A Disappearing Venice








Surfing Sustainable Waves

SurfingSurfing is an energetic, full body sport that is a favorite pastime for many who live near coastlines around the world. With a surfing culture that is present in a numerous amount of countries, surfers are continuously spending time in the ocean, taking part in a sport that depends on the environment. Any ongoing aquatic activities tend to put strain on the ocean, but surfers across the globe have a strong understanding of the importance of maintaining its natural qualities. Recycled surfboards bring a green aspect to the sport, made specifically with the environment in mind. Popular companies have opted to use materials that are sustainable, constantly giving back to the planet.

In an ironic twist, although surfers worldwide enjoy being outdoors and becoming part of mother nature as they ride waves, the traditional boards they ride them on are dangerous towards the environment. Made from toxic chemicals, the surfboards are harmful towards the ecosystems that live in the water. It is not rare for surfboards to break in half while riding powerful waves, which leaves broken bits of these toxic surfboards floating out into the ocean. With increasing knowledge of the harms these surfboards can cause, the surfing industry has begun to redesign the way in which surfers ride waves. One such company is Green Foam Blanks. Created by Steve Cox and Joey Stanley, Green Foam Blanks takes recycled materials and turns them into eco friendly surfboards. 60-65% of each of their new surfboards are made from recycled materials, which comes from parts of other surfboards. This drastically reduces the amount of toxic chemicals put into each surfboard. 

In the state where the surfing culture was born, Hawaii is now transforming the way surfboards impact the environment. Country Feeling Surfboards is a famous local company in Hawaii that shapes boards using progressive materials such as sugar and soy based foams. Resins are also made from plant based materials. Bamboo, hemp, and silk cloth are also used to produce this new generation of surfboards. Country Feeling Surfboards are created by professional board shapers Kyle Bernhardt and Jeff Bushman. They are transforming the way surfers ride waves, making Country Feeling Surfboards as one of the most well liked eco friendly companies among the surfing population in Hawaii. Along with surfboards, the people at Country Feeling aim to redesign the surfing culture as a whole. Other products such as stand up board paddles will be made using sustainable materials like bamboo, and surfboard wax will be made available as an organic product. Country Feeling encourages all surfers and non surfers alike to take ongoing measures to infuse a healthy, green lifestyle into their daily mindset. 

Imagine Eco Surfboards is another company that has taken productive measures to create cutting edge, sustainable surfboards. These boards are made from recyclable B-XP3 extruded polystyrene foam. Instead of using fiberglass to laminate these surfboards, the manufacturers use bamboo fabric. Using bamboo instead of traditional fiberglass eliminates much more toxic chemicals normally used. Bamboo is one of the most environmentally friendly materials available, and when used for making surfboards, it makes the product very strong and good for the planet. 

ReSurf Recycling takes a somewhat different approach to utilizing recycled surfboards. Instead of using sustainable materials to make new surfboards, the people behind ReSurf are taking broken boards and using those parts to make asphalt filler. These unused parts of broken boards are able to also make filler for concrete. Many surfing communities have designated drop off locations where surfers can donate their unused and broken boards to ReSurf, continuing the process of recycling. The efforts done by ReSurf takes all the boards that would normally end up in landfills across the country, and turns them into much more productive, and necessary components needed to make roads.

The feel good, relaxed atmosphere of the surfing culture is an attractive one for people around the world. With the help of international companies, green surfboards are more easily accessible. The importance of protecting the environment is a widespread movement, and surfers are now more than ever taking positive measures to assure their natural playground isn’t destroyed. 

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Eco Friendly Weekend: New York City









Sustaining the Environment at the High Sierra Music Festival









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Eco Friendly Weekend: San Francisco










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A Green Lifestyle in Portland

Portland-OregonThe city of Portland, Oregon is often considered to be one of the most eco friendly places to live in the United States. A pioneer of a healthy, green lifestyle, many residents of Portland take advantage of year round environmentally conscious living options, and implement them into their daily lives. Nearly two million people call Portland home, and are often exposed to a mindset of enjoying and preserving the environment. With younger generations quickly infusing the mindset environmental awareness into their daily lives, Portland continues to be a truly green city.

