Greenpeace was originally formed back in 1971 to help with the protesting of nuclear testing. Since then, they have become a major fighting organization of natural resources and the protection of animal species. What once started as a small group has now developed internationally.

Our generation has had to endure conservation and global protection. Greenpeace has continued to modify itself to fit with these items. Earlier this year, Greenpeace put together a list of priority issues on their website that included global warming, damage to oceans and forests, nuclear energy, toxic substances, and genetic engineering. As part of their priority issues they also list ways that each individual can help.

Greenpeace has taken a very active role in educating and supporting people our age who want to help save our environment. Just this summer, one of our friends (pictured here in her Kook Wear Gear!) got accepted into a Greenpeace/Seventh Generation program called Change It. This program was developed to help train and empower students to become the next generation of leaders for a global movement change. These students were educated by Greenpeace activists and employees on lobbying, organization techniques, media and communications, and conducting peaceful demonstrations.

The event's slogan touted in this banner, reminds us that saving the world can still be fun =) "A warm climate is worse than a warm beer."

Pura vida,
Ben

Not believing in the one-site-fits-all approach offered by E-bay and Craig's list, long time friends Matt Patterson and George Opadchy have built an international bridge between So Cal and Sydney. Their brain-child, goboarding.com, is part E-bay, part Craig's List and 100% user friendly for surfers, skaters, and snowboarders.

Their motivation was the thought that core surfers don't want to buy surfboards at the same place they buy knick-knacks. The site allows users to post one item for free per month - its $2 for each concurrent item, and account set-up is free. Retailers are allowed to post unlimited items for a flat monthly fee.

The site was originally aimed at the second hand market, but after talking with shop owners, it was clear retailers wanted the ability to post product too. Now that Kook Wear has learned of this site, who knows, you may find some of our gear up there in the future. In the mean time, we would never suggest leaving the Kook Wear online store, but if you can't find what you're looking for give, Go Boarding, a look.

Pura vida,
Ben

Off Cape Cod in Massachusetts and off Long Island in NY are homes to some of the United States' best wind energy reserves. The only places more favorable are out west, such as North Dakota, Texas and California. You would think a prominent community like Cape Cod would be home to some of the most forward thinking citizens of our time. However, the "good neighbors" of Cape Cod have vehemently opposed the installation of large off-shore wind turbines. Some residents site that turbines kill birds. More often, though, critics think wind energy is a great thing - as long as the turbines are somewhere else. Wind merchants have been trying for years - and failing - to build turbines in these offshore waters. Every attempt was opposed by wealthy owners of shoreline mansions.

I'm no politician (or wealthy beach-front land owner), just someone who is tired of the wealthy few getting in the way of progress for everyone. I'm also not hesitant to point the finger at my home state and a community that's practically in Kook Wear's backyard. Our neighbors in St. Lucie Florida have been given the opportunity to have Florida's first wind energy installation. Residents are fighting the move, saying that governor Crist is using it as a ploy to be viewed as a "green Republican." There may very well be merit to that argument, however, the fact is that Florida does not have much good wind to farm. St. Lucie is lucky enough to have winds that can justify the installation of a small farm. My opinion is that it's their responsibility to allow these turbines to go up. I feel environmentally safe energy options should be deployed anywhere possible. I don't make it a habit to trust politicians very often either. But even politically motivated advances are exactly that... advances. Let's take it however we can get it, one step at a time.

Pura vida,
Ben

The new iPhone 3G is sure to be a success with its faster speeds, slick looks and attractive price point. It has me itching to test the waters and set my Treo 750 aside. However, some would say the most important innovation is the direction Apple has chosen to take its packaging. The iPhone, along with many other products, will be shipped in potato starch paper trays made by the Dutch company PaperFoam. This is significant since Apple designs to attract 100 million people worth of market share with the new model.

