Sustainable Surfing – Repair Your Wetsuit
Power (2010) argues that although the act of riding a wave is environmentally friendly, the surfing industry and the lifestyle associated with surfing are unsustainable at present.
And while steps are being taken to reduce the impact of surfing products, one of the major obstacle to this goal is the dependence on petrol to create materials like;
- foam for surfboard blanks,
- neoprene for wetsuits,
- As well as support travel involved in the surfing lifestyle.
‘Surfing depends on the health of the ocean, so it’s necessary for surfers to aim for sustainability‘. Nick Power
We recently repaired a couple of wetsuits for a man who knows a thing or two about sustainability and environmental issues, and thankfully Chris Hines was happy to share his thoughts on the environmental benefits of extending your wetsuit’s lifetime in today’s consumerism culture.
‘One of the key principles of sustainability is to get the most out of what you have, minimising the impact and maximising the output. Getting your wetsuit repaired is a perfect way of putting that principle into practice! A good repair will lengthen the life of your wetsuit and keep you warm. Love your wetsuit! (well not in that way 😉 ) ‘
Chris Hines MBE Hon.D.Sc
Chris is a highly respected communicator and driver of positive change. He was founder and Director of Surfers Against Sewage for 10 years. In June 2008 Chris received an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for “services to the environment.” From 2001-2007 Chris was Sustainability Director at the Eden Project.
A Grain of Sand is the new initiative of Chris Hines MBE. The organisation works to help inspire, catalyse and drive positive change in a range of areas. A strong element of the ethos of A Grain of Sand comes from surfing and interaction with the natural world. “Surfing can change the world!”
Bodyline Wetsuits and Sustainable Surfing
As a business we try to minimise our environmental impact as much as possible. We utilise a wetsuit recycling program through Rip Curl and Neocombine to recycle as many wetsuits as we can, our neoprene off-cuts are sent to a children’s healthcare trust to be made into splits and we supply usable wetsuits to charities such as Help the Heroes, instead of sending waste to landfill.
If there is anything else you think we can do or be involved in, please contact bodyline wetsuits!
