A Board for an Engine

What can be an alternative way to go to Makati which is eco-friendly, good for your health, relatively safe and promises a lot of fun? Try skateboarding.

Long been confined in the image of rebellious, out of school punk kids who assembles in vacant parking lots, parks or sidewalks and often looked down by society as another nuisance sport, skateboarding has emerged from its punk subculture stereotype to form its own image. Although not completely free from its sleazy reputation, skateboarding has established a more positive impression in the modern society inspiring individuality and being recognized as an international sport.

Skateboarding saw its height in the early 1960’s after Californian surfers tried “surfing” the streets while the waves are flat. As the 60’s came to an end, so does skateboarding when its popularity has waned due to the scarcity of good boards. It was resurrected a decade after when companies began producing quality boards but fluctuated in popularity several times, only to emerged as a subculture in the 90’s with the rise of punk music. Today, skateboarding took on a more pop culture direction, influencing video games, movies and even fashion.

Skate for a Cause

For Filipino skateboarders, there’s more to the sport beyond the usual adrenaline-rush. In this difficult time of raising fuel prices and worsening air pollution, skateboarders converged to do their part on saving Mother Earth from its continuous decline.

More than 150 skateboarders ages 15-45 years old got up before 6am one Saturday morning to join the assembly at the Rajah Sulayman Park in Manila for Push Don’t Pollute, an environmental campaign spearheaded by skateboard retailer Sector 9 and Aloha Boardsports Philippines. Their aim is to encourage people to use alternative way of transportation, especially those that doesn’t use up so much gasoline and energy to help the curb air pollution in the country.

The race started at 7am and participants began gliding the streets of Roxas Boulevard and Gil Puyat Avenue, culminating at Pearl Drive in Plaza Parking Rockwell where the awarding ceremony was held.

For Freddie Gonzales, Aloha Boardsports president, who also joined the race, despite the appalling stereotype attached to skateboarding and other extreme sports, they can also do their share of promoting environmental advocacy.

“The skateboarding lifestyle has a lot of stigma attached to it, most of which is based on unfair assumptions. But the bottom line is, regardless of our lifestyle, we all have to do our part of the environment.”

Gonzales explained that instead of using carbon-emitting vehicles which contributes largely to air pollution and posed a great danger our health; people can try non-traditional ways of reaching their destinations like skateboarding.

“Mixing Extreme sports with green movement is actually a logical mix,” added Gonzales. “While there are many environmental issues that have to be addressed, we hope that people don’t get too caught up overanalyzing them. It’s more important that we actually do something about it, one skateboard at a time.”

As prove to this statement, EG Fratantaro, Marketing Team Member of Sector 9 cited that their company’s effort to use bamboo as raw material for their long boards. He noted that bamboo releases 35% more oxygen than other plants and grows faster, thus can easily be replaced when cut down.

“We decided to make some kind of a longboard or cruiserboard that’s made out of something different and is super renewable and lasts a long time,” continued Fratantaro.

According to him, the logic of using bamboo originated from the ideals of environmentalist Yvon Chouniard, owner of clothing and gear company Patagonia which is also one of the leading environmental advocates. Fratantaro added that when they heard about Chouniard, they decide that “its time to make a change.”

This change was realized by using bamboo for their long boards and switching from cotton line to organic line of apparel. And they continuously seek bring a new dimension to the boardsports channel via a deep respect for the environment

Winners of the race were Gerard Cancio for the men’s category, Mika Santos for the women’s and Marvin Cabrenza for the Grommet (young surfers). Each took home a gift cheque of P10,000 and items from Aloha Board Sports.