Kelly Slater is a world-renowned surfer. He has amazed the world with his remarkable surfing talent and skills. The 11-time world champion is environmentally aware, making an effort to contribute to nature as much as possible. He runs a brand that creates environment-friendly surfboards and clothes. Before, the surfer was accused of damaging the environment more than anyone on the planet.

Slater started surfing at the age of 5. He was the son of a bait-store proprietor. So he grew up in the close vicinity of the water. By the age of ten, Kelly started participating in age-division surfing competitions. The surfer also won his first age-division title at the United Nations Championship in 1984. The following year, Kelly also bagged Australia’s Pacific Cup junior championship.

Why is Kelly Slater blamed for damaging the environment?

The 11-time champion of the World Surf League, Kelly is the youngest and the oldest surfer to win the reputed title at 39. He crossed Australian surfer Mark Richards, after winning his fifth world title. So far in his career, the surfer has a record of having 55 victories. Moreover, Kelly received great recognition in 1990 for introducing a new surfing technique. He utilized fins and aerial moves to surf magnificently.
Apart from acing the waves, Kelly also advocates environmental safety and sustainability. His brand, Outerknown, makes eco-friendly swimwear and surfboards.

Despite Kelly’s environmental protection awareness, surfing journalist Steve Longtam Shearer criticized him for damaging nature more than anyone in a podcast in 202o. In his Dirty Water podcast with Chas Smith, the journalist, openly criticized Steve saying;

“Everything Kelly does have an eco-centric point in it. But, for real, Kelly Slater has done more damage to the earth than any non-politician of the last decade. That man has traveled, spewing carbon into the atmosphere, the number of surfboards he’s chewed through, he’s the most damaging human of the last ten years.”

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On several occasions, Steve has spoken critically of the world-renowned surfer. In his various articles, he claimed that Kelly has caused harm to the shark population. In 2017, he urged for a shark cull to save the lives of people surfing in the sea. Moreover, the journalist also claimed that Kelly’s artificial waves are harmful to the environment.

What does Kelly do for world ocean protection?

In 2019, Kelly Slater talked about his concerns for world oceans. He stated that he has a deep connection with the ocean. The surfer also urged people to stop using plastic as it harms the water bodies.

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Although Kelly Slater has shown and done immensely for the environment, the claims by the surf journalist cannot be overlooked. Tell us what you think.