Every morning, Ryan Harris rolls out of bed by 5:30 a.m. He’s up early to surf the waves in the Pacific Ocean along the coast of Los Angeles, California. Harris surfs on a one-of-a-kind board that he made himself. “One of the things I love most is that I get up and go surf on something I made with my own hands,” he says.

Harris is the owner of ECObyRy, a company that creates sustainable surfboards. He makes boards out of recycled materials and supplies, which reduces harm to the environment. Harris started surfing more than 20 years ago. But he later found out that the materials used to make surfboards are dangerous to the people making them—and harmful to the planet. Harris spoke with Scholastic about inventing a safer and Earth-friendly way to build surfboards.

Ryan Harris gets up by 5:30 a.m. every morning. He lives along the coast of Los Angeles, California. He’s up early to surf the waves in the Pacific Ocean. Harris rides a one-of-a-kind board. He made it himself. “One of the things I love most is that I get up and go surf on something I made with my own hands,” he says.

Harris is the owner of ECObyRy. It’s a company that makes sustainable surfboards. They’re made from recycled materials and supplies. That helps the environment. Harris started surfing more than 20 years ago. But he later found out some surfboard materials are toxic. They can harm the people making the boards. And they can hurt the planet. Harris spoke with Scholastic about inventing safer and more Earth-friendly surfboards.

I studied design in college. Later, I moved to Los Angeles and fell in love with surfing. I started painting boards. Then I learned how to make them. I had no idea I would be doing this as a career, but now I’m a surfboard maker and designer.

I studied design in college. Later, I moved to Los Angeles. There, I fell in love with surfing. I started painting boards. Then I learned how to make them. I didn’t know I’d be doing this as a career. But now I’m a surfboard maker and designer.

We reuse nearly 100 percent of our waste to make other products. Leftover Styrofoam can become new boards. We toss other materials—like extra resin, plastic bottles, and even old surfboards—into a plastic shredder to create a superstrong material called “shred.” We make and sell coasters, trays, key chains, and special surfing tools out of the shred. A neighboring company uses our shred to make skateboards too.

We even have mealworms that eat and break down Styrofoam dust into safer substances! Their poop can be used as soil. Anything we can’t reuse goes to a special recycling center. Our workshop is the world’s first zero-waste surfboard factory!

We reuse nearly 100 percent of our waste. We turn it into other things. Leftover Styrofoam can become new boards. We shred other materials. That includes extra resin, plastic bottles, and even old surfboards. We use it to make a really strong material. It’s called “shred.” It becomes coasters, trays, key chains, and surfing tools. A nearby company also uses our shred. It makes skateboards.

We even have mealworms. They eat and break down Styrofoam dust. They turn it into something safer! Their poop can be used as soil. Anything we can’t reuse goes to a special recycling center. Our workshop is the world’s first zero-waste surfboard factory!

At first, people thought using broken boards to make new ones was crazy. Don’t listen to people who tell you that you can’t do something. Try
to figure out ways to reduce and reuse your waste. We’re getting great ideas from the next generation, so get fired up!

People thought my idea was crazy at first. That’s because we used broken boards to make new ones. Don’t listen to people who tell you that you can’t do something. Try to figure out ways to reduce and reuse your waste. We’re getting great ideas from young people. So get fired up!