California surfer makes board using 10,000 cigarette butts

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif. (AP) — A California surfer has won a recycled surfboard contest with an entry covered with 10,000 cigarette butts.

Taylor Lane of Santa Cruz and his friend, Ben Judkins, spent the summer scavenging the butts from the sand, beach parking lots and local paths. Lane then incorporated them into the board, which also uses recycled Styrofoam.

The Orange County Register reports the board won the annual "Creators & Innovators Upcycle Contest," hosted by surfing gear company Vissla and the nonprofit Surfrider Foundation.

Second place went to last year's winner, Francois Jaubert of France. His board used wood from a box that held carrots.