Surfers love nature. They love being outside enjoying the wild earth, sky and water around them. So, most surfers are pretty environmentally aware and do everything they can to help sustain the Earth. It was probably only a matter of time before someone invented a completely sustainable surfboard.
Traditional surfboards are made from polyurethane which incorporate fossil fuels, which we all know are limited resources. To create a sustainable surfboard, an alternative oil has to be used, and in this case, the creators of this cutting-edge surfboard used algae oil. Arctic Foam, the business behind the environmentally friendly surfboard, received some funding from the Federal Government.
It wasn't all smooth sailing. Two prototype surfboards failed before the creators of the environmentally friendly board were successful. One board was not firm enough and had too much give, the second board expanded really quickly and basically exploded.
According to the Outside article, "Your Next Surfboard Will Be Made From Algae" by Ben Yeager,
"There’s no cost estimate yet, but Arctic Foam hopes to bring it close to the market norm of about $600. Other manufacturers are skeptical that algae boards will catch on. Kim Thress, president of U.S. Blanks, Arctic Foam’s main domestic competitor, said the company isn’t yet considering foam derived from algae oil."
It's hard to know if this particular surfboard will revolutionize the way surfboards are created, but we know one thing, surfers will continue to innovate and push the boundaries.
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