This new packaging will result in a 90% carbon footprint reduction over traditional plastic packaging. Paperfoam is 100% bio-degradable and recyclable with paper. Its great to see a company with Apple's influence and clout respond to the demands of environmentally conscious consumers.

Pura vida,
Ben

As Father’s Day approaches us, it is always a good idea to think about what kind of gifts to get Dad. Even more importantly what can you get Dad that he would like but that is also eco-friendly?

Kook Wear- Of course, we had to start off here!! You can get Dad a great pair of sandals for him to relax in on the weekends or even a shirt to help bring out his “inner” child.

To the right we have our Kook Wear bamboo/organic cotton blend polo. It is very light, soft and it keeps cool during the summer!

But if for some reason you cannot find anything for dad at Kook Wear, here are some other eco-friendly websites. We have compiled a list of companies that Associated Content has marked as good companies to consider for Dad as well as some others that we feel are worth mentioning.

Eco-Artwear – This site features all sorts of gifts that are made from recycled, reused, and natural materials. You can find anything here from money clips to cuff links.

Changing the Present – Why not do something to help out others in your dad’s name? Changing the Present allows you to donate money to charitable causes.

Uncommon Goods – Here you can find a huge array of items that are made out of recycled materials. Gifts include watches, ties, boxers, pilsner glasses for dad’s favorite brew and even jewelry.

Green and More – For those who like the electrical gadgets, Green and More has several options that can appeal to any dad. They carry items from Fuel Cell H-Racers to Eco Energy Radios perfect for listening to the ball game on.

Eco Express – Eco Express is a great place to shop for the uncommon items. If your dad likes to hang back and enjoy a great beer now and then you can buy him a sampler of organic beer or even a nice package of beer and snack food! If he has a sweet tooth, Eco Express carries chocolates and candies that are organically produced.

Carbon Fund - Help dad offset some of his carbon use by buying him carbon credits. We all try and reduce when we can, but when we can’t we can at least try and offset it.

Pura vida,
Ben

As we see a constant increase in our gas prices, more consumers are starting to realize that it is time to take another look at how they get from point A to point B. People are starting to look at the more eco-friendly vehicles as they start to look at vehicles that can offer them more gas for their dollar.

The Environmental Protection Agency has implemented a new fuel economy sticker that can be found on all new vehicles, giving customers a way to compare models before they make a purchase. The EPA has determined the following cars to be the most fuel-efficient for 2008.

1. Toyota Prius Hybrid - City 48 mpg; Highway 45 mpg; Annual Carbon Output: 4.0 tons
2. Honda Civic Hybrid - City 40 mpg; Highway 45 mpg; Annual Carbon Output: 4.4 tons
3. Nissan Altima Hybrid - City 35 mpg; Highway 33 mpg; Annual Carbon Output: 5.4 tons
4. Ford Escape Hybrid - City 34 mpg; Highway 30 mpg; Annual Carbon Output: 5.7 tons
5. Mazda Tribute Hybrid - City 34 mpg; Highway 30 mpg; Annual Carbon Output: 5.7 tons
6. Mercury Mariner Hybrid - City 34 mpg; Highway 30 mpg; Annual Carbon Output: 5.7 tons
7. Toyota Camry Hybrid - City 33 mpg; Highway 34 mpg; Annual Carbon Output: 5.4 tons
8. Toyota Yaris - City 29 mpg; Highway 36 mpg; Annual Carbon Output: 5.7 tons
9. Toyota Corolla - City 28 mpg; Highway 37 mpg; Annual Carbon Output: 5.9 tons
10. Honda Fit - City 28 mpg; Highway 34 mpg; Annual Carbon Output: 5.9 tons

While the price of oil continues rising, we can expect that we will start to see more car manufacturers producing cars that are more fuel efficient thus also more environmentally friendly. This list is the first of many that are to come in the upcoming years. They represent only a stepping stone for what there is to come and what our own technology can bring to not only help the environment but to also help out the average driver.

