The flourishing surf culture prevalent in Southern California, coupled with a periods of arid conditions, provided the fertile ground for the emergence of professional skateboarding during the 1970s.
This remarkable development was not a mere coincidence but rather a sophisticated interplay of human activity and climatic shifts, as illuminated by recent research, indicating that such an evolution was uniquely tied to the Californian landscape.
The widespread construction of approximately 20,000 new concave-walled swimming pools annually, stringent water conservation mandates, and technological advancements such as digital photography and industrial-grade polyurethane collectively fueled the surge in skateboarding’s popularity.
Inhabitants drawn from the surfing community repurposed these vacant aquatic spaces as impromptu skateboarding arenas, igniting a novel trend in Los Angeles during the latter part of the 1970s.
Approximately half a century onward, skateboarding has transformed into a global enterprise valued in the billions. As a consortium of international researchers elucidates in their recent publication, this phenomenon serves as a contemporary illustration of how subtle environmental alterations can precipitate significant societal ramifications, fundamentally reshape cultural paradigms, and foster novel avenues of innovation.
“The pervasive allure and influence of surf culture were absolutely indispensable to the genesis of skateboard culture, which is precisely why its origins are exclusively attributable to Southern California,” states geographer Ulf Büntgen from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.
“While a similar arid spell and the presence of comparable aquatic infrastructure might have existed elsewhere, such as in Phoenix, the absence of an embedded surf subculture in that locale would have precluded the birth of professional skateboarding.”
The 2001 documentary titled Dogtown and Z-Boys served as a catalyst for Büntgen and his fellow investigators to delve into the intricate convergence of environmental, technological, and societal elements that catalyzed a local pastime into an international subculture and a lucrative industry.
An economic upswing in the 1960s witnessed the erection of upwards of 150,000 swimming pools across California, predominantly within the Los Angeles metropolitan area. However, a subsequent decade marked by protracted dryness, culminating in the severe drought of 1976/77, resulted in substantial agricultural losses and the implementation of water conservation legislation, which necessitated the draining of numerous pools.
“Our findings underscore how localized climatic triggers can precipitate unforeseen and substantial impacts on human societies, not all of which are detrimental. In this specific instance, an aridity event in California directly contributed to the genesis of a colossal industry,” Büntgen elaborates.
With the establishment of the Zephyr team in the ‘Dogtown’ district of Santa Monica, adjacent to the now-renowned Venice Beach, freestyle skateboarding—initially a recreational pursuit for adolescents—evolved into competitive halfpipe skating.
An examination of the cover art for Skateboarder magazine spanning the years 1975 to 1978 revealed the astonishing rapidity of skateboarding’s evolution. The researchers contend that skateboarding was relatively rudimentary in 1975, citing a cover image of Gregg Weaver on a board designed for flatland and street performance. By 1976, Tony Alva was demonstrating advanced maneuvers in the ‘Soul Bowl’.
Paul Hackett’s gravity-defying aerial techniques elevated the sport to unprecedented levels of athleticism in 1977, followed by the awe-inspiring performances of Steve Olson at the Del Mar Skate Ranch in 1978. Eddie Elguera’s 1979 cover coincided with the global ascendance of vertical skateboarding, a discipline that ultimately eclipsed streetstyle and freestyle modalities.
Throughout the ‘Golden Age’ of skateboarding, spanning the 1970s and 1980s, seminal brands such as Powell Peralta, Vision Street Wear, and Alva were established. This era produced internationally recognized athletes like Tony Hawk, Danny Way, and Tony Magnusson, catapulting skateboarding into the global consciousness.
As portable digital cameras gained widespread adoption, the practice of skateboard videography began to flourish. Landmark skateboarding films, including the 1984 release of Bones Brigade, further amplified the scene’s expansion.
The sport’s influence extended its reach to Europe, evidenced by events such as the Münster Monster Mastership in the 1980s. This competition evolved into the inaugural World Cup in 1989 and subsequently the first official World Skateboarding Championship in 1990.
The advent of the X-Games in 1994, and the historic inclusion of skateboarding in the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games, have irrevocably cemented skateboarding’s impact on global subcultures, including its synergy with hip-hop music and streetwear fashion. The sport’s cultural penetration even extends to disciplines like snowboarding, initially termed ‘snurfing’ but later rebranded in the wake of the late 1970s skateboarding phenomenon.
“A more profound examination reveals a confirmation of our hypothesis that climatic and environmental factors exert a profound influence on societal development,” Büntgen elucidates.
“These transformations are not arbitrary occurrences. In the context of skateboarding, the convergence of all requisite elements in a singular location and temporal moment was essential. Such an event could not have transpired a decade prior, a decade later, or even a few hundred miles distant.”
By demonstrating the analytical capabilities of contemporary and perhaps unexpected case studies in comprehending the human-climate nexus, Büntgen and his team aspire to foster further interdisciplinary scholarly pursuits.
This comprehensive study has been formally published in the esteemed journal PNAS Nexus.
