We’re launching a new Deep Blue Interview series with the riders, asking them about their #DeepBlueLifestyle.
Deep Blue Life = engaged and aware ocean advocates, taking action to protect the health and the future of our environment, and dedicated to a more ocean-friendly way of life.
Boujmaa Guilloul speaks up about his Deep Blue Life
Photo Credit: Simon Crowther
What environmental issue is most important to you as an ocean athlete? What do you do to fight this problem?
I think our approach to garbage and our consumption habits are the biggest issues in my home environment in Morocco. I’d really love to see the future generations be the difference and make change — avoiding past generations’ mistakes.
At a community level, I am trying to find the best way to teach kids around my hometown about the danger that garbage and poor consumption creates for the future of our planet and everything we depend on. I start with clean ups where I can gather with kids and talk about basic stuff.
Photo Credit: Maria Nelasova
What does it mean to you to ride an eco-board?
Honestly, to me, an eco-board would be something that hardly creates any CO2 emissions and is cheap to build. That’s the paradox— right now it is certainly complicated to build such a thing, but hopefully we’ll get there in the near future.
What other actions, big or small, do you take to help the environment?
I try to be conscious of every action I do daily. I’m certainly not doing everything I could to live sustainably, but I try to consume the least possible packaged food, and avoid all forms of packaging as much as I can.
When I’m around kids I’m very conscious of my words and actions — because I believe that leading by example is the best way to influence children to become good human beings of the future.
Photo Credit: Simon Crowther
What motivates you to care about the health of the oceans and environment? Any cool stories to share?
Ocean pollution is real, it is serious. I believe there is an end to life in the ocean, unless we all change our habits. I believe the end is near. I think that the biggest piece (our oceans) on our planet should motivate us to change our habits today.
A few years back, I embarked on a sailboat Expedition with Flo Jung (also on the Starboard Windsurf dream team). We tried to create a story raising awareness about ocean pollution. From Germany to Morocco and around the world, we shared the severe image of what we saw— lots of rubbish, trashed beaches, dead fish, turtles with tumors etc. These are things that we might not see in our smaller community like the windsurfing one, but through this adventure we were able to pass on a message that can make people think twice when buying fish at a major supermarket.
Do you have an ‘eco goal’ for the new year that Starboard can help you achieve?
My dream is to pass on a worldwide message that people from any population and any ethnicity can address our pollution issues through events and daily actions.
I’m proud t be a part of Starboard, and I hope our gear can be truly 100% eco-friendly fun gear. I’d also like this gear to be at the reach of everyone, without making it a luxurious product.
What message do you want to pass on to the next generation of ocean athletes & ambassadors?
I believe it is not too late to reverse climate change, and we must keep faith through the promotion of sustainable living initiatives. Life is numbers, and people who measure things in life, will find the answer to everything, our life depends on many hours spent on consuming and cleaning. Once we compromise between these two opposite actions, things will be different.
Anything else you’d like to share?
I still feel like I am not doing enough to preserve our environment and our ocean, but the very little I do is so much better than not doing anything.
I help organize the Morocco Windsurf World Cup that just took place in Moulay. Through this event, we strive to create more social and environmental actions with local people and participants. We aim to create something more than just a competition, and focus on reducing our CO2 emissions. It’s really difficult for an international event with athletes flying in from the four corners of the world, but we believe there is always room for improvement.
Photo Credit: Maria Nelasova