Pura vida,
Ben

This weekend, Saturday May 3 to Sunday May 4, Kook Wear will be exhibiting at its first Expo: The Pinellas Living Green Expo. The Expo provides real solutions for people to live better, healthier lives with less impact on the environment. Its a perfect forum to connect people who are interested in making a positive difference.

The two day event will provide information, ideas, resources, products and motivation to live more sustainably. There will be representatives and info sessions representing industries from green building construction to green cosmetics.

So come by the Harborview Center, 300 Cleveland St, Clearwater Florida. Kook Wear will be holding it down at booth 340!

Pura vida,
Ben

Earth Day is Tuesday, April 22 this year. Personally, I'll be stuck in Baltimore, MD on business (no, not Kook Wear business, the one that pays the bills). However, I'll take comfort knowing that all of you out there have some much cooler options in front of you.

The first think I can think of to do would be paddle out and pay homage by being at peace in the water. Next, get out on your skateboard and cause a little trouble while enjoying nature. Or, if you're lucky enough to be caught in one of the recent, freak, Spring snowstorms take the snowboard out.

If none of those options sound enticing for some strange reason, check and see what events are going down local to you. Just do your best to walk, ride a bike, carpool, etc. Lets keep lights, electricity (gasp! no computers for a few hours), and cars off for as long as possible.

And if you really want to have a great Earth Day, remember to purchase carbon credits for any activities you might participate in that require the use of a car or electricity!

Pura vida,
Ben

Kook Wear team rider, Jonathon Heater, will be representing his family, friends, and Kook Wear April 12-14 at the ESA Southeast Region Surf Championships.

Jonathon hails from Saint Augustine Florida. Placing #1 in his division earned him the invitation to the ESA competition. If Jon pulls off a victory this weekend he could receive a coveted invitation to the 2008 Eastern Surfing Championships and the USA Surfing Championships.

Come out and support Jonathon and Kook Wear. We'll be in our Kook Wear gear, so come on up and say hello...we may even bring an extra shirt or two.

Pura vida,
Ben

Jack Johnson is no stranger to the environmental scene. He has been praised for his numerous eco-initiatives on the Hawaiian Islands and now is getting more accolades for re-doing his Los Angeles headquarters of Brushfire Records to make it eco-friendly.

The new studio uses solar power and was built with environmentally friendly materials such as cork, marmoleum and bamboo, low or zero VOC (volatile organic compounds) primers and paints, recycled shingles, insulation made from denim scraps, energy efficient lighting, Low-Flow toilets and as many existing fixtures as possible.

With the update to the Los Angeles office, Johnson will also be continuing operations on eco-friendly policies. A "green guide" will be enforced to all new and current artists on the label as well as maintain green packaging for all album releases through Brushfire’s distributor, Universal.

As to be expected, the upcoming tour for Johnson’s fifth album "Sleep Through the Static" will be green just like they have been in the past. His tour will include the use of bio-diesel fuel, donations of any leftover backstage food to local shelters of each tour stop, selling eco-friendly tour merchandise and of course continuing his activeness in the 1% For the Planet fund.

While Jack Johnson doesn't like to take much credit for his planet-conscious style of living, he has certainly set himself as a part of our generations ongoing global effort.

Pura vida,
Ben

There are many noble new year's resolutions out there: pledging to volunteer more, contribute to charities, be nicer to your mom, pretend you actually like your younger siblings, and the tried and true "I'm going to get in shape this year." I personally can't stand the latter because it causes my gym to be packed during January. Inevitably, during February, the crowd fades and the usual clientèle is able to get back to business.

I'd like to propose an alternate list of resolutions for you this year, though no less noble. In fact, they arguably make more sense than anything else you could pledge to try during 2008. Why not incorporate at least 1 or 2 environmentally friendly commitments to your 2008 "to do list?"

