Skateboards have long been a common site on college campuses, but now a new style of skateboard, the longboard, is being taken up by commuters as an alternative, green mode of transportation around cities.

Longboards are designed with longer and wider boards than traditional skateboards, which make them more stable and maneuverable yet still able to reach the same speeds as bicycle riders.

"The major difference of the longboard skateboard over the traditional skateboard is in its use; people ride skateboards for tricks, longboards are used for transportation," says Scott Seeyle, owner of The Longboard Store , a major online retailer of longboard products. “To condense travel time, commuters longboard one or several portions of their trek, toting their boards on public transport for the rest.

A wave of ex-skateboarders who are now in their 30s and 40s are rediscovering the sport, and are switching from cars to boards, which cost around $200, on short commutes to save on parking and fuel costs – and reduce carbon footprints.

Several longboard manufacturers are also pushing the boarding scene’s eco-credentials even further, by producing eco-friendly boards. Design company Arbor, for instance, create their boards from renewable materials such as bamboo and reclaimed wood, rather than the typical skateboard material, maple – a wood that takes 100 years to mature before it can be used. Arbor also sells skater apparel made from bamboo fabrics and organic cotton and donate five percent of their profits to environmental charities.

Longboarding still faces some challenges that may prevent it from becoming a regular method of transportation, as boards in many areas are classed as a toy, which prevents riders using cycle lanes, yet the high speeds they can reach, and lack of brakes, means they can be a hazard to pedestrians – especially during rush hour.