Going Green in 2010 - New Year Resolutions

9:12 AM Fri 22 Jan 2010 GMT

'Caring for oceans' .

So you think that whatever you do won't make a difference to the Greening of the world's oceans? Not true. Here are eight New Year Resolutions, which if all sailors kept, would result in a distinctly purer ocean. The question is not how much difference they will make, but can you afford NOT to do them?

Resolution 1: Green Products for the boat:

Go check the products on your boat. Examine the labels. If there are ANY that are not marked as bio products that will not harm the environment, take them home or give them away to a non-sailor, and replace them with Green products. Yes, these days they do work, and wokd well. When replacing them, make sure you use the re-fillers, rather than buying more plastic to become garbage of the future.

Resolution 2: Careful refuelling:

Resolve to be super-careful when refuelling, and don't let the careless operator near the boat. Then, have your chemical-free detergent ready BEFORE you start refuelling so that any spill can be cleaned up at speed. Never over-fill your tanks, and take your jerry jugs or outboard motor tanks on land to refill them.

Resolution 3: Cut the plastic, 100%:

Take reusable bags when shopping for provisioning, then get rid of all plastic BEFORE setting out for a sail. Don't allow anyone to bring plastic bags on board, for any reason. If the bags are on the water, they can't be inadvertently lost overboard to strangle some turtle or end up in one of the Great Ocean Garbage Gyres in the centre of each ocean.

Resolution 4: Buy longer lasting tools:

There are many tools on sale these days that are amazingly cheap, but often contain much plastic, and are not meant for the marine environment. They are also often not strong enough for the jobs for which they were intended. If you buy them, you will end up with a plethora of junk on board which will have to be replaced, and you'll be adding to the plastic rubbish that the world does not know how to get rid of and is not reusable. When buying anything, also leave the styrofoam in the shop!

Make sure YOU don’t add to the problem - .. .

Resolution 5: Be energy efficient on the boat:

Use the energy on your boat wisely and economically. Remember, unless you generate 100% of your energy by solar, wind or trailing propeller power, using lights and air-conditioning means using fuel. Use LED lights wherever possible to save energy and, therefore, fuel.

Resolution 6: Watch the Ugly Waste:

Resolve to keep your bilges clean at all times, and dispose of bilge water safely and responsibly. When working on the boat, take precautions that left-over paint products or thinners are secured safely and brought to the allocated place on shore for disposal.

Resolution 7: Garbage, garbage, garbage

If you've provisioned wisely, you will have already reduced your waste significantly. However while sailing you will still need to ensure that your garbage is correctly stowed for all the time that you are at sea, and then disposed of in the correct bins on arrival. (If your marina or yacht club does not have recycling, ask why not and start a movement for change)

Resolution 8: Take others with you:

Be proactive. Talk about it. Influence others and spread the Green word. Small actions if taken by enough people can make a huge difference to the oceans we sail.

by Sail-World Cruising

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