With all the "it's like being one with the ocean" talk, it's somehow a disconnect to view surfing as harmful to the environment. But the petrochemicals used in the foam of many boards can be nasty stuff. California Home+Design takes a look this month at San Francisco's Hess Surfboards and their mission to build better, cleaner and longer lasting boards.

Danny Hess, whose shop is out on Noreiga Street, first garnered interest for his boards while surfing a protoype (which he spent 140 hours building) at Ocean Beach back in 2000. By 2005, he had so many custom orders for boards that he left his job as a furniture contractor to make Hess Surfboards his full time gig.

Hess has now made a name for himself—both in and out of the surf world—as a skillful crafstsman with integrity.  He’s collaborated with artists, pro surfers and his boards are now distributed by Mollusk Surf Shop and Patagonia, in addition to his shop.

Read the full article here and stop by his Outer Sunset shop to see the craftsmanship yourself.