Volcom Pipe Pro 2013: Sustainable By Design

Volcom Pipe Pro 2013: Sustainable By Design is a 23-minute promotional film by Buffalo area producer Nathan Peracciny, produced for Volcom (a for-profit surfing gear company) and featuring the participation of Hawaii-based environmental groups such as Sustainable Surf, TR3EES, and Throw To Grow, "a food waste recycling project founded in Hawaii…using the technology of anaerobic fermentation to transform large volumes of food waste into nutrient rich soil in a way that is sustainable, earth friendly, and energy efficient."

Peracciny was born in Galveston, Texas, but grew up in Lockport, NY, immersed in the subcultures of skateboarding and snowboarding, "each with its own set of rules, language, and style," as well as music and art. Working at Lockport's Phatman Snow & Skateboard Shop in the mid-1990s brought him "out in the streets and into the mountains: I spent a lot of time observing public spaces around me. Within skateboard culture, a parking lot is more than a parking lot—it's a place to spend hours, skating and creating to connect to people." He graduated from UB with a BA in Digital Media Studies with a concentration in film production. He has worked on both independent documentaries and commercial projects such as this one as a producer, director, photographer, editor, and project manager.

The Volcom Pipe Pro—an entry-level surfing competition held on the island of O'ahu—prepares younger surfers for world-tour, masters surfing. Peracciny's film (commissioned by Volcom) showcases the event itself, the island of O'ahu, and the sponsor's sustainable approach to planning and running the event, working in partnership with the island's environmental groups to manage its environmental and community impacts. The film discusses everything from the locally sourced food and bio-diesel generators to the Bokashi system for composting food waste.