development, helping people help themselves through education and sustainable solutions. Working with the community they have established Emergency preparedness, health programs- water and sanitation needs and setting up education. All important programs for healthy living.

I like to think that surfers everywhere get involved in the local communities of where they surf. Thank you Surf Aid International!

I Just Gotta Tell Ya

• 9.7 Million children dying worldwide/years under five (UNESCO 2007)
• Infant morality rate in the Mentawai Islands is 93 per 1,0000 live births.

What SurfAid has Accomplished

• SurfAid International Schools Program supported by Billabond: schools.surfaidinternational.org
• Quiksilver SurfAid Community Health Training Centre At Katiet, Sipora Island- Launched in Nov. 2007 to provide training in nutrition, basic hygiene, malaria prevention and sustainable living.
• Water and Sanitation (WATSAN)- Working in Nias since 2006 to restore and improve water supply systems by repairing wells damaged by earthquakes.
• Community Based Health Programs (CBHP) For the Mentawai Islands and Nias; SurfAid has 797 volunteer mothers in 95 Care Groups focused on reducing the high infant moraltiy rate of children under five.

Win a Rob Machado Movie Just By Making A Comment!

Want a Copy of Eco Surfer Rob Machado? Just make a comment on this post and on Dec. 10th, we will do a random pick of the comments so you can win a copy of The Drifter!

In the summer of 2008, iconic surfer and former Pipe Master, Rob Machado, flew to Indonesia to experience a different kind of surf trip. The journey ultimately took him way beyond his comfort zone, where he was finally alone with his thoughts, desires and the empty perfection of an unnamed Indian Ocean reef.  What he discovered was beautifully captured in the autobiographical film, The Drifter.  Be apart of his life changing adventure when the DVD is released on November 3rd courtesy of Hurley and Warner Bros. Records.

In celebration of the upcoming DVD release, Rob and the film’s director, Taylor Steele (Poor Specimen) sat down to give fans a look behind-the-scenes of the film and explained how Hurley teamed up with theSumba Foundation to bring clean water to a entire village.

Since 2001, The Sumba Foundation (http://www.sumbafoundation.org/) has remained deeply committed to lessening the consequences of poverty on the island of Sumba.  They provide humanitarian aid by fostering village-based projects that impact health (including services and malaria control), education, water and income-generation, while continuing to preserve and respect the fragile culture and traditions of the Sumbanese people.

Behind-the-Scenes of The Drifter:

http://www.surfline.com/video/events-and-promotions/behind-the-scenes-on-the-drifter-set_31505

Action Sports Environmental Coalition- Working For The Environment

Who knows and sees the effects of pollution and global warming more than the outdoor sports enthusiast. Now ASEC (asecaction.org)  the Action Sports Environmental Coalition has formed a group of members, including athletes and companies to come together to reduce environmental impacts and find ways to educate the world about the dangers of global warming and the need for social responsibility.

The Green Factor

• Promote youth education
• Rally the Action Sports Industry to get involved in becoming more eco friendly.
• Bob Burnquist Global Cooling Challenge- established greenhouse nurseries and organic research gardens at schools, the goal is to build 2000 middle and high schools in the US that install Outdoor Science Classrooms.
• Good Wood For the Hood- so so as donated three skate parks in Compton and South Central Los Angeles. The ramps are built from sustainable and recycled materials donated from the X Games. Partners have included Stonyfield Farm, Clif Bar, White Wave Foods, Whole Foods
• Works with MBCD (environmental design group toward the implementation of Cradle to Cradle design.
• Created A Roll Anything Day

If you are an sport enthusiast, support the companies that support the environment. Fo

Cool Box Tracking Program By Columbia Sportswear

I Just Gotta Tell Ya;

• Between 1960 and 2007, the amount of waste each person created in the U.S. almost doubled from 2.7 to 4.6 pounds per day (U.S. EPA).
• Most companies ship using brand new packaging materials, contributing to landfills issues if this material is not recycled or reused.

Columbia Sportswear, has launched a new e-commerce program, giving online shoppers the option to receive product orders in a reused box. Since the company’s e-commerce site was launched just over a month ago, 66% of consumers have already opted for a used box.

To increase Columbia’s focus on reusing boxes, the company has introduced a program called A Box Life (www.aboxlife.com). It has two goals:

1) To keep cardboard boxes in use longer.

2) To encourage people to personally engage in the idea of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Buyers who enter the box’s  QR code (similar to a bar code) from the box to the “A Box Life” web site can track where in the world their box has journeyed and post stories to the website. (Very Cool)  Plus, consumers can also post Flickr pictures, or simply add the hash tag #aboxlife to Twitter posts when they have something “box worthy” to share with the A Box Life community.

Columbia, a leading sustainable outdoor company has a history of innovation, it is important to them to provide consumers more responsible packaging solutions as they shop online at Columbia.com and to reduce the company’s overall environmental impact.

Here’s a video:

Costa Rica Eco-Tourism

Reuse Skateboards-Wall Art by Landyachtz Longboards

Skateboard Deck Art by Landyachtz

At the Action Sports Retail Show- I asked all of these sporting exhibitors- the big question- what do they do with their old, used and blemished products? (Response)- ‘Yo, dudette, we give them away, we make shelves,’ yo dudette, we like make all sorta stuff…”- I begged- send me pics on reusing, recycling, and guess what- Landyachtz Longboards just sent me this wall art, combination of moose antlers- soaring eagle look out of blemished skateboard decks. (sorry the pic is small- I could not enlarge it) The antler art was made by local artist JoshVandyke.

