I read a thread below that California is, yet agin, imposing tighter envirnomental controls on the surfboard industry. I don’t depend on California socialists for my livelihood so I can be the one to address California’s new ban on manufacturing with VOC’s. Through successive moves California tightened regulations on VOC’s until California board glassers and other plastics manufacturers were heavily taxed and regulated. Permits were required. Inspections were conducted. Many small shops were forced to close. But then somebody came up with a UV catalyst which put manufacturers back in compliance… no more permits, no more inspections. Small shops were back in business. They could glass their own boards again. So everything was okay… Right? Wrong. Big builders had been offsetting permit expenses with production, gaining an insurmountable advantage over small builders. UV catalyst destroyed that advantage. This couldn’t be tolerated, so… TADA! …new regulations. “You see, the old regulations were good, but we ‘never’ meant just to stop there”… Bullshit! California’s need to impose new repressive regulations to protect the environment happened to coincide: 1. with large builders’ need to stomp on their competition. 2. With California’s loss of authority and income Coincidences? In an earlier thread, somebody urged me to use carbon fiber instead of metal construction, to “keep it green”. Strength vs strength, carbon fiber manufacture wastes probably 3 times as much fossil fuel, and produces probably 10 times as much NOx emissions as steel manufacture. Our social institutions have brainwashed us into supporting environmental measures which may or may not help save the environment. Coincidence? I think not. The measures do, invariably benefit politicians and the private business people who politicians are selling unfair political access to. As with California’s VOC regulations, it was never about the environment. It was always about power.
Since California have among the highest emisions of VOCs in the country http://www.epa.gov/cgi-bin/broker?_service=agweb&_program=airsg.webprogs.emisdist.scl&_debug=2&geotype=us&geocode=usa&geoname=United+States&empol=VOC&emyear=1999&emtype=&emtier=&mapsize=zsc&reqtype=getmap combined with a high total pollution http://www.epa.gov/cgi-bin/broker?_service=agweb&_program=airsg.webprogs.emisdist.scl&_debug=2&geotype=us&geocode=usa&geoname=United+States&empol=TOTEMIS&emyear=1999&emtype=&emtier=&mapsize=zsc&reqtype=getmap combined with high population density http://www.census.gov/dmd/www/pdf/512popdn.pdf it can’t be about the enviroment, that’s obvious. I’ll go watch X-files now and see if I can figure out your paranoia. -H
Noodle, I know for a fact that the SCAQMD never ever even thought about the surfboard industry in their new regulations. All the decisions where based off conversations and meetings with large companies like Lasco and Jacuzzi as well as key people from the resin and gel coat companies. Besides, it is a lot easier for a small guy to fly under the radar than a larger shop. Sluggo
What small shops were forced to close? Please list some.
So what does this mean for a guy who is thinkin about haveing a little shop to make some boards? Would it be nearly impossible for me now? What is the proccess of getting everything legal if im a small guy. If your only makeing like 4 boards a month do you still have to get inspections? i have been makin boards backyard for a while but have been wondering latley what it would take to get it set up. Not trying to get rich, just want to live the american dream and make my own surf board line [smile] any tips on how a newbe could set up shop would be great. And yea im in cali. so im sure lots of regulations
You could move to Houston. No regulation and the worst air pollution in the country. Suck it up Bra!
How many California board producers still glass their own boards? At one time they all did. I know, outside glassing raises the quality… yada yada… Does that mean theres no profit in glassing properly? Funny, large glassers seem to find profit somewhere. I remember when Californians all but outlawed electric generators in the name of “deregulation”, choosing instead to contract electricity from large outside suppliers. Then during national elections California’s socialists complained about the air quality of the areas they were buying electricity from. But when the contracted electric bill came in the mail Californians refused to pay it. An environmental measure? Hardly. The “deregulation” agreement set up a huge unionized bureaucracy of power distributors whose rate increases came, not from power customers, but from politicians. California hasn’t outlawed buying poly boats or surfboards. California merely outlawed the environmental effects of such consumption in California… “keep the polution elsewhere.” We’ll see how much Californians care about air quality in China… not. It’s never about the environment. It’s always about power.
How many California board producers still glass their own boards? At one time they all did. Maybe in 1962 when there were 5 producers.
I don’t see what this has to do with socialism. Here it’s always been the rightwing politicans that go for the deregulation route, creating shortages of power due to high export of clean energy. Same actions, different outcome. regards, Håvard 
Does the cookie or whatever need to store the image url form time to time? link I can understand, but not the picture. regards, Håvard
The US, and California in particular, consistently miss the point on what environmental industry can do for them. Much of this subject is about leadership! And having the balls to do what’s right for you’re constituency in the long term. Read a bit about Queen Trix and Holland and the measures they’ve take in regard to environment. They are presently the world leaders in this area and instead of bitching about regulation they are today exporting both technology and product that enhances the lives of the citizens of that country and beyond. The “Big Green” legislation that failed in the California house back in the 90’s would have put that state at the forefront of environmental industry, creating millions of jobs for the people of that state. Instead, bought or coerced conservative legislators voted down the measure with all the sure footed, shortsightedness of Tojos attach on Pearl. If you don’t believe that California needs this legislation, just try flying into the brown sludge that native Los Angeles calls “air” sometime. And then realize that instead of leading the way out of their own sewage the people below are today playing a loosing game of catch-up as the environment and their children’s futures deteriorate. The answers to these challenges are not easy but they are necessary. Massive human infestations, the likes of the California coastline, need special environmental enhancements if it is to continue the robust social and economic leadership it has exhibited in the second half of the twentieth century. Environmental leadership is part of, not contrary to, it’s future.
