- WSL

WSL PURE is proud to bring together and build community around the innovators working on sustainable solutions to plastic waste.

With the WSL's commitment to eliminate single-serve plastics by the end of 2019, WSL PURE is hosting an inspiring group of partners at this year's Freshwater Pro who will be celebrating innovative ways to #StopTrashingWaves and make surfing more sustainable. In addition to working with Outerknown and Rareform to upcycle all event banners into new products, and partnering to ensure every attendee receives a reusable Hydro Flask, fans will leave the event being inspired to refuse single-serve plastics thanks to this dynamic partner activation and the WSL's efforts aiming to create a zero waste experience with a focus on eliminating single serve plastics.

The partners working together to #StopTrashingWaves within the PURE village include the Golf Ball Wave art installation brought to you by The Plastic Pickup and Counter Current Art, The Cigarette Surfboard, Sustainable Surf, and Earth Technologies. Each partner will be highlighting solutions for our current environmental crisis through art, storytelling, and sustainable design.

As a teenager, Alex Weber (Founder, The Plastic Pick-Up) collected over 50,000 golf balls off the seafloor near Pebble Beach, CA. As a teenager, Alex Weber (Founder, The Plastic Pick-Up) collected over 50,000 golf balls off the seafloor near Pebble Beach, CA. - WSL

After publishing her research revealing how golf balls break down into micro-plastics and release toxic compounds into the water, Alex Weber teamed up with Santa Cruz artist Ethan Estess (Director, CountercurrentArt.org) to turn thousands of these golf balls into the giant interactive wave sculpture that will be in the PURE Village at the Freshwater Pro. This initiative was made possible thanks to all the generous partners and donors who supported the project. If you are interested in donating, please visit this Go Fund Me page.

At the Golf Ball wave art installation, fans can pose in the barrel on Eco-Boards donated by Slater Designs and Ventana Surfboards to better understand the scale of the plastic pollution issue and leave feeling inspired to make a positive impact at their local beach. For a deeper look at the story behind the golf ball wave, check out this video.

The Cigarette Surfboard The Cigarette Surfboards are made from cigarette butts picked up off California beaches and then turned into functional wave riding crafts used to build ocean mindfulness and stewardship. - WSL / Hanna Yamamoto

The most common form of beach pollution is cigarette butts and their plastic filters. Industrial Designer Taylor Lane and filmmaker Ben Judkins of The Cigarette Surfboard were inspired to turn this trash into a vehicle for conversation and action about what we can do to help reduce plastic pollution.

Taylor and Ben are currently in production of a full feature length film that will cover the journey of the cigarette surfboards highlighting the opportunity and responsibility we as surfers have to be better stewards of the sea. Learn more about they work they're doing at thecigarettesurfboard.com.

Jordy Smith Founders Cup 2018 Jordy Smith rode a Slater Designs certified ECOBOARD at the Founders Cup and helped secure the win for the World Team. - WSL / Kelly Cestari

Many competitors at the Freshwater Pro could be riding certified ECOBOARDS at the event and in the past this list has included athletes like: Michel Bourez, Lakey Peterson, Sage Erikson, Johanne Defay, Connor Coffin, and many others. It's worth noting that Sage Erickson won the 2019 US Open on a Channel Islands ECOBOARD.

In addition to likely being able to see sustainable surfboards in action at the Freshwater Pro, within the PURE Village fans can learn about Sustainable Surf's Waste To Waves initiative which finds a use for polystyrene. Polystyrene would otherwise end up in a landfill, but through Waste To Waves, over 100,000 pounds of waste styrofoam has been collected and shipped to Marko Foam where it is densified and recycled into surfboard blanks.

Sustainable Surf's mission is to be the catalyst that transforms surf culture into a powerful force for protecting the ocean playground, and their programs solve barriers that prevent surf culture and industry from moving forward to a sustainable future.

Ryan Harris Earth Technologies // Photo credit Jeff Berting Earth Technologies looks to improve on the use of advanced renewable and recycled materials for surfboard construction. - WSL / Jeff Berting

In partnership with Sustainable Surf, shaper Ryan Harris of Earth Technologies will be on site providing live glassing demos and a zero landfill manufacturing demonstration. Earth Technologies is an award winning environmentally friendly high-performance surfboard and stand-up paddleboard production company who mission is to demonstrate to the greater surfing community that there are greener and more sustainable surfboard production methods that do not compromise the performance of the board.

Tune into the Freshwater Pro and follow @wslpure on Instagram to see all the creativity at the PURE Village.

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