Can a skateboard save the planet? These guys think so. Bureo Skateboards have began making what might be the most environmentally friendly boards ever.
The entire deck is made from recycled fishing nets, recovered in Chile. Given the amount of plastic we dump on a daily basis, Chilean fishing nets seem like an unusual choice for a resource. However, it’s thought that discarded and broken fishing nets make up a massive ten per cent of all plastic pollution in the sea.
Reducing this figure will reduce the amount of pollutant in the sea, which in turn helps restore the eco-balance to more normal levels. Long story short, the less plastic in the sea, the more oxygen-producing algae. The more algae, the better the environment for humans, what with the whole oxygen-required-for-breathing thing.
The project has been backed by outdoor brand Patagonia, as part of their $20 Million And Change campaign. Launched last year, the campaign is designed to give eco-aware start-up companies a helping hand to make a positive affect on the environment we all live in.
“[Bureo have] invented an incredible recycling program by rallying the fishing industry in Chile to turn plastic ocean waste into a great product,” Patagonia Chief Executive Rose Marcario said. “We’re investing in Bureo’s vision to scale their business to a global level and make a serious dent in the amount of plastic that gets thrown away in our oceans.”
The Bureo boards are available now, for $149 (about £94).
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