The citizens of Portland are continuously in the process of creating progressive green programs to make their city cleaner, fresher, and more sustainable. Through the help of Portland State University, college students use education and innovative ideas to positively influence green programs in the area. In a time where locally sourced organic food reigns high in the culinary world, students at the university have proposed ways to garden and grow organic food on their own campus. This sustainable practice highlights the eco friendly mentality of the younger generation of Portlanders.

Green transportation in Portland is key to maintaing an eco friendly urban region. With sustainable innovations and often times simple solutions, Portland has become one of the most bicycle friendly spots in the country. While much of the population of the United States depends on cars as their primary means of transportation, Portlanders tend to use alternative methods. About 5,000 people use bicycles to commute to work on a daily basis, which significantly reduces the amount of cars on the road. There are hundreds of miles of designated bike paths around the city of Portland, which encourages people to use bicycles as much as possible. 

Aside from being a bicycle friendly city, Portland has other transportation options that makes traveling around the city easy and good for the environment. Local government has implemented The Light Rail, a public transportation system that connects Portland to outlying suburbs and the Portland International Airport. The Portland Streetcar runs specifically around the city. Both the Light Rail and Streetcar system are free anywhere in downtown Portland. The combination of trains and bicycles clears up traffic on the streets and pollution in the air. For those who drive, Portland happens to be the original city with the car-sharing program. Flexcar is a system where designated cars are stationed around the city. Members are able to access these cars for a certain amount of time. Each Flexcar takes off six other cars on the road. 

Portland ranks in the top ten walkable cities in the country. Popular walkable neighborhoods in Portland are Old Town-Chinatown, the Pearl District, and Downtown. Any visitor or resident can easily maneuver around the distinct neighborhoods of the city. Walkscore.com, a website that analyzes the walkability of cities and neighborhoods, gives highly positive scores to areas within Portland. With a highest possible walk score of 100, seven Portland neighborhoods received walk scores between 90 and 100. This large amount of walkable areas positively impacts how Portland maintains a green lifestyle. 

Portland has several city parks, totaling 37,000 acres of green space. There are 288 parks around the city. One famous park which brings nature straight to an urban environment is Forest Park. It is 5,156 acres of wilderness, which gives Portlanders and tourists an easy way to enjoy the green environment without leaving the city. In parks throughout the city, there are 166 miles of trails for walkers and hikers to explore. Aside from large parks and wide spaces of wilderness, Portland also has Mill Ends Park, the world’s smallest park measuring only 24” across. Portland has had extensive environmental development and planning which has created parks for anyone to enjoy. 

Unspoiled components of the environment of the Pacific Northwest has given Portland direct contact to nature. For hiking enthusiasts, nearby Mount Hood is a perfect spot to take in the mountainous scenery and trek through the wooded landscape. It is located about 60 miles east of downtown Portland, which gives residents an easily accessible destination for a day trip to the mountains. Mount Hood is currently considered to be an active volcano, although it last erupted more than 15,000 years ago. Mount Hood is well liked by many Portlanders who savor outdoor experiences.

A combination of progressive ideas and nature at their fingertips, Portlanders have come to appreciate their environment while respecting it as much as possible. Portland continues to maintain its positive reputation as a green city, and its residents are considered to be some of the most eco friendly individuals in the country. For locals and visitors alike, experiencing Portland’s charming attractions and neighboring natural beauty highlights how the green lifestyle can become a positive city wide craze.

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Endangered Monkeys Fight for Survival

MonkeyAnimals that appear on the endangered list are highly threatened to disappear from surviving in the world. Unfortunate human activities have posed as first hand problems, including continuous deforestation and hunting. Like many other animals, monkeys located around the world have been directly affected by ongoing shifts in their natural environment. Exotic species found across Africa, Asia, and South America have been under constant strain for survival. Unfortunately some populations are declining rapidly towards extinction.

There are over 200 different species of monkeys in the wild. Monkeys can be found in all areas of the world. The Tana River Red Colobus is among one of the most endangered species. It can only be found in Kenya, along the Tana River banks. The natural habitat of the Tana River Red Colobus monkey has been greatly impacted by humans who have farmed and used the land for themselves. The 60 kilometer stretch for the monkeys’ habitat has significantly changed. The result of human progress has left only less than 1,000 of these monkeys in the wild.

