At its core, surfing is a pure activity, which connects human beings with the raw elements of nature in a way that is becoming hard to find in an increasingly developed world. It relies on a healthy and vibrant environment, and provides community, and physical and psychological well being to many of its devotees.
Unfortunately, current practices in surfing are far from Green. The standard surfboard manufacturing process is toxic and emits gases known to deplete the ozone layer and contribute to global warming. It releases VOC's (Volatile Organic Compounds), which damage the central nervous system, create smog, and contaminate ground water. Surfboards also contain carcinogens. These hazards create a substantial impact to the environment since hundreds of thousands of surfboards are made every year. Since they are neither biodegradable nor recyclable, surfboards are responsible for tons of solid waste entering landfills each year. The larger surf industry includes clothing manufacturers, responsible for environmental and social effects worldwide. This information is far from astounding- a significant industry shift has yet to occur. The core of surfing, the surfboard, has relied on the same petrochemical processes for 50 years. This reality leaves many surfers who are inherently environmentally mined in a hypocritical debacle, counter our better wisdom and the original philosophy of surfing.
Moss Research envisions a new and SUSTAINABLE beginning for surfing...
Since the Clark Foam closure, Moss Research has been innovating techniques for sustainable surfboard manufacturing with a vision of transforming modern surfing.
Our Eco-flex™ Technology repurposes industrial EPS waste, replacing brittle and toxic polyester resin with strong and elastic, non-VOC plant epoxy. Our process replaces antiquated practices with green technology, improving surfboard longevity and performance. It supports closed loop recycling efforts and eliminates the use of virgin plastics (much of which ultimately end up in the ocean) reducing industrial water and power consumption. We don’t need another continent made of plastic waste. After all, we are shepherds of the sea, no?
10 REASONS WHY POLY/PU SURFBOARDS ARE A BUMMER
1. They are fragile only lasting 3 months to a year
2. They are brittle and break in normal conditions
3. They are non-recyclable
4. Once disposed, remain in a landfill for an unknown period of time
5. They lack flex and degrade in performance from the beginning
6. They leak water after ridden only a few times causing inevitable delamination
7. They emit VOC’s and chlorinated hydrocarbons into the atmosphere
8. They are host to several carcinogens
9. They are reliant on petrochemical processes
10. Poly/PU boards are out-of-date and obsolete.
Yet for all its flaws, the surfing world accounts for a small amount of the world’s environmental problems; our research has shown that the entire sport, with approximately 10 million surfers worldwide, accounts for less than 0.1% of total greenhouse gas emissions.
We believe that surfing has great potential to contribute to the overall sustainability of the world.
With proper information and direction, those 10 million surfers can be responsible for far larger reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions than the 0.1% they are responsible for.