04/24/24
December 09, 2005
Board shortage: - the sport of surfing is in turmoil after the world's largest producer of the foam blocks used to make surfboards closed down, citing over-regulation. Surfermag reports the story slightly more optimistically, but everyone seems to be throwing the word "apocolypse" around a lot. Surfer Steve will tell you how to make your own surf board - it looks easy enough, up to the point where he tells you to use Clark foam.
Can't we all just get along? I don't remember polluting the ocean with my foam during my surf sessions. But there always has to be someone to blame, right? All I have to say is if the world doesn't come together and make the effort to improve the environment and stop being lazy (take your crap to the recycle centers and stop littering and dumping) then it doesn't matter who anyone attacks....it's all going to sh*t anyway. Our planet isn't in that great of shape and it's getting worse very quickly. Sad. We're trashing our means of life. Sorry, I'll go back to hugging my tree now.
posted by Irish Gal at 06:06 PM on December 09, 2005
I posted something here a few months back on eco-friendly surfboards. They were biodegradable. You could probably look up the link, but I'm too lazy. It's Saturday morning and I'm working when I could be in the surf. But apart from the foam blanks, it's the epoxy used in the finish that's the worst hazard. But I know plenty of shapers in my part of the world if you are looking for a board that is made without large industrial processes and minimal environmental impact (i.e. in their garage).
posted by owlhouse at 07:54 PM on December 09, 2005
I know reasonably close to zilch about surfing, but I did some research. The same glues you mention are the ones they stopped using on the space shuttle, which was the reason the last 7 astronauts died when the vehicle exploded. Get one thing straight, global warming and the 'death threat' to the world by pollution from cars are all figments of a lot of people's imagination. Cars are not going to cause us or our children's children to die, or to cause the sky to open and a death knell be let out. But owlhouse is correct in that people have to stop letting others be the ones to recycle and think they don't have to do it themselves. Those people ARE the horseapples that allow their kids to cuss at old ladies in the grocery store and are the fat asses who si on them and play video and computer games instead of exersizing, and THEY WILL screw this world up if they get their way.
posted by mrhockey at 08:59 PM on December 09, 2005
Am I more of a polluter because I have a malibu? Or is my daughter worse because she has two short boards? I'm not trying to be flippant however I agree there are probably more important environmental issues out there, but every little bit helps. And the surfers I know are the kind who do take an interest in green issues. Check out the Surfrider Foundation, or SurfAid sometime.
posted by owlhouse at 09:50 PM on December 09, 2005
And it's good to see a surfing link on SpoFi. Even better to see that JJ is not scared to get back into the water after his shark experience.
posted by owlhouse at 10:02 PM on December 09, 2005
What shark experience?
posted by worldcup2002 at 12:05 AM on December 10, 2005
/cues ominous music
posted by yerfatma at 07:57 AM on December 10, 2005
Don't make me tell it again *sob*
posted by JJ at 10:23 AM on December 10, 2005
Go shark!! Rock on hurricane!! TOR-NA-DO TOR-NA-DO!! Got 'em Earthquakin in their boots!!
posted by GoBirds at 03:26 PM on December 10, 2005
Well it's about time someone did something about those surfers. All they want to do is destroy the environment with all of that foam inside their boards! I think it's kind of ironic that surfers, who are some of the most environmentally conscious people in the world, are getting shafted by the same local activists that are being sued for contaminating the water supply of over 10 orange county cities.