The goal of the Rip Curl Planet Foundation is to fund environmental projects based on these 3 key missions:

Protecting the coastline and the mountains
70% of our planet is covered by ocean and sea. Over the years, humankind did not care to take the necessary measures to ensure respect for the ocean: over exploiting its resources, damaging its beaches, and polluting the coast. Nowadays, the oceans and seas are exhausted, their survival is in danger. The surfer’s community is the first one to be affected. The marine wildlife is disappearing.

The entire environmental picture is similar in the mountains. During the previous 45 years, global temperatures have increased by 1 to 3°C in the Alps. This situation is directly related to human activities. The fight against climate change must go on if mountain lovers want to keep the snow where it belongs.

Education and environmental awareness
Our environmental commitment lies principally in the public awareness campaign. Learning how to adopt an eco friendly attitude is now essential to face current and future problems. It is crucial for our children to be acquainted with the environmental issues in order for them to act responsibly as soon as possible.

R&D in eco-conception, for the surf industry’s major product families (surf boards, wetsuits, clothing…)
Research is essential developing new ecological materials that are not harmful to the environment. Eco-design is a key factor in improving environmental sustainability. New technologies enable recycling, re-valuing, and extending the life cycle of products. The Rip Curl Planet Foundation is proud to support Research and Development.

Fanning signed on as an Enviroweek ambassador this year, hoping to help spread their eco-message and raise funds for this year's program.

"In Australia Enviroweek runs from October 11 to 17 and is all about improving environmental awareness, encouraging behavior change and raising funds for environmental charities. People can sponsor my Enviroweek mission and make a donation at Enviroweek.org"

"When I joined forces with Enviroweek I spoke with Rip Curl about creating a green suit to wear at the Mundaka event to help get the message out there. They'd been developing on a new eco-friendly suit, so it worked out beautifully."

Rip Curl, Fanning's major sponsor, also coordinates a host of eco-friendly initiatives under the slogan - Rip Curl Planet.

The green Rip Curl wetsuit features a new neoprene that uses non-solvent glues in the lamination process, resulting in a major reduction of chemicals polluting the air.

Approximately 800 tonnes of solvents currently evaporate into the air because of current neoprene laminating processes, so this development will be a huge improvement for the environment and will also benefit worker health.

"Wherever we can we are looking for ways to reduce any impact on the environment that our products may have," said Mick Ray, Rip Curl Global Wetsuit Chairman. "The laminating process has always been a particulary toxic one so this initiative of using non solvent based glues is going to be massive in terms of improving working conditions in the factories as well as reducing the amount of nasty pollutants in our air."

Rip Curl also runs a "Project Resurrection" program that sees Rip Curl recycle used wetsuits and production offcuts for re-use in other products. Rip Curl is currently using recycled wetsuits in the production of travel bags and footwear, but the list will continue to grow in 2010.