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Decarbonated Sports' mission is to make the extreme sports industry as environmentally sensitive as possible. They believe surfing, skiing, skating etc. should not cost the earth and our hobbies should be one of the first areas we look to reduce their environmental impacts. We caught up with head honcho Rick to see how green he really is...
So Rick, tell us about yourself, where do you live work and play?
Basically I am a longboarder, surf most beaches around North and South Devon, Cornwall and even Wales some days. We work in Somerset, not much surf (the Bore occasionally) but the occasional hill for the old bicycle, so it’s not all bad!
Where did the concept come from, to develop the website decarbonted-sports
University, I studied Surf Science and Technology at Plymouth, as part of my dissertation I tested a plant based surfboard and started Carbon footprinting eco-surfboards to see if they were actually greener, the plant surfboard created half the amount of CO2 but it surfed a bit like a jumbo jet, so back to the drawing board. I didn’t want all that work to sit in a dusty drawer so after a year updating the calculations to British standards, becoming an environmental consultant and throwing in Matt’s Skills, Decarbonated was born. Matt is the other half of Decarbonated (the uglier one, so it says on our website, so it must be true).
What is your guiltiest pleasure?
Minnie Ripperton - ‘Loving you’ or potato waffles! One of the phrases we are using a lot is surfing has a guilty secret, by using petro-chemically produced Boards and driving fossil fuelled vehicles to catch a wave is not the best environmentally, hence why we setup Decarbonated!
The green label seems to be swinging off many companies these days, what makes you guys different?
I think it is important to be able to demonstrate and prove to people your green credentials and as environmental consultants we are helping other organisations become more sustainable, we apply all of this to our own business and work within the various environmental standards and by 2012 we plan to become Carbon Neutral.
Being green is difficult, you have to prove that you are perfect, and if you don’t you undermine your own brand, which has made some surfers disillusioned. Being green is the essential part of our ethos and is at the core of everything we do, it’s not a bolt on as part of a marketing ploy. By using our expertise we try and minimise the environmental impact of our business, from carbon offsetting our UK sourced stickers and Bamboo lanyards, reducing our travel, even simple things such as using Skype and vetting our supplier’s green credentials too. Carbon offsetting is a great way of undoing the millions of tons of CO2 already created from our surfboards (roughly 45 million surfboards in circulation = 12.6 million tons of CO2e!!!). Decarbonated are also being proactive through scientifically testing eco surfboard’s performance in water and environmentally and engaging Surf companies to reduce their carbon footprint at source, sharing the responsibility between surfers and the companies who make our products to make surfing greener. Decarbonated want to show surfers there are other materials out there and actually proving the carbon saving and demonstrating the performance of these materials, will hopefully engage surfers and breakdown some of the scepticism and uncertainty.
What qualifications and experience do you have in this sector?
I have a Surf Science Degree, both partners are members of the Institute of Environmental Management & Assessment, Matt is also an IEMA Registered Associate Environmental Auditor and is just finishing his MSc in Environmental Management. We are both presenting at academic conferences, trying to push the sustainable surfing agenda through innovations such as a method to test eco surfboards against PU and epoxy boards and generally raising awareness about surfing’s environmental damage, once people understand it, they can help reduce it.
What’s the worst thing anyone has ever said to you?
Stop singing Minnie Ripperton (Harsh)
Be honest, do you really drive a Chelsea Tractor and take a personal Learjet on holiday?
Ah ha, I don’t even have a driving license, aren’t I good? But I have been known to have the odd flight, but I always carbon offset them, so if you have to fly, by paying that little extra you have at least done your bit! Being environmentally friendly isn’t about denying yourself pleasures such as holidays or a car but just slightly adjusting what you are doing by researching your purchase decision; buy a car with a high MPG, or chose a sustainable holiday in which the design and operation of the accommodation is environmentally sensitive, a bit of web based research can go a long way to reducing the impact of your holiday and don’t forget to carbon offset your flight! On its day Devon and Cornwall, the weather, the surf and the scenery can be make you wonder why bother travelling half way around world, when you have it in your own back yard!
This is a business after all, so how and where do you make your money?
Two ways - reselling Carbon Offsets through the Surfboard Carbon CalculatorTM and we offer our environmental consultancy services to companies to make them greener, by reducing waste, utilities usage and generally increasing efficiency (www.decarbonated.co.uk). Investing in environmental consultancy is usually very cost effective as the cost of any improvements is usually balanced by savings elsewhere and can increase customers looking for a green company to work with or product to buy.
Give me 3 ways of cutting down my carbon footprint as a surfer…
Walk to the beach if you’re lucky enough, or fill the car rather than that solo mission, plus your mates will appreciate it.
Buy and sell second and surfboards, if you have that board that’s in good condition but isn’t quite right for you or your wave, pass it on rather than leaving it unloved in the shed!
And obviously Carbon offset your boards, it only costs £4 for a PU shortboard or £12 for an epoxy Longboard, t’pence!
Where do you see the brand Decarbonated- Sports in 5 years time?
Rule the world? Nah if we can use surfing as a tool to tackle climate change in some way we’ll be chuffed. I would love if we can crack the ultimate affordable, high performance, green, low carbon, recyclable surfboard, which is something we are always looking for, so hopefully it’ll be soon.
Are you a hippy or just hip?
Bit of both, I suppose, but at the end of the day I’m just being selfish I want a clean beach with a decent clean swell, don’t we all? The Green agenda is getting more and more fashionable but I can’t help thinking that’s a good thing. Whether people get on board with climate change out of a sense of responsibility to protect the planets shared resources or because they think it’s cool, doesn’t really matter as long as people take it seriously and start making the necessary changes. I think investing in solar parks, wind farms and energy efficient stoves is cool but that might just be us!
Tell us a secret?
I’m Ginger, and once in an interview for a known surf charity I was asked ‘why should you get the job over all the other candidates’, and I may have panicked slightly and said ‘cos i’m ginger’, they went for one of the non-ginger applicants!
For more info head over to decarbonated-sports.com
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your usual board is 99% waste and 1% wood.
surf e.g an alaia which is 99,9% wood and a tiny amount of epoxy glue. once it has to go into the landfills it ll be biodegradeable.
if you want to shape one at my place down in Newquay, Cornwall or looking for the right wood, visist www.rootedorigin.com
or write me an email at web@rootedorigin.com
we are specialized in selling Paulownia Timber
happy days
with cleaner waves,
christian