Episode 112 - Eco Surfing!

Eco Company is back on the beach… and for good reason! The SURF’S UP!! Surfing is very popular along the West Coast. But have you ever thought about the materials use in making surfboards? Jessica finds one guy who not only gave it some thought, but began making surfboards with non-toxic and sustainable materials. She catches up with him in his shop…and on the waves!

Next we visit a high school that was recently named the Greenest School in America in a national competition. As you can imagine Irvington High School in Fremont, CA, is doing a lot to be green. On this day, the school’s environmental club “The Green Team” is conducting a trash audit. Yes, that means going through several days worth of school trash by putting on gloves and separating everything piece by piece into recyclable items, compostable items and trash that must go to the landfill. In the end, the process helps them decide where to put emphasis to improve their systems.

Then Brendan travels to the University of California at Davis to visit a wind energy lab. There researchers and students are working to improve the efficiency of wind turbines. They study how wind travels over the blades in a high speed wind tunnel!

Finally we take a look at a non-profit agency that is providing urban youth 18 years and up with special job training to help them join the green work force! These young adults are getting experience on the job installing solar panels on residential roofs. But the students gain more than just hands on experience. They gain a brighter outlook on the future.