Kelly Slater is as well spoken as they come whether he’s talking about a surf contest or health and environmental issues, so much so that he’s being featured on CNN for the latter. Well, the story is actually about his entire life — from deciding in kindergarten to become a surfer, to his unforgettable (one way or another) stint on Baywatch — a feature that seem all too familiar over the course of his quarter century in the public eye, a long life of constant evolution. But Kelly is Kelly, so it makes sense that his most recent evolution would be of great public interest. In the report, the international news organization praised the 11-time world champion’s environmental initiatives. They even titled the piece: “Kelly Slater: Surf dude turns eco-warrior.”
“People really all have to figure out what’s the most important thing,” the Earth-conscious journeyman tells the reporter. “That’s water and food and air and, you know, the health of this planet.”
Obviously, climate change is a much-debated topic, but it has become especially prevalent in surf because we surfers often see and feel the effects before anyone else. Slater has been at the forefront of environmental preservation being on the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society among many other environmentally-inclined organizations.
Then, this past year, he left longtime sponsor Quiksilver to start his own brand, Outerknown, that focuses on using natural resources. “Business is getting in the way of environmentalism and health, and at some point that’s going to have to change,” Kelly says.
As many people know — given his outward championing of Chia, non-GMO foods, and Purps — it doesn’t stop at the environment for Kelly. The ageless legend is also a huge advocate for clean living. It stems from the desire to constantly improve and eventually be able to surf better at 50 (a mere eight years away) than he did at 40, and most of us did ever. With the amount of processed foods and artificial sugars consumed on a daily basis by the world’s population, it has led to endless health complications. Kelly adds, “This world is a scary place right now for the future of our children and their children and the next few generations.”
Anyway, surf media has covered most of this in one form or another over the years, but it is cool to see him garnering such widespread attention for causes we might all get behind.
Read the entire article for the world’s greatest surfer’s thoughts on conservation and health.
