A Chafed Odyssey: For a Good Cause

Buddies Scott Paynton and Mike Conway both led pretty environmentally-conscious lives – eating vegetarian, biking all over the place, spending tons of time out in nature.

But sometime last year, it occurred to them that their favorite pastime – surfing – was adding to their carbon footprint in a major way.

"Surfers themselves are harming the waters," said Conway, 27, from Santa Barbara. "The foam that surfboards are made of use some nasty, nasty chemicals, and we're driving around burning up gasoline, wearing petroleum-based neoprene wetsuits."

So they found alternatives. Now the two are about to embark on a 550-mile bike/surf odyssey to raise awareness about lower-impact surfing lifestyles. If you think they're making you look bad, it gets worse: they're raising money for the American Cancer Society while they're at it.

Paynton, a communications professor, and Conway, who works in banking, will depart from Fort Bragg, California in mid-May and make their way down the coast to Santa Barbara, surfing every morning and riding 50-60 miles a day.

They've lined up a slew of environmentally-friendly surf product sponsors, from agricultural product-based Homeblown Biofoam surfboards, Quiver Kaddy board trailers, and Matuse wetsuits made from, get this…limestone.

"The whole gig is eco-friendly," said Paynton, 39, who lives in Humboldt County.

The pair hopes that their unusual convoy will spark curiosity – the giant, dinosaur egg-like Quiver Kaddy trailers should do just that. If the trip works out, they hope to make it into an annual event.

For more on the trip, and to check out the list of sustainable surf products, see the Bike and Surf California website.

--Emily Matchar

Comments

[Seahugger]

Right on! Best of luck. Stop in at Seahuggers in Shell Beach and we'll resupply you with petroleum free surf wax!

[poetryman69]

Energy independence is much more important than global warming. When the US is energy independent there will be no more oil wars and the terrorists will no longer be able or interested in reaching us. This will save lives AND energy. The global warming crowd can't claim this. The truth is only the Chinese can stop man made climate change. They are going through an industrial revolution that is sure to dwarf our own. Does this mean we should do nothing? Far from it. Let's study what Denmark, France, Brazil, and Australia have done on energy and do likewise. Let's drill wherever we have oil and put a new nuclear power plant in every state. Let's use all our coal and natural gas. We don't need foreign energy. And we will be safer, greener, and richer with out it.