Landyachtz is one of the eco-friendly sustainable Action Sport Companies, striving to reuse and recycle all products and waste. Much of their office is salvaged materials- they do much of the work themselves. They feel (and it’s true)  if they make a superior quality product that is built to last- and doesn’t break (and pops too!) that less skateboards will land up in landfills- you can own and use your skateboard in years to come.

I don’t know that much about skateboards, except I believe the last time I was on one was probably 45 years ago (old enough to be the founders mothers). But I do know this- support those who support the environment- and these guys (dudes) are definitely on the right track- I look forward to getting more recycle and reuse pics from them.

Green Foam Blanks-Good For Surfers and Environment

Green Foam Blanks

At the Action Sport Retail show, I was fortunate to meet the guys behind Green Foam Blanks, Joey and Steve. These guys are going places- (they just received some good news about an alliance that will rock the transportation industry!) Building surfboards can be highly toxic using fiberglass,(non-recyclable) polyurethane foam (non-recyclable) and the VOC’s from the epoxies are hugely dangerous-plus the huge amount of waste. Before they launched Green Foam Blanks- they started the Resurf program recycling surfboards into streets. These are guys that practice what they preach an admirable trait.

Steve and Joe At ASR Show

Green Foam Blanks is taking blank waste from other shapers and remaking them into surfboard blanks. According to their blog 1 50 pound bag os dust will make about 25-30 boards. You can read more about it on their blog , which takes you through the whole process.

Unfortunately for me, or fortunately for them, they were so busy, I didn’t get much of a chance to speak with them- but I am looking forward to hear more about their boards and their future.

Resources

• Surfing- Seas of Blue and Green
• Surfrider- Article on Environmental Friendly Surfboards

Green Action Sports- Bamboo Sk8 Skate Decks

BambooSk8 at Action Sports Retailer

Another action sports leader in the development of eco friendly products is BambooSK8. Bamboo SK8 manufacturers Skateboard decks out of renewable bamboo. These decks are lightweight and stronger than maple decks. According to BambooSk8 ‘the process allows the molecular fibers of the bamboo to be pressed under intense pressure creating supreme stiffness and resilience within the deck.  The combination of these features creates a highly responsive deck with a long lasting pop, while producing absolutely zero splinters.’

What I really like- is what they are trying to achieve ‘zero waste and cradle to cradle manufacturing. In fact the proudly display their carbon footprint on their website;

Other Green Factors:

• Use water based glue= no toxic VOC’s released
• Production Waste is recycled into other bamboo products (saves landfills)
• Maximized container loads( saving transportation pollution)
• Donate broken and worn out boards/decks to low income families, charities or local artists to be reused.
• 15 of profits are given back to charities
• 100% of office furniture came from Craigslist (reuse and recycle)
• Recycle program in office and homes and try not to print.

You can view them live here at Fox

Eco Friendly Action Sports- Costa Del Mar Sunglasses

Last week, I was fortunate to attend the Action Sports Retail show in San Diego. Action Sports can be devastating to the environment but fortunately there are many manufacturers that are leaders in greening the sport industry and finding ways to minimize environmental impacts. One of those leaders is Costa Del Mar Eyewear, who’s primary focus in sports is fishing. Some reports have said that based on trends the world would run out of wild-caught fish by 2048- the reason- overfishing and pollution. Costa Del Mar (Sunglasses that deliver the ultimate performance. A need to explore. A responsibility to protect the planet. These are the things we live for and the adventures that drive us.) supports organizations that are driven to keep our oceans and fish safe from overfishing and pollution.

The organizations they support:

• Blue Highway- (bluehighway.org) Blog about the battle over a proposed road cutting through the untouched Alaska Wilderness
• Coastal Conservation Association- A non-profit group that fights for healthier marine fisheries.
• Bass Conservation-
• Adopt a Billfish Program (www.billfish.org)
• International Game Fish Association (www.igfa.org)
• The Billfish Foundation (www.billfish.org)
• Trout Unlimited (www.tu.org)
• C Channel- you can watch live many of their efforts and fish stories

So if you are looking for good quality sunglasses with performance polarized lenses and a company that supports the environment- I would definitely check out Costa Del Mar. To find the products they have a retail locator on their site.

Resources  Just in case you want to know how important it is to protect our oceans!

• Reliving the Beach Life- Take Care of Our Oceans
• Costly Global Problems of Marine Litter
• Marine Litter
• Sea Turtles May Finally Win From Shrimp Trawlers in Costa Rica
• Sportsfishing- Catch, Tag and Release
• Top Tips for Eco Friendly Boating
• Get with Blue- Oceans, Seas and Marine Life
• Cleaning Waterways and Collecting Litter
• Healthy Fish Ratings

Recycled Eco InLine Skates by K2

Eco Skates

On a previous post about  Green Skating, didn’t really have a product to recommend- Now K2 has come out with their Eco Friendly Line of In-Line Skates!

Green Factor

• 100% Post Consumer Recycled PET Liner
• 50% Post Industrial Recycled PET Mesh
• 100% Recycled PET Laces
• 100% Bamboo Frame
• 100% PVC Free

Available from Amazon K2 Maia Eco Womens Inline Skates Men and Women styles for about $189.00

ReShod- Green Silence Racing Shoes by Brooks

Brooks has scheduled for release the Green Silence marathon racing shoe in February 2010. They were the first to come out with an environmentally friendly running shoe- BioMoGo.

Green Factor

• Heel Cups reinforces with recycled CD’s
• Shoelaces, mesh, lining and stitching made from water bottles
• Outsoles made from recycled rubber
• Midsole- biodegradable.
• Collar- made with foam from old sofas.
• Transportation will account for just 5%-8% of shoes carbon footprint.