Surfing and the Environment
Surfing at the frontline, or sticking with the pack?
Mick Fanning recently saved Kirra (with a little help from his mates and social media) but the cruise ship terminal proposed further north can’t get much love and the coal port at Abbot Point didn’t see much either; Surfers on the East and West coasts are rallying against the WA Government Shark Cull (whilst nets and drumlines (in)conveniently continue to do their jobs off the New South Wales and Queensland beaches); And surfboards are continuing to be (in the majority of cases) manufactured using a chemical cocktail of ingredients that are toxic and difficult to recycle or dispose of.
Where exactly do surfers and the surf industry stand on the environment and sustainability?
The idea to build a cruise ship terminal very near one of the most iconic surf breaks on the Australian coast was swiftly put down. The local community and many more from abroad or elsewhere in Australia rallied to the call and the rest is history.
What was encouraging about this protest was that the recent ASP World Champion, Mick Fanning was willing to speak out against the proposal and provide a leadership role for others to get behind. He spoke of the potential impact to sand movements; the threat to marine life; the high levels of pollution that trail cruise ships wherever they sail; and the effect the development might have on the thriving surf tourism industry in the area.
These were all valid points and he should be congratulated for raising them in the media.
But these threats to our oceans continue in other regions of the world (and just a bit further up the coast from Kirra), what of them?
What of the extension to the coal port at Abbot Point? Where were the surfers then?
What of the proposed cruise ship terminal at The Spit just to the north of Surfer’s Paradise?
Do surfers only care about environmentally harmful development when it happens in their own backyard? Or, do they understand that pollution and environmental damage on one beach ultimately affects another?
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The surfing world has been grappling with the controversial shark cull policy of the WA Government for a few months now, with some surfers in WA feeling vicitmised by protesters, and others being reluctantly in support of the policy because of personal experience with fatalities in their local areas.
These protests are important. The science says that a cull will do nothing to reduce the chance of attacks and is merely a psychological solution being peddled by a politician entering an election year.
The East Coast versions of the protest movement are criticised by some for being hypocritical (given that nets and drumlines are in operation in Queensland and NSW) - These criticisms are justified, and those who are vocal about protecting sharks and other marine organisms need to begin attacking the governments of their home states, otherwise they won’t, and don’t deserve to be taken seriously by those in the West.
But where do the leaders of the sport stand on this issue? To be fair Australian Surfing Life have been active in addressing the debate from a few sides, but that is one media outlet of many.
Surfers rallied to the cause to save Kirra from a casino and cruise ship terminal, but they have been relatively silent in relation to the issue of the sharks?
Again, are they only concerned with their backyard or the interconnected oceanic environment?
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Surfboards are awesome, but boy oh boy are they toxic little sticks of joy. Volatile Organic Compounds; Mostly non recyclable; Very short life span (if you know what you are doing above the lip) - Surfboards are about as cool for the environment as BP is for water quality in the Gulf of Mexico.
There is some development towards eco-labelling of surfboards in the US particularly, and some professional surfers have shown support for these initiatives, but overall the vast majority of boards being made are going to be filled with nasties and dumped in landfill when they no longer do their job.
Do surfers consider the environmental costs of their craft? Or are they turning a blind eye to the fact that they are getting tubed whilst adding to the environmental problems of the world?
Surfing was originally the pastime of those who rejected the norms of society and seeked a connection with something more pure.
The mass commercialisation of surfing has brought with it uncomfortable truths about the environmental impacts of the industry, as well as the attitudes of surfers themselves towards addressing these problems and responding intelligently to political decisions that are against the interests of nature.
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Will surfers and the surf industry accept the uncomfortable environmental truths about themselves and begin a process of reflection, innovation and development to address these truths?
Or, will they be like the majority these days who refuse to see themselves as part of the bigger picture and do not seek to change who they are in order to make the world better?
The oceans are at risk and surfers are on the frontlines. What should they do?