Indonesia is a country that hosts a variety of exotic animals, including the pig-tailed Langur. These monkeys can only be found on a small group of islands located near Sumatra. Spending most of their time high in the trees, the pig-tailed Langur are losing their homes due to human actions. Trees have been cut down and families have moved into the areas where these monkeys called home. Humans have pushed the pig-tailed Langur close to extinction.

Not far from Indonesia, in neighboring Vietnam, another species of monkey has fallen victim to becoming endangered. The Tonkin snub-nosed monkey has less than 150 left in the wild population. They have been seen in four areas across Vietnam. These monkeys, along with the previous monkeys in Kenya and Indonesia have lost their homes because of deforestation. The Tonkin snub-nosed monkeys have also been extensively hunted, decreasing their overall population. Also in Vietnam, the Golden-headed Langur was a popular monkey on Cat Ba Island. They have been hunted for medicinal purposes, significantly reducing the size of their population. The Golden-headed Langur has had very hard times maintaing a steady population because there are much less males than females. This results in only a few babies being born every year.

The brown-headed spider monkey is an endangered species that lives mainly in Ecuador and Colombia. They can only be seen in two areas in Ecuador. Like many other monkeys around the world, the brown-headed spider monkey has become near extinction because of deforestation and hunting. The monkeys don’t have their natural treetops to live in, and have suffered the consequences of human actions.

Although many species are under threat of becoming extinct, there have been cases of monkeys who have survived. The Andean titi monkey was once low in numbers but has increased in population due to conservation efforts. A protected 23.5 hectare area of the San Martin region of Peru has given these monkeys enough space to create homes without being subjected to human activities. The restoration of the area has helped the monkeys stay away from becoming extinct.

The grey-shanked duoc monkey has also been able to survive in the jungles of Vietnam. They were once considered to be one of the most endangered monkeys with only less than 1,000 left. Scientists were able to find a colony of 100 more of these monkeys in the wild, increasing their total population. Illegal hunting and deforestation cause the grey-shanked monkey to land on the endangered list, but new hope has emerged for their survival after this discovery.

Monkeys and other endangered animals may be losing their habitats, but organizations around the world continue to try to protect them as much as possible. The World Wildlife Fund has been a leader in nature and animal protection for over 45 years. Working in over 100 countries, it is supported by over 5 million people internationally. Anyone can volunteer their time or donate money to the World Wildlife Fund. All proceeds and efforts go towards preserving nature and wildlife. Scientists and researchers continue to get a deeper knowledge of endangered species, and how to help them survive.

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Eco Tourism on the Hawaiian Islands







Everlasting Music with Sustainable Instruments

Guitar-MusicMusic is a universal element that is present across all cultures. It is one of the oldest forms of creative expression and is often a large part of customs and traditions. For centuries, people have been singing and using a variety of instruments, including anything from the piano, violin, flute, to guitar. These instruments are often hand crafted and made from materials that are easily accessible. In the recent years, instruments like the guitar, have not lost any of their popularity. Instead, they have gained a new, eco friendly way of production.

The guitar has been part of musical history throughout the world. There are two types of guitars, acoustic and electric. The acoustic guitar is made out of wood, and descends from the Roman ear. Many similar variations of the modern day guitar have been present in areas of Europe, India, and Central Asia. The guitar is one of the most well known instruments and has transpired over time and location. 

The acoustic guitar is made from wood and has either nylon or steel strings. The body of an acoustic guitar can typically be made out of a variety of different woods. One such material is the basswood which has a soft wood texture. This type of wood makes for a light weight guitar and great acoustics. Other woods that are used to create acoustic guitars are walnut, koa, and Alder wood. Each wood gives the guitar its own distinct sound. Although all these options have been popular in the production of guitars, environmentally conscious people have turned their focus on making guitars that are sustainable and good for the planet. 

Bamboo is often synonymous with being an eco friendly material. Bamboo has been used as an alternative to flooring and household building materials. Bamboo has now jumped into the music industry by being made into green acoustic guitars. Bamboo guitars are a reliable instrument because of its resilience. It is an inexpensive material to work with, and produces its own unique acoustics. Yamaha has jumped on the green bandwagon by producing a line of bamboo acoustic guitars. Bamboo has become a green option for making guitars because of its high rate of growth. It can grow extremely quick at about 100 feet tall in just 60 days. There are also over 1200 species of bamboo available, which makes it a greener alternative to other exotic woods.

