Blog | PaddleXaminer

Mar 7, 2020
2 min

Earth Day and the Count Down to World Cleanup Day

March 3rd officially marked the 50-day countdown to the 50th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22nd. What’s more, today also marks the 200-day countdown to World Cleanup Day on September 19th. Through our joint efforts, both events will serve as an opportunity to unite the cleanup community around our mutual goal of a waste-free world. Cleanup organizers across the U.S. and the world are being urged to join the Great Global Cleanup with prominent visibility of their events an

California Offers Free Workshops on How to Prevent the Further Spread of Aquatic Invasive Species

Matt Chebatoris

Mar 7, 2020
2 min

California Offers Free Workshops on How to Prevent the Further Spread of Aquatic Invasive Species

The Division of Boating and Waterways along with its partners invite the public to learn how to prevent the further spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS) into California’s waterways. Free educational workshops will be offered between March and May at three Northern and Central California locations. Advance registration is required. California has one of the highest levels of recreational activity in the nation. With 1,100 miles of coast, hundreds of navigable rivers, lakes

Division of Boating and Waterways Offers $3.75 Million in Grants to Enhance Public Safety and Protec

Matt Chebatoris

Mar 7, 2020
2 min

Division of Boating and Waterways Offers $3.75 Million in Grants to Enhance Public Safety and Protec

The Division of Boating and Waterways (DBW) is now accepting grant applications to help local public entities enhance safety on California’s waterways, and protect them from abandoned and unwanted vessels. The application period for the grant programs, Boating Safety and Enforcement Equipment (BSEE) and Surrendered and Abandoned Vessel Exchange (SAVE), is open from March 16 through April 16, 2020. Interested applicants are encouraged to review the grant guidelines and partici

Sensi Graves Bikinis Moves to 100% Recycled Fabrics in 2020 Line

Matt Chebatoris

Sep 29, 2019
1 min

Sensi Graves Bikinis Moves to 100% Recycled Fabrics in 2020 Line

In 2012, professional kiteboarder Sensi Graves launched her eponymous swimwear label, Sensi Graves Bikinis, to meet the demands of her sport. After losing one too many string bikinis in the surf, she decided to tackle the job herself and design suits that actually stay on in rough conditions. While designing swimwear that’s both fiercely functional and fabulously feminine is the core mission of the brand, sustainability has been built into the brand since its inception with S

World Wildlife Fund’s Panda Paddle Returns to San Diego

Matt Chebatoris

Sep 23, 2019
1 min

World Wildlife Fund’s Panda Paddle Returns to San Diego

World Wildlife Fund (WWF), a conservation organization dedicated to securing a future where humans and nature thrive, will host its second annual standup paddle-boarding event this October 26th in San Diego, CA. Called “Panda Paddle,” it’s the WWF’s premiere peer-to-peer athletic fundraising event aimed at raising awareness and funds for global conservation work all while having fun on the water. The planet is facing severe threats to biodiversity. World Wildlife Fund’s flags

New Climate Neutral Certification Provides Carbon Labeling for Companies

Matt Chebatoris

Sep 23, 2019
2 min

New Climate Neutral Certification Provides Carbon Labeling for Companies

All companies should take responsibility for their carbon emissions, and consumers have the right to spend consciously on products that align with their concern about climate change. This is the belief of Climate Neutral, a new independent non-profit organization whose mission is to enlist brands to measure, reduce, and offset the carbon emissions resulting from the design, production, and shipping of products and services. Today, Climate Neutral is proud to announce its “Cli

Los Angeles Paddlers Lead Ocean Cleanup on Labor Day

Matt Chebatoris

Sep 6, 2019
2 min

Los Angeles Paddlers Lead Ocean Cleanup on Labor Day

The Lanakila Outrigger Canoe Club led a flotilla of several dozen paddlers in an ocean cleanup on Labor Day morning. The ocean cleanup was the product of a joint initiative between Lanakila, the Southern California Toyota dealers, the Los Angeles County Lifeguards, and the Eco Warrior Foundation. Paddlers met at the Lanakila club site at 7:30 Monday morning for a brief organizational meeting before taking to the waters of King Harbor in Redondo Beach. Once all the canoes and

Gear Review: Costa Flip from Sole Sandals

Matt Chebatoris

Aug 7, 2019
2 min

Gear Review: Costa Flip from Sole Sandals

Sole Sandals, best known for their sandals with footbeds made of recycled cork, has introduced a range of sandals made from algae-based bloom foam. For those of us who are just hearing about bloom foam, it’s a performance based foam created from algae biomass. The algae is a renewable biomass that helps clean the environment and reduces our dependence on fossil fuels; basically it’s good for the planet! Paddlexaminer met up with Sole at the Winter Outdoor Retailer convention

Gear Review: Costa Sunglasses – Rinconcito & Spearo

Matt Chebatoris

Jul 10, 2019
2 min

Gear Review: Costa Sunglasses – Rinconcito & Spearo

Are you looking for you’re next pair of sunglasses? Well, Costa Del Mar Sunglasses has you covered, literally! Costa has been in the business of making quality polarized sunglasses for over 35 years. Based in Dayton Beach, Florida, they know a thing or two about the sun. Paddlexaminer met with Costa back at the Winter Outdoor Retailer in January 2019 in Denver to talk about their new line coming out in the spring of 2019. The two designs which stuck out to us the most were th

