Ripar and Global Surf are two surf schools located on Areia Branca beach, in Lourinhã. Ripar was founded in 2001, but it was only in 2003 that Francisco “Chico” Antunes, together with his two brothers, bought the Ripar school and to this day they have managed to remain in business successfully. Chico has been a surf instructor for 22 years.
This sport began around the 1940s, with boards initially made of wood. Nowadays, there are several materials that can be used to make them, such as foam, resin, fiberglass, epoxy and fiber, the latter being the most commonly used. Fiber is a synthesized polymer that comes from coal and petroleum, and its manufacture and use are therefore polluting to the environment. Nowadays, wooden boards are still made, which would be a possible alternative to polluting materials, but with the popularity and dimension that this sport has gained over the decades, there has been an exponential increase in the production of boards to meet this demand.
“Imagine all these people cutting so much wood to make the boards, it would be so much worse.” said Chico. On top of that, the boards that are ideal for surfing are made of synthetic materials, because they have the ideal weight, ideal vibration with the water and they are really durable (the epoxy ones). Chico affirmed that “In the end it is probably better to use epoxy boards that are durable and will last longer, contrary to the wooden ones that will waste so much wood, as well as not being as durable, meaning that surfers will need to buy boards way more often.”.
Fortunately, there are people that make use of old boards, instead of letting them go to waste. Many people just hang them on their wall, some make benches and others use the boards to make different types of furniture.
Even though there are ways of reusing the boards, a way of recycling them has not yet been found. Many boards as well as swimsuits go to waste every year and the fact that some people reuse them to make everything from bags to decorations, doesn’t mean that the pollution is minimal or zero. “People know about the problems we are facing but they are not ready to change their lifestyles, they want new clothes, new phones etc…. I have a shirt that I have been wearing for many years [ … ].” affirmed Chico.
Surf tourism has increased significantly over the years, which brings both benefits and disadvantages to the target areas. On one hand, it enriches the country’s economy, generating jobs in surf schools and all businesses in general, such as hotels, restaurants and bars. However, it brings a lot of traffic to the beaches and the area is very susceptible to pollution. There is also the problem of carbon dioxide emissions, emitted by the planes and cars used to transport these tourists. Chico also comments that “It’s great for business but terrible for the environment.”.
Chico says that “In the past, surfers saw surfing more as a way of life, they had more ecological ideals and had a greater connection with nature, which made them want to protect it more, as they spent their days surrounded by it. Nowadays, people only see surfing as a fashionable sport, or one that gives style, and they don’t really see the ideas it can convey, the idea of being immersed in the environment and having to take care of it.”.
In conclusion, although surfing is a sport that is practiced in the middle of nature, its practice is still invasive to the environment, due to the use of polluting materials. Surfers are aware of this negative impact and that is why they try to find more sustainable solutions so that they can protect the Planet and continue practicing this sport.
