Skate Or Die
By Jenn Breckenridge
Filed Under Green Living, Sustainable Style |
Did you see Gleaming The Cube in ‘89 and wish it could have been you instead of Christian Slater? Do you still own all your back issues of Thrasher and Transworld? Do you see those kids tic-tacing past you on the sidewalk and think, “if only I knew how to skate, my morning commute would be so much cooler?” Regardless of why you may be interested in skating, if you don’t have a board and always wanted one, there’s no time like the present. With most vehicles releasing about 20 pounds of carbon dioxide per gallon of gas used, it’s time to start getting around in a carbon neutral way. In the words of so many skaters before you…skate or die.
Three major eco skateboard companies are out there sourcing sustainable-managed wood, low-impact glues, soy-based resins and more to produce rad boards that rip with the best of ‘em. eCo Times caught up with all three of them: Dan Gesmer of Seismic Skate Systems, Jason Salfi of Comet Skateboards, and Bob Carlson of Arbor.
SEISMIC SKATE SYSTEMS///COMET SKATEBOARDS///ARBOR SKATEBOARDS
Company Founded: 1993///1998///1995
Location of Headquarters: Boulder, CO///Oakland, CA and Ithaca, NY///Venice, CA
Location of Manufacturing: San Diego, Los Angeles, Boulder, CO, and China///Ithaca, NY///San Diego, CA
Product Lines: Wheels, Trucks, Decks and Completes///Skateboards And T-Shirts///Skateboards, Snowboards, and Apparel
Company practices that need improvement: Integrating more green materials in production ///Sourcing raw materials within a 300 mile radius, green commuting by staff, using 100% renewable energy,eliminating scrap instead of just composting it///Using even more eco-friendly glues
What makes your boards eco?
SEISMIC: All of our decks are manufactured using FSC-certified woods. And we’re committed to staying on the cutting edge as green materials and processes become viable for the production of performance-oriented wheels and trucks.
COMET: 100% soy protein based resin, FSC-certified hardwoods, water based paints and inks. They are biodegradable. If you could chew them you could eat them. We compost the scrap.
ARBOR: 100% of the bamboo and wood used in our skates, including the all maple plys, is sustainably sourced and has been since we started making skates 10 years ago. We also use only water-based sealers during production. Further, all risers are made from recycled plastic. Finally, we reclaim and recycle all the wood and bamboo by-product created during construction for use in other Arbor products or by outside companies.
What was the inspiration behind creating a sustainable ride?
SEISMIC: The artist responsible for our deck graphics, Boulder’s own mad king, pushed us to research the eco dimensions of our products. It turns out that our deck factory was sourcing FSC-certified woods before we even asked about it.
COMET: It is all about legacy. Sustainability is a part of performance to us. We build high performance skateboards.
ARBOR: Like most people who skate, snowboard, or surf - time spent riding gives us a direct understanding of what’s at stake. Protecting the planet is not about some place you see on TV - it’s about the environments we utilize everyday. We need clean air to skate, clean water to surf, and some freaking snow to ride.
Which model is your absolute favorite?
SEISMIC: For general-purpose cruising, I like the 36-inch Camber-Concave. For Old School trick maneuverability, give me the 28-inch Rocker-Kicktail. That’s a shape I developed over many years as a pro freestylist, and the board I used in Montreal when I trained with Cirque du Soleil last year.
COMET: Crystal Chalice for speedboarding. Shred City for everything else.
ARBOR: The new which is a long, gunny shape built around an exclusive composite design to deliver style, flex, and return.
Have you ridden the competition (other eco skate companies) before? How do you think your boards compare?
SEISMIC: We’re confident that our design, construction and performance are second to none. In fact, we’re now the only brand in the entire longboard industry manufacturing original, state-of-the-art technology in all three major components: trucks, wheels and now decks. We’re proud to say that no other company can put together completes like ours under their own banner. And we’re just getting started!
COMET: Yeah. All skateboards are cool.
ARBOR: Nope – just focused on what we’re doing and our own take on skating. But I respect all of their efforts.
Has there been steady growth in the skate industry since it’s explosion in the 1980’s?
SEISMIC: It is not accurate to say that the skateboard industry exploded in the 1980s. The market underwent boom-and-bust cycles in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. But since the late 1980s and early 1990s, the market has been enjoying comparatively stable growth. In particular, the longboard field has been growing steadily since the mid-1990s.
