As a community in love with travel - but who also respects the locals who help make our dream reality - surfers give back to these far flung destinations more than any other boardsports culture. Set up by pro surfer and artist Aubrey Falk and Permaculture designer and Educator Loren Luyendyk, Surfers Without Borders is the latest group to follow this long held tradition.
So far sponsored by Santa Barbara Permaculture Network, Earthflow Design Works, KEEN Footwear, Volcom, Prolite, Electric, Beyond Coastal Suncare and Sex Wax Surf Wax, the pair's aims are simple:
The primary ecological focus of Surfers Without Borders is to help communities create a secure water and food supply while improving the environment. Our sociological focus is to empower people to share their gifts creatively. The current geographical focus is Latin America.
Artists, surfers and designers they combine their talents in free Permaculture Design workshops, such as creating dry composting toilets or planting trees. Art projects are also offered to encourage personal empowerment and awareness of environmental issues through creativity.
With past projects including an art lessons and trash clean ups in Indonesia; Electrolytic Hydrogen Fuel Generator (which aims to use sea or waste water into fuel) and a Permaculture Design Workshop (turning compost into a hot water heater), the latest plans are to travel from Santa Barbara, California to Oaxaca, Mexico to instigate beach clean ups enviro-murals, water catchment and filtration, dry composting toiets and more.
Still in it's early stages, there'll be news, blogs and more on their updated regularly on www.surferswithoutborders.org very soon, but you can also join their email list or contact info@surferswithoutborders.org.
Foam magazine did a feature on the group earlier this week, with a small interview with Aubrey, but I'm sure you'll reading a lot more about the pair soon.
Love this? More Eco stories on Nollie: Interview with Freesurfer and Eco hero David Rastovich | Ebay auction for Design For Humanity begins | On the Push Eco surf video | Self sufficient camper = eco friendly surf trips!