I put together a brief list, all you have to do is choose a couple. You'll see that nothing here is life changing or hard. However, many of these things can add up to big savings for the planet and your wallet. After all, even the big fancy crystal ball in New York went green for 2008. The 672 Waterford Crystal triangles were illuminated with Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) this year, only requiring the energy equivalent of approximately 10 toasters.

• Replace a regular incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb (cfl)

  CFLs use 60% less energy than a regular bulb. This simple switch will save about 300 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.

• Install a programmable thermostat and move it down 2° in winter and up 2° in summer

  Programmable thermostats will automatically lower the heat or air conditioning at night and raise them again in the morning. They can save you $100 a year on your energy bill.

• Do not leave appliances on standby

  Use the "on/off" function on the machine itself. A TV set that's switched on for 3 hours a day (the average time Europeans spend watching TV) and in standby mode during the remaining 21 hours uses about 40% of its energy in standby mode. Devices like the Smart Strip ($35) can help with this and pay for itself in about 6 weeks.

• Get a home energy audit

  Many utilities offer free home energy audits to find where your home is poorly insulated or energy inefficient. You can save up to 30% off your energy bill and 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Energy Star can help you find an energy specialist.

• Take a shower instead of a bath

  A shower takes up to four times less energy than a bath. To maximize the energy saving, avoid power showers and use low-flow shower heads, which are cheap and provide the same comfort.

These are just a few easy things you can start doing right now to make a difference and help preserve our environment. For a more complete list, check out http://globalwarming-facts.info/50-tips.html

As always, your comments and feedback are welcome.

Pura vida,
Ben

So, let's be honest. Kook Wear's current Headquarters consists of a few single guys chillin' at a house in Melbourne, FL not too far away from the beach. Admittedly we generate quite a bit of waste, but the purpose here is to describe two simple ways we have tried to mitigate the effects of our wasteful ways.

First, as you can imagine, we tend to consume quite a lot of things that come in aluminum cans and glass bottles. Lucky for us, our community makes it very easy for us to recycle! Every Monday, the crew comes around in a big truck to haul away our stack of empty trophies from the weekend's festivities. It sounds like a small thing and easy thing to do right? This is all the more reason everyone should hop on this bandwagon. Here are a few facts from http://earth911.org that might help to persuade you:

• Aluminum cans are unique in that in 60 days a can is recycled, turned into a new can and back on store shelves.
• Aluminum is a sustainable metal and can be recycled over and over again.
• In 2003, 54 billion cans were recycled, saving the energy equivalent of 15 million barrels of crude oil — America’s entire gas consumption for one day.
• Each year, the aluminum industry pays out over $800 million dollars for empty aluminum cans — that’s a lot of money that can go to organizations, like Habitat for Humanity, the Boy or Girl Scouts of America or even a local school. Money earned from recycling cans helps people help themselves and their communities. Recycling helps build new homes, pays for a group trip, supports a project or buys a lunch!
• Making new aluminum cans from used cans takes 95 percent less energy and 20 recycled cans can be made with the energy needed to produce one can using virgin ore.
• Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to keep a 100-watt bulb burning for almost four hours or run your television for three hours.
• Tossing away an aluminum can wastes as much energy as pouring out half of that can’s volume of gasoline.

Second, everyone has atleast heard of Al Gore and his "Inconvenient Truth." Whether or not you agree or disagree with him is irrelevant. What does matter for the sake of our current conversation is his mention of going Carbon Neutral. It sounded like a great idea, but it quickly faded from my mind. That is until recently when I purchased an SUV. I always swore I'd never be the SUV type, but I found myself yearning for more room (hauling around an 80lb Boxer Dog can be challenging in a 2-door). The only way I could justify the purchase was to offset the new vehicles carbon footprint. So I searched for a reputable company and came across http://CarbonFund.org. There are many scams out there, so you have to careful.

