Is your surfboard GREEN?

First, here is some useful vocabulary you might not be familiar with:

• A blank: unshaped surfboard foam
• EPS: expanded polystyrene foam
• Fiberglass: used to seal a shaped blank with a hard shape
• Resin: adhesive chemical that bonds fiberglass to surfboard foam
• Epoxy resin: an adhesive, plastic, or other material made from a class of synthetic thermosetting polymers containing epoxide groups
• VOC: volatile organic compound

All set?

A bit of background
Surfboards started out as no more than planks of wood. What we know them as today is far from just being wood. It's quite the opposite actually. While wood isn't exactly a sustainable material it wasn't the worst either. So what happened?
In the 1950s, significant progress was made in the field of fiberglass and styrofoam, which threw what everyone knew of the surf industry at the time, into the water. This new technology was cheaper and faster for companies to to put their hands on so before long, wooden surfboards had been completely forgotten. On the other hand, these new innovative materials had a drawback. They were environmentally toxic. "The production of styrofoam [created] massive amounts of toxic chemical waste, which has since been found to then leach those chemicals back into the ocean and air" ("Surf Green with Eco-Friendly Surf Gear").
Hold on a second. Why am I writing in past tense? Believe it or not, the truth of the 1950s applies to today because the modern surfboards, both professionals and amateurs use today, are not that different. A great majority is still made using "blown polyurethane foam, wrapped in fiberglass and coated in polyester or epoxy resin" (Sea change: Surfing used to be an environmental disaster, now it's cleaning up its act"). This combination of oil based products gives off very dangerous and poisonous fumes as well as volatile organic compounds. Although susceptible to breakage, these surfboards do not break down until millions of years once in landfills (because they are not biodegradable), which is part of why they so negatively impact the environment since it means that they cannot be recycled.
Isn't that ironic? Toxic surfboards? Shouldn't surfers form one with nature and protect it rather than harm it? Exactly so. Today a lot of progress has to be made but some critical thinkers are already riding the green wave! Below are just a few examples of some greener alternatives for surfboards.

The Ecoboard
Surfboards made using EPS "glassed with standard epoxy resin" ("How To Be An Environmentally-Friendly Surfer") are one step closer to surfing green. Sustainable Surf, for example, came out with an Ecoboard Project, which certifies that each Ecoboard is made with care, keeping the environment in mind every step of the way.
How are they different? They contain one or more of these characteristics: "a primarily sustainable/renewable structure, such as wood; a blank made of at least 40 per cent recycled or biological materials and epoxy resin with at least 15% biological, low VOC content" ("How To Be An Environmentally-Friendly Surfer"). As you can see not all Ecoboards are the same but they are all still greener than petroleum based surfboards. This means that they don't all use the same resin (for example) but many use Super Sap by Entropy Resins.  It has proven to cause a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions due to its plant-derived white resin. Furthermore, this resin is great because it can be applied without protective respiratory gear which is usually the case because "the shaping process [of traditional boards] produces fine foam dust, which can be harmful if inhaled, and the laminating resin gives off poisonous fumes that harm health conditions." ("Forward thinking surfers seek eco-friendly options for surfboards")
Ecoboards are the way to go; even Kelly Slater has his own. Do you need more proof?

(Figure 1)

Just remember this when the time comes for you to buy a surfboard: "polyurethane is bad for the planet, EPS foam is better and recycled EPS foam is better still" ("How To Be An Environmentally-Friendly Surfer").

