Photo by Egan Snow via Flickr

Surfers have a reputation for caring about our beaches and getting involved with organizations like the Surfriders Foundation, which keeps tabs on those who pollute our oceans. With the respect they seem to have for the earth, it was hard to believe that the surfboards that most use to catch the waves are a threat to the environment and peoples’ health.

The New York Times article “Surf’s Up, Waste Down” states that surf boards made out of new foam are typically made with a carcinogenic compound called toluene diisocyanate (TDI), which is a pollutant. Although, the article’s focus was on the move to make boards greener, I was appalled to learn about the materials current boards are made up, and the current methods of producing them.

Since we are close to our beaches, I assume many CSUN students are avid surfers who care about our environment and would consider switching their board to one that is more eco-friendly.

The Times focuses on a San Clemente-based surfboard company, Green Foam Planks, that uses recycled boards and refurbishes them.

They collect  polyurethane cuttings, which come from the foam core boards, and mix them with virgin foam to create a board with 65 percent recycled waste.

The company, which began production earlier this year, has already managed to promote their boards by giving them out to professional surfers and celebrities who surf.