Flaxwood is another material being used to create guitars. Flaxwood, which is also the name of the company, blends wood grains with polymer into molds to shape guitars. Flaxwood has come up with its Hybrid series of guitars that use their famous Flaxwood neck in combination with the European Alder body. This creates a sustainable product to play and enjoy music on.

Recycled products, which can be anything from coffee cups, CDs, pipes, and plastic bottles, have been used as part of Simon Lee’s Cyclotron guitars. These guitars are made from 100% recycled items and become part of musical creativity. The physical look of these recycled guitars are one of a kind because of the random colors used in the recycled materials. 

The music industry has shown its dedication to promoting a green lifestyle through the manufacturing of guitars. Big named brands in the guitar world, including Yamaha, Gibson, and Fender, have taken positive strides in protecting the current deforestation problem. Exotic woods are often highly searched and become expensive products, but the industry wants to make the change towards using only woods that have been designated safe by the Forestry Stewardship Council. Created to protect the environment, the music industry’s continued collaboration with FSC will help ensure the protection of trees while still producing guitars. With these new advances, environmentalists and musicians can live together in harmony.

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A Green Park Reaches New Heights

Parks-Trees-New York CityNew York City may be known to be a concrete jungle, but new environmental designs give New Yorkers a chance to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors. High Line Park takes the conventional idea of a park and transforms an unconventional outdoor space into one of the most popular summer public areas in the city. With the help of progressive and creative ideas, High Line Park raises a park to new heights.

Located in the Chelsea neighborhood, High Line Park is known for its innovative way of taking unused space and changing it into a public park. The High Line was originally created in the 1930s as an elevated railway system. Trains have not run on the High Line tracks since the 1980s. The area was threatened to be destroyed, but with the collaboration of the City of New York and an organization called Friends of the High Line, the historical structure was saved. Not only was it spared from demolition, the area turned into New York City’s famous elevated park.

Ideas for High Line Park took off beginning in 2001. By 2003, the “Designing the High Line” competition was created to generate ideas from around the world. Teams from 36 countries entered for a chance to have their plans put into the park. It wasn’t until 2006 when construction began. The first section of the park, stretching from Gansevoort street to West 20th street, opened in June of 2009. Just recently in June of 2011, the second section of the park opened, now extending upwards from West 20th street to West 30th street. 

The literal steel to nature transformation shows how creative visionaries can create an environmentally friendly space where one previously didn’t exist. The park has had extensive designs in terms of plants, which have been selected based on sustainability and inspired by the landscape that had sprouted over the years when the railway had not been used. Just in the first section of the park, visitors can find over 200 types of grasses, shrubs, and flowers. Developers were able to keep history alive by leaving the old railroad tracks in place, while plating around them. For night time visits, LED lights are placed around the park for energy efficient ways of enjoying the space when the sun goes down. 

The unique structure of the elevated park has drawn large amounts of visitors since its opening, and continues to grow with its recent expansion. The High Line hosts an array of events where people can enjoy the outdoors in the middle of the thriving city. Saturdays at the High Line bring tours of the park, including a walking guide that points out historical and horticultural highlights. Tuesday evenings after the sky has turned dark, visitors can take part in star gazing with high tech telescopes. The park, in collaboration with the Amateur Astronomers Associated of New York, brings the sometimes rare sight of stars to New Yorkers’ eyes. An upcoming June walking tour around the park with gardeners will showcase how the gardens of the park are taken care of. Live entertainment and musical performances are also a popular option for anyone visiting the park.

Aside from all the programs happening at the High Line Park in upcoming months, many visitors simply enjoy spending leisure time at a new and unique park. With views of the Hudson River, the innovative park brings a new perspective on green spaces. In a city where every square inch of space is highly valued, designers have been able to successfully create a large, environmentally conscious park above the busy streets. The first design of its kind has become a hit for New Yorkers who want to escape the hectic city life to be part of nature at new heights.

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