"the Soul Surfer Project aims to inspire a sustainable future for the windsurfing community."
Introduction
The Soul Surfer Project strives to bridge the gap between environmental stewardship and windsurfing by addressing a crucial paradox. While windsurfers are drawn to the power and beauty of natural forces like wind and waves, their boards and sails are often made from materials that harm the very environment they cherish.
This project takes a bold step towarddecarbonizing the windsurfing industry bydesigning a sailboard constructed entirely fromnatural or recycled materials, with a minimalcarbon footprint.
By aligning the tools of the sport with its natural ethos, the Soul Surfer Project aims to inspire a sustainable future for the windsurfing community.
Our high level objectives
• Save our playgrounds
• Save our oceans
• Kill marine debris
• Kill methane emissions
• Kill global warming
• Save our planet
Impact of our objectives
• Save our playgrounds: Ensuring sustainability in windsurfing preserves natural spaces for future generations to enjoy wind and wave-driven sports.
• Save our oceans: Reducing marine pollution from petrochemical waste and debris helps protect aquatic life and supports healthier oceans.
• Kill marine debris: Advocating for recycled and biodegradable materials drastically reduces harmful plastic pollution in our waters.
• Kill methane emissions: Shifting away from hydrocarbon-dependent manufacturing processes mitigates methane release, which accelerates climate change.
•Kill global warming: Addressing the industry's environmental footprint helps combat climate change and supports broader efforts to limit global temperature rise.
• Save our planet: By transitioning to sustainable material sand reducing reliance on fossil fuels, we contribute to the preservation of Earth's ecosystems and biodiversity.
Understanding oil & gas and the relation to the windsurf industry
The multicolored Soul Surfer skull symbolizes the ignorance and apathy of humanity, oblivious to the environmental devastation surrounding them, heading blindly toward extinction.
The windsurf industry, despite its reliance on nature's elements like wind and water, has deep connections to the oil and gas sector. Most traditional sailboards are made from petrochemical-derived materials, such as fiberglass, carbon fibre, epoxy resin, and plastics. These materials not only contribute to greenhouse gas emissions during production but also leave a significant environmental footprint at the end of their lifecycle. By examining this dependence, it becomes clear that transitioning to sustainable materials is essential for reducing the industry's reliance on fossil fuels and mitigating its environmental impact.
Understanding the current carbon foot-print of the windsurf industry
The current carbon footprint of windsurf boards depends significantly on the materials used and the manufacturing processes. Here's a breakdown of the materials often used in windsurf boards and their environmental impacts:
1. Polystyrene (EPS or XPS cores):
• Carbon footprint: Producing polystyrene emits around 3-4 kg of CO₂ per kilogram of material. Expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam is widely used as the lightweight core of windsurf boards.•Environmental impact: It is non-biodegradable anddifficult to recycle, contributing to landfill waste and microplastic pollution.
2. Carbon Fiber:
• Carbon footprint: The production of carbon fiber is energy-intensive, emitting 20-25 kg of CO₂ per kilogram. Its high carbon footprint arises from the energy required to process the raw material (PAN or pitch) and the heat-intensive steps like pyrolysis.•Environmental impact: Recycling carbon fiber is challenging, with most of it ending in landfills after use, and the production process generates toxic by products.
3. Glass Fiber:
• Carbon footprint: Glass fiber production emits approximately 1-5 kg of CO₂ per kilogram, depending on the manufacturing process (continuous filament, chopped strand, etc.). • Environmental impact: It is non-biodegradable, and while it can theoretically be recycled, the process is not widely practiced due to economic barriers.
4. Epoxy Resins:
• Carbon footprint: Epoxy resin production emits around6-9 kg of CO₂ per kilogram, depending on the specific formulation. • Environmental impact: Epoxy is derived from petrochemicals, contributing to fossil fuel dependence. It is not recyclable and generates hazardous waste.
5. Additional Materials (paints, adhesives, finishes):
•Carbon footprint: These contribute relatively small amounts individually (1-3 kg of CO₂ per kilogram), but they add up when factoring in the full production process. • Environmental impact: These are often solvent-based, releasing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during manufacturing and application.•
Total Carbon Footprint Estimate:
An average windsurf board weighs between 6-15 kg. Based on the mix of materials:
•Polystyrene Core: ~4-6 kg of material = 12-24 kg CO₂
•Carbon/Glass Fiber Reinforcement: ~2-4 kg of material= 10-50 kg CO₂
•Epoxy Resin: ~2-4 kg of material = 12-36 kg CO₂
•Other components (paint, adhesives, etc.): ~1-2 kg of material = 1-6 kg