Not only was I able to offset the carbon footprint of my new vehicle, but of my entire yearly activities! They estimate the average person generates 50,000lbs of carbon emissions per year. This includes everything from doing the dishes to traveling by plane. For the low cost of $99 I was able to purchase a carbon offset that, in effect, neutralizes my carbon generating activities. Carbon Fund focuses your dollars around three primary activities: Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, and Reforestation.

This might not be for everyone, but we strongly encourage you to check it out. All the little things add up and this is a great way to kick off the New Year. Also, don’t forget to head back to the Kook Wear Store and pick up some environmentally friendly gear.

Remember, this is all about "Reckless Living…Responsible Life."

Pura vida,
Ben

Eddie Vedder, the genius behind Pearl Jam, is the man. Sure, we all know him as arguably one of the best vocalists ever heard, but there is another intriguing aspect to this man.

Eddie Vedder is a passionate waterman. This passion is seen through his various activities, such as nearly being lost at sea trying to paddle from Moloka'i to Oahu. Perhaps the most important example of his passion can be seen through his work as a staunch environmentalist. He is a long time member of the radical group Earth First! and its not uncommon to see him manning a booth for Surfrider Foundation. For his work in trying to save Trestles and Hawaii’s North Shore, Eddie was recognized as the Environmentalist of the Year at the 2007 Waterman's Ball.

During his speech Eddie downplayed the role Pearl Jam plays in helping protect our natural treasures. Instead he passes credit along to the individuals of the grass roots organizations fighting the good fight every day. He described it the following way, "...if the environmental movement is like a wave, the non-profits are the surfboard steering us on the wave, and we (Pearl Jam) are like the wax just trying to make things stick with the public."

It is truly awesome to see that a mega celebrity can be so humble and gracious. He says that it’s strange to be recognized for doing environmental work because its like getting an award for breathing— "its just something you have to do to stay alive." Eddie also goes on to say that surfers are some of the greatest people in the world. He offers the explanation that it’s because they are so close to the ocean, it just makes us better people. In his opinion surfers live the dream every day and he cautions them not only to live the dream, but to preserve it for the future.

Scientists are proving that dreams will come true, the problem is that the dreams are nightmares. Our natural environment is not slowly eroding, but being aggressively pulled towards collapse for the profit of very few. The Pearl Jam front man leaves us with this observation, "Modern activism is more about doing business well and encouraging other businesses to change their models than it is about chaining yourself to trees anymore."

Well, Mr. Vedder, Kook Wear hears that message and is trying to amplify it in our own way. Check us out, tell your friends, wear our t-shirt when we send it to you!

I’ll close with a piece of advice Eddie shared with the crowd at the Waterman’s Ball. This was passed to him at age 14 by surf legend Mark Richards on a plane from Hawaii to California.

"Life is short. Don't waste it, go to the beach. Happy Surfing."

Thanks for reading. Eddie, if you read this, give us a holler...

Pura vida,
Ben

As taken from Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary, the word kook is defined as: one whose ideas or actions are eccentric, fantastic, or insane : screwball

Regardless of what definition you put to the word, we can all agree that it's generally used in a pretty hurtful way. I have to ask the question, why? How is it that in a sport grown out of the Hawaiian culture's leisure time based purely on recreation and fun that we have managed to turn it into some exclusive tree house? The purchase of my first board definitely didn't come with a secret hand shake.

I agree that respect has to be earned, especially when entering a break where you aren't a local. But I'll never understand where and when ego was introduced into surfing. Once upon a time, people were hesitant to admit that surfing was in their vocabulary for fear they'd be viewed as slackers. Now it's a multi-billion dollar industry that everyone seems to want a piece of.

My advice, next time you're at the beach, give a fellow surfer a knowing nod. Or better yet, give the fool a serious high-five. We need to stick together, not size each other up. I think we can all agree, the main goal is to find "the stoke" and keep it alive.

Maybe that's the real definition of a Kook – someone who's head is so far up their butt, they couldn't find the stoke with a map.

