Skip to main content

Cowabunga Dude

All-Natural Boards Bring Sustainability to Surfing

Surfers count themselves among the most ardent environmentalists. Yet their sport is awash in petrochemicals and carcinogens, from neoprene wetsuits and urethane surfboard leashes to polyurethane boards and epoxy resins.

So surfboard shaper Danny Hess is adopting salvaged woods, natural finishes and organic resins to transform how they are made. His boards are built to last, an anomaly in a sport in which enthusiasts’ boards may break once or twice every season. He uses Super Sap, the first U.S. Department of Agriculture BioPreferred Certified liquid epoxy resin, and is experimenting with organic foam and salvaged redwood in seeking to build a truly green surfboard.

“What I’m trying to do is build heirloom surfboards that are passed on from father to son over many generations, rather than these disposable things that we’re just consuming,” Hess says.

Before founding Hess Surfboards, Hess lived in a straw-bale house in Colorado, studied sustainable architecture at the San Francisco Institute of Architecture, built tree houses and worked as a licensed contractor. “One day I had this ‘Aha!’ moment when I realized I could create these molds, like the ones I was using to bend wood for cabinet doors, for surfboards,” he says. Hess has since expanded into also making sustainable skateboards.

Learn more at HessSurfboards.com.

green surfboards Global Briefs

 

 

Upcoming Events Near You
The Tick Tackler Tutor: Three Impactful Tick Remediation Strategies for the Homeowner

By Jennifer Meisenbacher

Did you know most tick bites occur in and around the home—and that ticks spend more than 95% of their life off a host?

With more than 19 years of field experience, Tick Tackler offers a practical, easy-to-follow approach that empowers homeowners to significantly reduce tick activity on their properties. From gardening and yard work to children’s play areas, this guide outlines essential adjustments to help protect your outdoor spaces from ticks.

The Tick Tackler Tutor introduces three impactful strategies designed to identify high-risk areas and minimize exposure. These methods are versatile and adaptable—whether you’re a homeowner, pet owner, beekeeper, or managing a larger property such as a doggy daycare or horse farm.

Inside, readers will discover how education leads to confidence, how small changes can yield visible results, and how breaking tick control into manageable steps restores a sense of control. The book simplifies complex concepts into three core strategies, guiding readers in creating a personalized plan to reduce tick activity effectively.

For those eager to reclaim their yards but unsure where to begin, this guide delivers clear, actionable solutions. Transform your outdoor environment into a safer, more enjoyable space for family, pets, and everyday living.

Available now on Amazon.

Follow Us On Facebook