Ideal Bite: Endless Summer

May 22, 2008 BANG FOR THE BITE If 10,000 Biters buy a long-lasting eco-board instead of two conventional boards, we'll keep enough boards outta landfills to stretch, end-to-end, the distance of half an Olympic marathon. COCKTAIL FACTOID Off the coast of Brazil in 2007, a record 84 surfers caught the same wave. LIKE THIS TIP? Then check out . . . The Bathing Suit Tip The Beach Cleanup Tip The Sports Equipment Tip RATE THIS TIP How useful is this tip? (5 is the highest) 1 2 3 4 5 Wish your life was a neverending surf vacation? The Bite Then make waves by choosing longer-lasting, sustainable surf gear. Regular, petroleum-based stuff ends up staying in our ecosystems for a long time, and it isn't any more durable than eco-friendlier options. Shaka, brah. The Benefits Less petroleum use. Try apparel, boards, and wax that are free of oil byproducts. (Newsflash: Oil doesn't biodegrade easily, and it's a finite resource.) Sustainable wood. Our board-maker picks use only wood harvested from trees that aren't cut down faster than they're replaced. Giving your cash to conscientious companies. Support brands that are thinking about the long-term health of our oceans - some donate to ocean conservation orgs. Longer-lasting gear. More durable boards mean you'll buy fewer over time. Personally Speaking According to Sara, if you're surfing near a reef off Hawaii, keep your toes curled while they're underwater (unless you wanna get 'em bit off by reef sharks). Wanna Try? Grain Surfboards - lower-than-average-VOC, U.S.-made sustainable cedar surfboards ($1,400 and up). Hess Surfboards - custom-made using reclaimed and sustainable wood, cork, and only half the fiberglass of a conventional surfboard ($1,000 and up). Ocean Green Surfboards - made from balsa wood harvested from sustainable forests, with a hemp (not fiberglass) skin ($795 and up). Body Glove Eco Wetsuit - the world's first eco-wetsuit; petroleum-free and produced with a tenth of the energy of standard wetsuits. Also: surf shirt ($90-$325). Mantunas Wax - petroleum-free, biodegradable surf wax in recycled-paper packaging ($5). Surfrider Foundation - join other surfers campaigning for cleaner oceans. Enter to win $200 at Tees for Change by inviting your non-Biter friends to join Ideal Bite in the next 24 hours - smaller pool, bigger chances.      Sponsor

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