The Mushroom Surfboard
Another eco-friendly board is Ecovative's Mushroom Surfboard. Yes, you read that right. A mushroom surfboard!
Their signature product, the Myco Foam is made using agricultural waste from crop production, which is then "inoculated with the vegetative form of mushrooms, called mycelium" ("Mushroom Surfboards"). As a result, this immunized mix can be pressed into molds of any shape and is left for a couple of days untouched in order to grow and harden. Once it has settled and heat treatment is used to limit and control the mycelium growth, the Myco Foam is all done!
These Myco Foams are very practical because they are so versatile and can therefore be made into anything including surfboard blanks, which are "completely sustainable and unlike polyurethane boards, also biodegradable" ("Mushroom Surfboards") so they will break down much faster in landfills than the surfboards we have been using for generations. Like other blanks, they can be glassed using traditional resins (fiberglass and epoxy) but Ecovative is taking it one step further and uses a "bio-based resin to glass their mock-up models" ("Mushroom Surfboards"). And remember, Myco Foam is made from agricultural waste, which means that a lot less energy required as well.
But hold on. Mushrooms? Won't the board break after one session? Well, Ecovative assures that Myco Foam withstands water damage as much as other surfboards so there is no difference for that matter and they are also very sturdy. Still, it is has to prove itself to the surf industry and lovers of the sport to see if it can in fact top the performance level of our toxic but awesome boards because a green board is fantastic but no one will buy it if if it has limitations.

(Figure 2)

The Resurf Project
This project made by a group of French guys and placed on a fundraising website called Ulule, with a goal of raising 14,000 Euros. Ambitious? Very! On the 1st of September 2014, it was successfully financed with an extra 201 Euros.
The Resurf Project's goal is to give a new existence to EPS surfboards. It is one of the few projects in the world to recycle surfboards; whether they are stand-ups, paddle boards, surfboards or even body-boards. Not only will it contribute to the protection of the environment, it will also allow the surf industry to develop more sustainably.
Every year, almost 400,000 surfboards are made in the world. That's a terrific number! Can you imagine? And the majority, if not all, are made using petroleum, which means that at the end of their life cycle they are buried in a landfill or cremated because they cannot be recycled.
This is where the Resurf Project steps in. Although surfboards made with polyurethane cannot be recycled, all the ones made out of polystyrene can (i.e. EPS surfboards).
That is why this project exists and honestly there's not much more to say once you look at the diagram below but feel free to check out the "Eco-List" for more info on this project.

(Figure 3)

As you can see I only focused on three eco-friendly surfboard movement/projects/products for the simple reason that today a lot of organisations are getting to work and changing their ways so if you want to learn about other green surfboards and the ones above then go to "Eco-Links" to be directed to numerous websites!

Sources I used:

1. Dick-Read, Alex. "Sea Change: Surfing Used to Be an Environmental Disaster, Now It's Cleaning up Its Act." The Independent. Independent Digital News and Media, 27 Sept. 2007. Web. 15 Nov. 2014. <http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/green-living/sea-change-surfing-used-to-be-an-environmental-disaster-now-its-cleaning-up-its-act-403703.html>.
2. Krueger, Cynthia. "How To Be An Environmentally-Friendly Surfer." Mpora. 1 June 2014. Web. 12 Nov. 2014. <http://mpora.com/articles/environmentally-friendly-surfer>.
3. Housman, Justin. "Mushroom Surfboards." Surfer | The Original since 1960. Futures., 6 Jan. 2014. Web. 12 Nov. 2014. <http://www.surfermag.com/blogs/design-forum/mushroom-surfboards/>. (Figure 2)
4. Dandine, Benoit. "The Resurf Project." Ulule. 1 Jan. 2014. Web. 15 Nov. 2014. <http://fr.ulule.com/resurf-project/>. (Figure 3)
5. House, Laurel. "Surf Green with Eco-Friendly Surf Gear." HowStuffWorks. Web. 15 Nov. 2014. <http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/surf-green-ecofriendly-gear.htm>.
6. Siestas & Fiestas. "Forward Thinking Surfers Seek Eco-friendly Options for Surfboards." JMS Reports. 6 May 2013. Web. 15 Nov. 2014. <http://jmsreports.org/2013/05/06/san-diego-surfers-discuss-the-idea-of-a-green-surfboard/>.
7.  Bradstreet, Kailee. "THE ECOBOARD PROJECT FOUNDERS ON ECO-CERTIFIED SURFBOARD MATERIALS & NEW SIMA PARTNERSHIP." Transworld Business. Web. 2 Jan. 2015. . (Figure 1)