4 Ways To Make Your Next Skateboard Purchase More Sustainable
Using your skateboard to get around not only looks cool, gets you from Point A to Point B, and gives you a rush of adrenaline, but also cuts down on your carbon emissions. In fact, skateboarding is taking off as one of the more popular ways to avoid driving among commuters in order to help out the planet. If you're looking to decrease your impact on the environment by skating even further, then looking at sustainable rides is the next logical step. Here are some suggestions for getting your hands on a board whose manufacture helps the environment.
Recycled Garbage Boards
Whether it's fishing nets or construction buckets, there are a bunch of different ways to make a skate deck out of recycled plastic. These boards are a good option if you want to try penny boarding as opposed to traditional skateboarding, the difference being that penny boarding requires a smaller, plastic board than the wooden skateboard.
Bamboo Boards
Bamboo makes a sustainable substitute for many different kinds of wood, and skateboard decks are no exception. Bamboo grows extremely quickly, making it very easily replenished in the wild or in a controlled environment. The best part about using bamboo rather than maple for a skate deck is that bamboo is actually more difficult to break than maple, providing a solution that's sustainable and durable.
Repurposed Decks
This method of making your board more sustainable hits close to home, literally. There are a bunch of different ways to make your own skate deck from wood lying around your house or at a scrap yard. In order to do this, you'll need a method to make veneers out of your scrap wood, which could be maple or bamboo as stated above. These veneers should be between 1/17 and 1/20 of an inch wide, and you can cut them using a bandsaw. From here, simply use wood glue or lacquer to glue the veneers together to create your desired thickness, sand it until it's smooth, and then drill out holes for your trucks.
Recycled Trucks
Recent studies suggest that more than half of the environmental impact of building a skateboard comes from producing the trucks. Shopping a board that uses trucks made of recycled aluminum takes a big step toward reducing your board's carbon footprint. Another way to take advantage of existing materials rather than buying new ones is by using your old trucks for your new board. This is a great option if your board breaks. Even if your deck is shattered, the trucks may be intact.
If your local resources for skateboards are limited, consider looking for skateboards online. That can make it easier to find the type of board you want, especially if you are looking for something specific.