Sustainable Surfboards

A great Maine company has brought surfing back to its roots by constructing gorgeous wood surfboards. According to their website Grain Surfboards are committed to building, promoting and riding surfboards that have less impact on the environment and more impact on your surfing. Grain uses locally harvested, sustainably forested Northern White Cedar. They also reduce waste with their creative designs which use a third of wood in typical wood boards, they reuse waste products, and support small, family-owned sawmills in Maine. The wood boards are finished with zero-VOC epoxy, glass or bamboo cloth, and a high-gloss UV coating to protect the board.

Why make the switch to a wood surfboard? Traditional boards are made with petroleum based polyurethane foam which creates dangerous chemicals in the manufacturing process and after shaping the boards are glassed with toxic fiberglass laminate and polyester resins.

For more info on Grain Surfboards visit http://www.grainsurfboards.com

Ocean Friendly Sunscreen

With conventional sunscreens you are not only exposing yourself to dangerous chemicals you are also endangering the ocean's health. Researchers estimate that 4,000 to 6,000 metric tons of sunscreen wash off swimmers annually in oceans worldwide, and that up to 10 percent of coral reefs are threatened by sunscreen-induced bleaching. Choose sunscreens with plant-based ingredients and physical UV barriers which reflect UV rays, like titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. Some great choices are Caribbean Sol www.caribbean-sol.com or Soleo Organics www.soleoorganics.com

Remember these application tips for sunscreen to be the most effective -

1. Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before heading outside

2. Reapply every 2 hours or after swimming or sweating

3. Don't skimp on the amount of sunscreen you use, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends using an ounce (a shot-glass-full) of sunscreen for full-body coverage.

Beach Week

In honor of International Surfing Day on June 20, 2009 I will be checking out green beach products this week. International Surfing Day was created by Surfing magazine as a way to promote surfing and highlight the state of our oceans. So hit the beach this Saturday to catch some waves and participate in a beach clean-up. For more information on International Surfing Day check out http://www.surfingmagazine.com/isd

What to eat organic

Eating organic will reduce your exposure to pesticides, but can be expensive. In these tough economic times, buying organic foods can strain some families' budgets. What can you do? By purchasing organics for the 12 foods with the highest levels of pesticides, you can reduce your exposure to over 90% of the most commonly used pesticides. What to buy organic -

1. Apples
2. Bell peppers
3. Celery
4. Cherries
5. Grapes
6. Nectarines
7. Peaches
8. Pears
9. Potatoes
10. Red raspberries
11. Spinach
12. Strawberries