How has the introduction of the longboard effected skating’s demographic?
COMET: First it made a small expansion in the older set but now more young kids are starting on longboards and developing a quiver mentality. Young kids that don’t want to ollie. They just want to carve and cruise. Just chill. It just makes skateboarding more accessible to all.
ARBOR: Absolutely. People are now continuing to skate well into their 20’s, 30’s and beyond. It has also also brought more women into the sport.
Do you notice more people using skateboards as a form of transportation, rather than merely a hobby? Why do you think that is?
COMET: More and more transportation – we just shipped 40 boards to Clif Bar to assist with their clean commuter incentive. People on public transit use them more and more to complete the last part of their journey and just clear the head after work. It is totally rad. So many new people are skateboarding now. There are no social stigmas about skateboarding. No age barriers. People are just rolling and it is an enlightening experience – like yoga or meditation.
Are there more eco-friendly materials available for skateboard manufacturing now than when you started?
ARBOR: Yes – with the green craze, we are having a much easier time accessing sustainable materials. Their are very few excuses left for not going green.
Which materials do you feel like you have to compromise sustainability on for performance sake?
SEISMIC: Definitely wheels.
COMET: Well you can’t beat carbon fiber – we just stopped using it because it is no longer worth it in the whole equation. The thing is - it is the rider not the board. If your ego is so bold that you feel that compromising sustainability for performance is necessary then you are not really at the essence of skateboarding. It is a state of mind. Once a skateboard is at a certain performance quotient the rest is up to the skater. We are proving that there is no compromise..
ARBOR: Right now, it is just the glues – but that is changing rapidly.
How does the rest of the board sport industry regard you as an eco-driven boardmaker?
COMET: The action sports industry was not known for its sustainability. Until as recently as 2006, industry leaders did not understand our efforts. Presently, the entire three billion dollar action sports industry is following a plan for sustainability guided by Bill McDonough’s MBDC consulting group through leadership that we helped provide through ASEC (Action Sports Environmental Coalition).
“First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win.” -Ghandi
Do you have a company team? Tell us about ‘em.
SEISMIC: We sponsor a number of champion racers with our wheels.
COMET: They are rad. Go to our blog and check out the BASIC crew. And we have some amazing skateboarding going on in the streets too. Check out Jeff McDunough’s latest posts from Spain. All of our people have progress in their DNA and we are all are optimistic. There is a video about the scene coming out in the fall.
ARBOR: Yes, our team is Arbor’s extended family. It spans the spectrum from 8x world champion surfer Kelly Slater to some of the local rippers here in Venice.
We want to turn people on to the joys of skating here at eCo Times. What do you think is the best style of board for beginners?
SEISMIC: Choose wheels that grip, trucks that turn with control and stability, and a deck whose size and shape are comfortable for you. Also, don’t be fooled into thinking that a bouncy deck is a performance deck. A little bit of flex is good for certain types of skating. A lot of flex, especially without good rebound, may be fun to jump on but it’s not much good on the street.
COMET: A 36 – 40″ longboard. Anything with soft wheels.
ARBOR: The longer the better. I would suggest our Pin or Blunt models. Longer skates mean longer wheel bases. Longer wheel bases mean more stability. Stability will make it easier to learn to push and turn your new skate.
Any how-to tips for fledgling skate nerds out there about to hit the streets?
SEISMIC: Learn how to push, glide and steer (in both directions) at low speeds before hitting any hills. Safety equipment - helmet, wrist guards, knee and elbow pads - are a good idea if you’re pushing your edge.
COMET: Skateboarding is like life. You fall down and you get back up. But always enjoy the ride.
ARBOR: Start off slow in a parking lot. It’s not a bad idea to wear a helmet. Once you can push yourself and create momentum, then adjust your stance, ride the board and turn - you’re ready for a bike path, preferably away from the street. It’s pretty easy and soon you’ll rollin’.
Whether you’re commuting to work or cruising to a friend’s house on the weekend, skating can be an incredibly fun and inexpensive way to get around. Skating ignites the inner child that can turn the most mundane activities of life into the best time of your life. And it makes you feel really cool. Skate or die (trying).
Posted on July 21, 2008 |
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Now I want to learn how to skateboard.
I’ll teach you Jillian. I am 34 year old who just started skating for the first time in 2007. I have been skating everyday since that point. Love it! Skate or die!