As a surfer I cherish the experience of sitting in the ocean, harnessing the power of the waves and feeling the raw motion of gliding along an unbroken peeling, glassy wall. The equipment we use for the sport of surfing is readily available and mostly an affordable package – board, fins, leash, wetsuit, and wax etc. Big companies market the beach lifestyle in a seductive way, with sun kissed images of sandy beaches and tropical blue waters. But behind this facade is a sinister untold story. Many of the materials are damaging to the environment and not easily recycled. For example, the foam that is used in surfboards is a chemical material that is hard to reuse. My project is designed to bring attention to this issue and offer a small but potential solution, by reusing and recycling unwanted and discarded surf equipment, giving the materials a second life. My journey to research, observe and design a new surf-related product has uncovered two distinct and opposing beach and ocean worlds: The tranquil and spiritual surfer’s lifestyle vs landfill sites, microplastics and rubbish laden beaches. This is the yin and yang of the surf industry today.
