We understand that surf wax can be considered part of the fun of surfing. The preparation ritual, almost a meditative part that prepare us for our surf sessions, and the scent, the sensory experience that a fresh wax bar adds to the surfing experience. It's true that overall, while surf wax primarily serves a practical purpose—providing traction on the surfboard—its role in the surfing experience goes beyond functionality, contributing to the overall joy and culture of the sport.
Did you know that the paraffin / wax we use as anti-skid material to surf will never, but NEVER, be absorbed by nature? (Check this cool appeal from Surfdidatico)
That's the uggly true: surf wax doesn't contribute, at all, to preserve our playground: the oceans. The fact is that while surfing, wax melts (or breaks in small pieces) into the ocean. On top of that, as a fast consuming good, means a lot of CO2 emissions due to the supply chains*.
By choosing a permanent solution to provide traction while surfing, we're saving a lot of CO2 due to the transport from production facilities to distribution centers, and then to retail outlets or/and consumers. This transportation, whether by trucks, ships, or airplanes, burns fossil fuels and generates CO2 emissions. Also, surf wax is for quick consumption, leading to a continuous cycle of production and disposal. This high turnover rate increases the frequency of the entire supply chain’s activities, amplifying the overall carbon footprint.
So, unless you're making your own wax, or buying a bio degradable and local produced wax, waxing your surfboard can look a really cool ritual but in fact it's hurting our ocean. There are a toon of alternatives to surf wax out there in the market, that will last forever on your surfboard giving you enough grip to surf.
I think it's time to reshape the way we surf, the way we think about the ocean, and our planet's future. Our surf grip it's not the only option out there,
Oh, and if you (as I do) love and miss the smell of wax on your surfboard, in the past we did a Stenced Wax Van der Waal Special Edition and we are planning to do it again soon.
* Fast-moving consumer goods have a high inventory turnover and are contrasted with specialty items which have lower sales and higher carrying charges. FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) industries together produce more than one-third of global emissions, which mainly come from their upstream supply chains.
