Why
The past decade has been the warmest on record and it’s having an adverse effect on our winters. Our favourite sports are at risk as our playground continues to suffer and we at Surfdome don’t want to just sit back and watch it happen.
Evidence
We went off grid for our revolutionary winter campaign with POW ambassadors Ed Leigh and James Stentiford, heading into the mountains in Verbier, Switzerland to see for ourselves the very real risk posed by increasing global temperatures.
Solution
Surfdome as an E-commerce store has highlighted the areas of impact we have on the environment, and we're making real change. From partnerships with charities such as Protect Our Winters UK to the brands we choose to sell (such as Volcom with their innovative REPREVE range) to our sustainable processes as a business – we understand that it’s time to act now.
Watch the POW x Surfdome Edit Below. #WinterNeedsUs
Will you enjoy the ride?
- The Alps could lose as much as 70% of snow cover over the next 80 years!* That’s an astonishing statistic that will adversely affect not only the outdoor sports community who rely on healthy winters for their livelihoods and leisure time, but also the wider environmental impact of loss of snow cover will result in increased sea levels and disrupted ecological cycles will be felt by all of us. Remember, we all need winter.
Can you enjoy the ride?
- Protect Our Winters UK are a passionate crew of international diehards, professional athletes, climate experts and industry brands leading the charge for all of us snow and outdoor enthusiasts that are faced with diminishing winters. Climate change isn’t a distant threat, it’s here and we are all seeing and feeling the effects daily.
How to enjoy the ride.
- What if the products that you are buying to enjoy the mountains this winter are the very products that are causing damage to your favourite playgrounds? We want our customers to be able to wear the best gear for their adventures, manufactured by processes that are not detrimental to the environments that they enjoy using them in.
Without the health of our planet we have nothing. As ocean lovers, mountain dwellers, park cruisers and outdoor enthusiasts, we're the first to notice change. We feel it, we're connected to it, and we're inspired to protect what we love.
At Surfdome we've highlighted the areas of impact we have on the environment, and we're making real change, leading the industry by example.
Marine Plastic
Climate Change
Products
In the spotlight:
Our Warehouse
We've taken yet another leap forward in pushing the business ahead on sustainability agendas, by reshaping our operations in a new, highly sustainable, state of the art building #PoweredGreen
To find out more, watch the video below.
- 124 acres of Peruvian rainforest saved by offsetting the embodied carbon emission incurred during construction.
- High-efficiency heat recovery system.
- Solar PV and thermal generating electricity and heat from the sun.
- Grey water systems making use of rain water.
- Areas to encourage the local ecology.
- 100% renewable electricity contract, only buying electricity powered by wind, sun and hydropower.
- 100% bio and frack free gas tariff that only buys gas from the breakdown of organic matter.
- High efficiency LED lighting with sensor controls to limit energy use.
- Full facilities to encourage staff to travel responsibly.
Marine Plastic
Marine plastic has crowded the line-up, wrapping itself around our fins and wheels, and only a few inches under the snow. The scale is undeniable; a rubbish truck of plastic enters our ocean every minute! Travelling on ocean currents, this plastic is now turning up in every corner of our planet, from Cornish beaches, to uninhabited Pacific islands. At Surfdome we've made it our mission to eradicate plastic from our operations and educate others about plastic use. In 2015 we took a stand and eliminated 74% of plastic from our packaging.
But we're not done yet, and we're helping the brands we work with to join us, too.
What are we doing now?
- We've eliminated 74% of plastic from our own packaging.
- Currently around 70% of the product our brands send us are in plastic; we're working to reduce this.
What we plan for the future
- 100% of our own packaging will be plastic free.
- Our warehouse will become a ‘Zero waste’ operation.
- We'll work with brands to only use biodegradable and/or recyclable packaging.
Who we support
Beach lovers rolling up their sleeves to help rid the world’s beaches of marine litter and plastic pollution... 2 minutes at a time.
A journey of marine plastic discovery to the remotest coastlines on the planet.
Climate Change
The seasons are changing; winters are shorter, snow levels are rising, parks and streets are wetter and the ocean swell patterns are harder to predict. We've shifted the balance and we need to restore it. The CO2 we're emitting is changing the climate and we're fast approaching the point of no return, so we need to act now. At Surfdome we've been almost entirely run on renewable electricity since 2015, but now we're going a few steps further with our new warehouse. It's as efficient as modern buildings get!
We're generating our own renewable electricity and heat from the sun. Any energy we don't generate ourselves is bought from energy companies that only generate 100% renewable energy.
We think this should be the norm!
What are we doing now?
- Running on 97% renewable electricity across the business.
- 100% renewable electricity tariff in our warehouse.
- 100% Biogas tariff for our warehouse.
What we plan for the future
- 100% renewable electricity tariffs across the business.
- 60% onsite renewable energy generation at our warehouse.
Who we support
Protect our Winters UK are a passionate crew of international diehards, professional athletes, climate experts and industry brands, mobilising the outdoor sports community to lead the charge towards positive climate action. Sign up now.
Sustainably Focused Products
Every day we make choices on the products we choose purchase. Choices between chemical spraying or organic, sweatshop or fair trade, materials mined out of the ground or recycled, products wrapped in plastic destined for landfill or recyclable biodegradable material... The choice is available and our well earned money can be directed as a force for change.
Not every product at Surfdome is perfect, but we take pride in the products we sell. Many brands are now finally taking sustainability seriously through their product line and supply chain, and some are exemplars that we are proud to endorse.
We all need to support the products that say 'Hey, there is a better way!', so we actively source sustainably focused products and present them in our specific listing. Look out for the #DeepBlueLife mark that is a sign of sustainable product curation.
What are we doing now?
- Over 900 products have been listed in our sustainably focused gear listing... And counting
- Sustainable products and brands are highlighted to encourage mindful shopping.
- Champion highly sustainable products and assist to market.
What we plan for the future
- At least 20% of all products listed on Surfdome will have a sustainable focus.
- Champion start-up businesses that have sustainable products or methods.
- Discourage the use of single use plastic in products from our brands.
Who we support
Deep Blue Life harness the power of water-sports to tell a new, powerful story, connecting our passion for play into the desire to protect the oceans… AND live a #DEEPBLUELIFE
Our people,our way of life
At Surfdome we're part of a community sharing a passion that allows us to Enjoy The Ride, be it surf, snow or skate. We care about our staff, customers, suppliers, partners, organisations and charities, and everyone we work with matters to us, which is why we make an effort to always give back.
What we're doing now
- Our People are helping us to support some fantastic charities working across the globe, through bake sales, sample sales and donating their time.
- Providing stock to charities, helping them generate income or provide much needed clothing through one of their projects.
