'Lets make this blank canvas...Seastainable'
Whilst we leave 2020 behind, thankfully…The new year is the perfect (disclaimer: not only!) time to set challenges for ourselves and set our intentions for the year. So at Seastainable we are looking towards 2021 in hope of better, global times in all aspects but especially for sustainability and for us, within the yachting industry.
We want to keep working and helping crew to work towards a more sustainable future for our industry, in light of this we have put together 12 yacht specific goals - aiming for one a month.
1 - Recycle (the right way)
Recycling is an ongoing battle. It can be tough depending what marina you are in, the bins are always changing what you can and can’t recycle and you aren’t quite sure where it even ends up, are we right? Instead of giving up, spend some time researching (speak to the marina and local agents) the recycling in that area to find out where exactly your rubbish ends up. Speak to the marina. Check the bin labels thoroughly and then coincide that with your bin labels onboard. Be sure to repeat these processes when you change location.
2 - Talk about it (and then do!)
Sustainability isn’t a surprise to anyone and quite simply it needs to be prioritised, now. So, bring sustainability up on your yachts agenda if it isn’t already. Include your strategies into morning meetings and start to make a difference onboard. Last year saw a lot of pledges of no more plastic or to be more sustainable, now we need to start turning those pledges into more action.
3 - Reduce your meat consumption
No the whole crew doesn’t have to go vegan, but what you can do is look and analyse your weekly diets, how about opting for one meat free day a week to begin with? Look at your shopping, does your chef or provisioner shop locally? Seasonally? Organically? Take a look at what you can change easily for crew and then look at the harder changes, usually for the guest menus!
4 - Reduce waste
We can all see and know that unwanted ‘things’ and rubbish doesn’t just go ‘away’, it goes somewhere and wherever that maybe is having an impact on our world. So stop this at the source of the problem, look at using less!
5 - Offset your carbon
Unfortunately today, the majority of Superyachts out there, burn fossil fuels, whilst there are so many things you can do onboard to changes processes and develop more sustainable habits it is hard to get away from the fact that the engines onboard are burning a lot of fuel. So, why not offset this? Speak to your Captain about offsetting the yachts carbon - if you cannot offset onboard - start with personal offsetting, offset your personal carbon use, for example those flights to and from the yacht.
6 - Keep saying no to plastic
The ‘say no to plastic’ pledge has been gaining momentum for a while now and whilst we have seen a lot of positive changes, such as reusable water bottles, alternative food wraps, plastic free toiletries, bulk refilling for laundry products, bamboo & other alternatives there is unfortunately still a lot of plastic out in there in the yachting world. So, keep saying no and check your plastic usage onboard with a critical eye to see if there are anymore changes you can make.
7 - Join a community
At Seastainable we believe in community and collaboration over competition, we want to help solve our industries problems and luckily there are a lot more people out there that want to do the same so join forces! We have an ambassador program with likeminded crew, send us a message about it, like us on Facebook & Instagram and follow us on Linked in for other community updates.
8 - Learn more
The one thing about sustainability is that the way we can become more sustainable is ever adapting, so we can always learn more. Questioning things has been one of our key drivers when making changes, What is that product made from? Why is it packaged in that way? Where does it end up once we are done with it? Who benefits from this? And so on…Check out our resources & infographics to learn more.
9 - Clean up
When it comes to yachts, there is a product for pretty much everything. From laundry, cleaning to toiletries there are so many products onboard, so make sure the ones you are using are biodegradable, natural and non toxic - not only for the environment, but also for your health! Take a lot at the products you have, what are they made from? How are they packaged? Can you do bulk refits to limit packaging?
10 - Avoid fast fashion
This can be tough when you are given yacht uniform without any say in what it is, but try and be aware of the consequences of unethical clothing. If you are a decision maker when it comes to yacht uniform, scope out Ethical Yacht Wear - a great company that can supply you with 100% ethically made uniform. This doesn’t just have to apply to onboard, take note of the issues surrounding fast fashion when you are making your personal clothing choices.
11 - Get involved
With a lot of projects and events either being cancelled or turning virtual for the majority of last year, we are hoping this year sees some more physical events when it comes to sustainability. We are hoping to hold Seastainable workshops and big beach cleans. For now, why not hold your own yacht beach clean, take a morning and wander down to your local beach together or ask the marina if there are any volunteer projects you can get involved in whilst you are in the area.
12 - Check in
Being more sustainable isn’t just the environmental impact the industry has, we want to also put a focus this year on cultural sustainability within the industry, so here we have focused on crew morale to begin with. Ensure that your crew are happy and that you are all working within a positive working environment, your role in this will also depend on your role onboard but above all, be kind and check in with each other regularly.
So, keep us in the loop with these #12newchapters and get in touch if you have any questions or have set different sustainable goals, for us to share.