I'd love to know what a Kook is in your point of view. Shoot us an email via the contact us page, and we'll post your responses in a separate entry.

Thanks for reading!

Pura vida,
Ben

No matter how big Kook Wear becomes or how small it stays, it will always be important to us. Whether you’re a long time customer or just someone surfing past the website, your thoughts and opinions are important to us. As we evolve and grow, we plan to offer many creative outlets for you via the website. So visit often and tell your friends!

Since our goal is to get as personal as possible, we thought it would be cool to take a moment and introduce ourselves.

Nick Di Maio – I’ve known this dude since Kindergarten, and there isn’t much we haven’t fought through together. He’s a novice on a board, but an expert with pencil and paper. Nick is the man responsible for the mind-blowing artwork that personifies Kook Wear. All of our minds generate the concepts, but this kid’s hands bring them to life. By the way, Nick is a graduated Electrical Engineer from the University of Florida, and quite possibly the biggest Gator Football Fan you’ll ever meet.

Matt Morey – This kid is as cool as they come. I owe it to him for getting me interested in surfing in the first place. While being able to hold his own on just about any board you put him on, he manages to earn stellar grades as an Electrical Engineering student at the University of Florida. This website and pretty much anything electronically related to Kook Wear is made possible by Matt. To find out more about Matt and what he is up to check out his personal website.

Ben Rivera – No need to dwell on this Kook… just kidding, that’s me. Matt and Nick let me pretend to be the businessman of the group. I take care of our supplier relationships, making sure that our cotton is truly organic and that our inks and dyes are as environmentally friendly as possible. I try to handle anything related to operating Kook Wear so my boys can use their talents to bring you rad gear through a smoothly functioning website. I broke the mold and graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Florida.

Hang with us and you’ll learn more about us, just as we hope to learn more about each of you. We want our customers to feel as passionate about what we do as us, so never hesitate to let us know what’s on your mind…good or bad.

Pura vida,
Ben

We all start out as kooks, no matter what you think. We all enter the world uneducated, raw, and clueless. For you kids who are lost, being called a kook is one of the most hurtful things in the realm of action sports. The word kook usually means you have no style, no substance, no respect, but are trying like mad to fit the image.

We're taking a little different spin on it though. You can bet your ass being a kook will never be a good thing, but we're using it to remind you of something extremely important; its not about the outward perception of perfection, but will always be about the trip and the stoke. These are personal things that no one else can have a say in. If you remember, that was probably the main reason you started surfing, skating, skiing, etc... Ok, well maybe the first time was to impress a hottie, but you came back for a deeper reason.

You getting it yet? Life is a constant revision. People don't get it right the first time, very rarely anyway. Kook Wear is a direct result of that revision process.

We always knew the environment was important to us, but like a lot of young people, never really understood what that meant. We went to school to become engineers, primed to change the world. We graduated, got hired, and realized the only thing that changes is the date. Big companies are real good at managing the bottom line, but everything else is usually just for show, from the clothes to the stupid catch phrases they use (It'll take years to crack the brain washing). We quickly realized "Corporate America" might not hold that shiny key to happiness.

Kook Wear is our latest revision. We really want to make clothes you're proud to chill in. The brand is as environmentally conscious as we could think to make it. From our fabric, to the inks and dyes, to the packaging it's shipped in. We realized there's more chance to influence the world through these clothes than any engineering company. This is our chance to be creative and put some substance behind all this talk of preserving the environment. Plenty of brands out there urge you to feel natural, but we want you to be natural. They spend so much time, creativity, and money to snap pictures in some of the most beautiful places in the World. Well, we'd rather spend the extra money on using organic and sustainable materials. This way we can make sure that beauty hangs around for a little while longer. We'd rather everyone get a chance to see it in person someday than have to remember it from a magazine advertisement.

Pura vida,
Ben