Wakatere Boating Club in New Zealand have been awarded Platinum Level Clean Regatta status for the running of the RS Feva Nationals in December 2020. This was awarded in recognition of following the 20 best high impact guidelines from Sailors for the Sea to make the regatta sustainable. This is the first time the club has reached this level.
Here are Sailors for the Sea‘s 20 High-Impact Ways to Make Your Event Sustainable;
Elimination of Single-Use Items
- Eliminate Single-Use Water Bottles and Provide Water Refill Stations
An overwhelming 97% of Clean Regattas have said goodbye to single-use plastic water bottles. Will you join them?
- Eliminate Plastic Straws
Skip ’em altogether or find an eco-smart alternative. We’ve seen paper, metal, or even hay and pasta do the trick!
- Serve Food with Plastic-Free Dinnerware
Use it once and have it last forever? Not at a Clean Regatta! Choose to reuse (and beware of those sneaky bio-plastics)!
- Use or Provide Reusable Bags
Plastic bags are out of style. Do your part to make sure that one less plastic bag finds its way into the water.
- Award Gear or Use a Perpetual or Upcycled Trophy
Celebrate participants’ achievements with gear they’ll actually use. Or create a legacy with a perpetual trophy.
Community Involvement
- Publicize Your Sustainability Efforts
Tell the world you’re protecting what you love by making strides for a greener planet and bluer seas!
- Involve Local Organizations
Use strengths already present in your community to make sure your Clean Regatta is a success.
- Post Responsible, Educational and Reusable Signage
At the event, showcase your efforts with signs that you can reuse and add to year after year.
- Serve Local Food or Source Seafood Sustainably
Back up your words with actions: support local businesses and make sure your seafood is sustainably caught.
Responsible Waste Management
- Assemble and Identify Your Green Team
This invaluable group will be your go-to support system and help you achieve all your sustainability goals.
- Ensure Proper Waste Bin Placement and Signage
Making sure waste gets into the correct bin can be tricky. Signs help make it as simple as possible!
- Divert Food Waste from the Landfill
Composting might be easier than you think! Or, take this opportunity to feed those in need with any leftovers.
- Use Paperless Event Management
From whiteboards, to projectors, to TVs and phones, there’s a lot of sustainable ways to distribute information.
Environmental Stewardship
- Host a Beach or Marina Clean-up
Increase awareness of the plastic pollution problem and do your part to make an immediate impact on your local environment.
- Promote Alternative Transportation
Biking, carpooling, using public transit, or offsetting your carbon footprint can all go a long way to reducing carbon emissions.
- Increase Awareness of Wildlife and Habitat Protection
Part of protecting what you love involves safeguarding those who call our waters home!
- Offer Vegetarian or Vegan Alternatives
Eating vegetarian can reduce your carbon footprint and impact on the environment by more than you may think.
Green Boating
- Encourage Water Only Washdowns
Skip the suds all together! It’s easier for you and easier on nature.
- Use Non-Toxic Sunscreens or Cleaning Products
Help keep harmful chemicals out of the water by choosing your products carefully.
- Do Not Offer Bow Stickers to Competitors
We know they’re tough to keep on, so let’s make sure they stay out of the water in the first place.
Sailors for the Sea – https://www.sailorsforthesea.org/programs/clean-regattas/best-practices
Thanks to the efforts of all the sailors and support crew at the club during, before, and after the regatta – reducing waste and bringing the sailing and local Devonport communities together.
Special mention has to go to the Wakatere Green Team led in no small part by Delayne Salthouse who has been on a mission to educate and engage club members at Wakatere Boating Club for some years now. Well done team!
Wakatere Boating Club know that they are in a unique position to support change for our beautiful coastal environment and they are looking forward to making more of a difference in 2021.
Please find out more and Sailors for the Sea here and give Wakatere Boating Club a follow to keep up with all their amazing green initiatives.
Photo credit: 📸 Richard Gladwell