Rest assured, the surfboard industry didn’t cross one mind in the legislature when this document was passed. The surfboard industry, in the real world, is a flea on an elephants ass.
Again noodle you speak of something and someplace that you have no idea about, but this is to be expected coming from someone who lives in a place where oil,roads,and excutions are more important than education. I know that you will reply with you usual rude and negative comments, save your self sometime and energy as I will not be part of you scary little world. PEACE and LOVE, Rick http://www.ancientartsurfboards.com
Paranoid? That reminds me of when Hillary blamed a “vast right-wing conspiracy” for falsely accusing Mr. Hillary of molesting his intern. Who’s paranoid? Hillary’s charges might have been well founded if jultin’ Bill hadn’t been guilty of lying and cheating… like California’s liberal Democrat establishment. Dirty Texas power plants? Yes, newer power plants are more efficient than older ones. However, neither Texas nor California developed electric generator efficiency. Bechtel, one of your conservative corporate demons, did that. Unlike California, Texas built its power plants all along, as the need arose. Then again… Texans aren’t paying Bechtel $BILLIONS for new power plants to make up for the neglectful energy policies of our politicians, Californians are. But hey, Californians can use cleaner electricity to feed their poor farms. You LA and SF “rank and filers” had better be careful what cities you accuse of conservatism. Houston is currently run by the same machine that runs your cities… if you get my drift. But when Hilliary needed somebody to divert enough money to fund her senate bid she couldn’t go to the Cali cities her husband’s SEC toadies had bled dry. She came to Houston. Business people are selfish conservatives? You couldn’t be wrong-er. Look into the Gores’ ownership of Occidental Petroleum, one of the larger oil concerns in Venezuela. Then tell me that it was coincidence that a socialist revolt happened to stop oil exports to the U.S. virtually at the instant a conservative won the White House… only to inherit liberal cries that responding to terrorism was “all about oil”… what hypocrisy. Enron contributed more to Democrats than to Republicans. And the sweetheart deals between power distribution companies and state “deregulators” are a result of orchestrated collusion between the IBEW’s Democrat political machine and energy executives. I know what I’m talking about here. But wait… aren’t business executives supposed to be conservatives? Yes, business interests, by definition, care more about greasing their palms than they care about the environment. Everybody understands that. That’s why we have lawmakers and laws, to curb the rights of businesses when they conflict with the rights of the public… and vise versa. Business greed makes our system work, and feeds our families. But business greed feeds on the left and the right. Only paranoid liberals think that business greed is some kinda secret conservative crime. Only when a public faction entrusts politicians with furthering their political agenda do politicians receive the opportunity to sell political access. It’s axiomatic that liberals somehow think politicians can be trusted more than business people. It’s also axiomatic that liberals expect other people to sacrifice for their causes. If you truly believe that a cause like banning VOC use is a good thing, then stop using VOC’s. Capture a market where you think VOC abuse is rampant, then develop your own processes. Then maybe people will accept your cause as anything but a tantrum. If you think liberal politicians are gonna do more than lift a finger for your cause, without getting their own MAJOR greasing, then you have another think coming. They’re using you, not working for you. I promise you, the results of the liberal agenda will blow up in California liberals’ faces next State election. It isn’t even close. But wait, I’m “paranoid”. I can’t know what I’m talking about.
That’s it,I’m moving further away from Texas.
Noodle, You are one hard core son of a bitch!! I love a conspiracy theorist!! But really, they aren’t banning VOC’s just lowering the allowable level, among other things. These standards are also hitting a lot of other industries out there. Personally I think it is a good thing. When I was a kid back in the 70’s we had tons of level 3 smog alerts in Socal. You would come home from school with headaches and watery eyes and school sporting events would be canceled fairly often. Now the air is 100 times better in Socal and there is still improvement that can be made. Sluggo
tell it like it is sluggo.
Mr. Noodle, mega-dittos and congradulations! Yur the most gall dang A-number 1, ace, boss, celebrated, cool, distinguished, dominant, eminent, excellent, exceptional, first chop, great, impressive, magnificent, major, meritorious, momentous, mostest, number one, numero uno, phenomenal, pre-eminent, distinguished, thought-provoking, important, leading, marked, memorable, notable, noteworthy, prominent, pronounced, remarkable, striking, predominant, primo, special, standout, star, stellar, super, superior, superlative, tops, outstanding, inspirational, brilliant conservative writer, and our very own Bill O’Reilly of Swaylocks!!! Thanks gentlemen fer yer attention Slim Railpickens
Calirfornia needs more nuclear power but unfortunately it will not get past the vast leftist consipracy theories, paranoia and fear. Unfortunately it doesnt seem to keep people out of the SanO or trestles line up.