Say what? I hear you say… Green surfing events, How can a surfing event be green with all the petrochemicals used in the manufacture of the equipment and accessories that surfers use?
Well they’re nowhere near sustainable yet…nothing is 100% But there is movement towards sustainability in surfing (not faster enough & by too few but movement) The good people at SustainableSurf in partnership with Volcom, Rip Curl and others are growing this grassroots return within the evolution of surfing.
One of the first depictions of surfing was Hawaiian royalty standing on wooden planks riding waves. We’ll never be able to return to that sort of purity but with industry innovators and an encouraging greener youth market it’s exciting to see this path being trod.
SustainableSurf progams:
Waste to Waves
ECOBOARD Project
Deep Blue Surfing Event
Ok here it is, finally a reality! Eco Challenge Gold Coast – wooden surfboard expression session.
This is the reason I first became interested in sustainable event management (SEM), thinking Climate Wave Enterprises could green the ASP Dream Tour which attempts were made here in Australia but ASP management at the time decided not to attempt that sort of innovative practice. So I applaud SustainableSurf for accomplishing these leaps towards greener surfing.
Credit must go to Sally Atkinson & Craig McIntyre from Surfrider Foundation Sunshine Coast who held the first Eco Challenge in 2012. Climate Wave were asked and supplied basic information for their first event but all the hard work was theirs and a successful event was had and continues Golden Days Festival Surfrider Eco Challenge.
On Sunday the 16th of March 2014 9am to 1pm at Tomewin St, Currumbin Beach as part of Bleach Boulevard the Eco Challenge Gold Coast – wooden surfboard expression session will take place. This event using alternative surf craft will fund-raise for Surfrider Foundation, Rise Above Plastics project while having maximum fun.
The plan so far:
With guidance from Grant Newby, Tom Wegener and the wooden surfboard community an expression session format has been developed in a very loose style to allow for all considerations…weather mainly. The site at Tomewin St beach will be a small footprint of 5 tents, including Surfrider Foundation, Coast Ed, BeachCare, Shapers, Expressionisters.
Expression session wooden craft divisions:
- Handplanes
- Bodyboards
- Alaia
- Standard Shortboard
- Standard Longboard
At this point I’d like to thank everyone that has shown support to date and ask those that would like to offer positive influences to step forward. Please feel free to forward this message to anyone that may be interested in supporting this unique event.
The Eco Challenge Gold Coast is interested in hearing from sponsors who would like to align themselves with this event which will be following sustainable event management guidelines and practices.
Sponsors
In-kind donors
Green supply chain
Volunteers
So please share this blog and keep your eye out for updates.
working with the planet