Matt Chebatoris

May 28, 2019
2 min

Sustainable Swimwear: Raw x Salt

Emily Crawford and Olly Lewis are ocean lovers through and through. Inspired by a deep love and respect for the ocean, they set out to create a bikini company that helps to clean instead of pollute the ocean and the planet. All of their bikinis are ethically manufactured in Bali, from regenerated fabrics. They use ECONYL nylon yarn, which is made from recovered fishing nets, carpets, and other waste, and REPREVE nylon, which is made from pre-consumer waste by recycling nylon

Matt Chebatoris

May 19, 2019
1 min

United By Blue: A Brand on a Mission

Introducing United By Blue’s 2019 Waterway Cleanup Tour For every product they sell, United By Blue removes one pound of trash from oceans and waterways around the world. How significant an impact have their efforts made so far? Over the course of 256 cleanups, the Certified B Corp has removed more than 1.6 million pounds of trash and empowered more than 12,500 volunteers. That’s what we call making an impact! Stewardship of our environment is in United By Blue’s DNA. In fact

Matt Chebatoris

May 8, 2019
2 min

Sustainable Swimwear: Indigo Swimwear

Eco Swimwear That Supports the Waters In Which It Was Made to Swim Indigo Swimwear was founded in 2018 in Encinitas, California by Philippa Brennikmeyer. Brennikmeyer was born in California, but grew up in Germany, where she developed aspirations of travelling the world and doing something meaningful with her life. A lover of all things beachy, Brennikmeyer decided to found a swimwear company with a purpose in mind: to support the waters in which it was made to swim. From sta

HVH2O – The Genesis of a Paddling-Environmental Non-Profit

Matt Chebatoris

Mar 9, 2019
4 min

HVH2O – The Genesis of a Paddling-Environmental Non-Profit

It all started from being alone. You’d think that a famous waterway alongside the biggest city in America would be a watersports paradise. New York Harbor has always been one of America’s greatest harbors, but it’s unfriendly to paddlers. A century of industrial pollution made the Hudson River a polluted nightmare. There are also the crazy water conditions, fierce currents, and the tendency for the Hudson River to change direction with the tide. No joke about the conditions!

Paddling News: What’s Happening Around the Community

Matt Chebatoris

Feb 13, 2019
3 min

Paddling News: What’s Happening Around the Community

In Brief California Judge Refuses to Approve Deal That Would Limit the Public From Accessing Hollister Ranch Beaches A judge in Santa Barbara, California has refused to approve a deal that would have limited access to Hollister Ranch’s coastline to landowners, their guests, visitors with guides, and those who could boat or paddle in from two miles away. The deal, negotiated in private between Hollister Ranch and coastal officials, ignited widespread public outcry last year af

Become a Dockwalker Partner and Help Keep California’s Waterways Clean

Matt Chebatoris

Feb 11, 2019
2 min

Become a Dockwalker Partner and Help Keep California’s Waterways Clean

The Division of Boating and Waterways (DBW) invites the public to become volunteers and help keep California’s rivers, lakes and ocean clean by becoming Dockwalkers. These individuals help raise awareness about clean boating practices through the distribution of boater kits filled with educational information and pollution prevention tools. Dockwalkers also interact one-on-one with recreational boaters at marinas, boat launch ramps and boating events. Participation in the pro

State Announces Availability of Up to $2.75 Million Funding for Local Public Agencies to Help Keep C

Matt Chebatoris

Feb 11, 2019
2 min

State Announces Availability of Up to $2.75 Million Funding for Local Public Agencies to Help Keep C

The Division of Boating and Waterways (DBW) is now accepting grant applications for the disposal of abandoned and unwanted vessels. Up to $2.75 million in funding from the Abandoned Watercraft Abatement Fund (AWAF) may be available to local public agencies statewide for the Surrendered and Abandoned Vessel Exchange grant program (SAVE). Applications will be accepted through April 30, 2019 by 5 p.m. For those interested in applying for these grants, DBW is hosting a workshop t

Division of Boating and Waterways Announces Availability of $1.5 Million in Funding to Help Keep Cal

Matt Chebatoris

Feb 11, 2019
2 min

Division of Boating and Waterways Announces Availability of $1.5 Million in Funding to Help Keep Cal

The Division of Boating and Waterways (DBW) is now accepting grant applications for local government agencies to purchase boating safety and law enforcement equipment. A total of $1.5 million in funding from the Boating Safety/Enforcement Equipment (BSEE) grant program is available statewide. Applications will be accepted from Feb. 1, 2019 through April 30, 2019 by 5 p.m. For those interested in applying for these grants, DBW is hosting workshops for each program to guide new

How to Be An Environmentally Conscious Traveler

Matt Chebatoris

Feb 8, 2019
3 min

How to Be An Environmentally Conscious Traveler

Traveling and sustainability may sound like a juxtaposition, but with a little planning and some smart choices doing both is definitely within the realm of possibility. Before booking a trip, take into consideration how you’ll get there, where you’ll stay, and how you’ll get around. The environmentally conscious choice may not always be the obvious one and oftentimes it will take a bit more effort on you end. To make things a little easier, we’ve rounded up six tips for being

Kayak to Klemtu: An Interview with Writer / Director Zoe Hopkins

5 Ways to Be More Eco-Friendly This Holiday Season

Matt Chebatoris

Dec 5, 2018
3 min

5 Ways to Be More Eco-Friendly This Holiday Season

5 Ways to Be More Eco-Friendly This Holiday Season With Thanksgiving done and dusted, the holidays are in full swing. Lights are dotting the streets, carols are streaming through the radio and spirits are high. Despite all the well wishes and good cheer, the holidays are a wasteful season. But they don’t have to be. Here at PaddleXaminer, we are committed to protecting our planet and keeping it beautiful for future generations to come. With an eco-friendly NSP Cocomat board u

Exploring the World Through Paddling