111. Surfing the Green Wave

Hello and welcome to WGSN’s fortnightly Create Tomorrow podcast, bringing you the latest innovations impacting the future of design and product.

Surfer, filmmaker and journalist Chris Nelson joins WGSN Editorial Director Bethan Ryder to discuss his documentary The Big Sea. In this episode, we dive into a new documentary exploring the connection between the $10bn surfing industry and Cancer Alley in Louisiana in the US. Cancer Alley is a region along the Mississippi River with many factories and chemical plants. The pollution from these plants has made the air and water unhealthy, causing high rates of cancer and other illnesses among residents.

The documentary sheds light on the toxic truth behind a single material, Neoprene, which is used to make swimsuits. Chris and Bethan discuss greenwashing and more about the film, because it demonstrates the crucial role designers and brands can and must play in creating a better future for people and the planet.