The Magazine of The Sierra Club
Skateboarding's organic ripper
Bob Burnquist, professional skateboarder and organic farmer
Bob Burnquist, professional skateboarder and organic farmer| Jamie Mosberg/Digital Action Sports Network
"Skateboarding is such a small industry that people used to think, 'We're struggling as it is. Who cares about sustainability?'" —Bob Burnquist
Fifteen years ago, an unknown skateboarder arrived in the United States from Brazil and began crushing the competition. Bob Burnquist came with a fresh crop of tricks and an appreciation for the environment that was unprecedented for a skater. He went on to cofound the Action Sports Environmental Coalition (ASEC) in 2001 and now runs a small organic farm in Southern California.
Q: How do your environmental views dovetail with your career?
A: I felt I had to connect on some level with my sponsors or else it wouldn't make sense. I've turned down sponsors, like energy drinks, that would have paid a lot of money. Ipath [footwear] has been using hemp for a long time, and Toyota hybrids are a natural fit. I skated a couple of contests on bamboo boards. It's all about being who I am and trying to hold my ground.
Q: Did growing up in Brazil shape your perspective?
A: I was raised in a country that's beautiful, tropical, and diverse, and I'd always eaten fresh food. So there was a culture shock when I came to the U.S. The waste bothered me, and my stomach couldn't handle all the fast food. On [skateboarding] tours, I made supermarket stops instead of eating at fast food places with everybody else.
Q: Describe the farm where you live.
A: I live with my wife and three children on a 12-acre ranch in San Diego County. When I looked at properties, I was thinking, "Quality of living and a skateboard ramp." I have avocado and lemon trees and horses and goats. When nobody is around, I walk around and eat the fruit off the trees. It's pretty soothing.
Q: What have you done to raise environmental awareness in the action-sports world?
A: The ASEC created a "green room" at a surf shop in Laguna Beach with sustainable products. Shoppers don't have to look through each brand to find the few green items; they're centralized in one section. —interview by Sean Mortimer
