Sailing is by its nature, a green activity. If you want to reduce the carbon footprint during vacations, move onto a yacht, and go sailing!
As long as you are sailing, you use the wind, a renewable energy which is a source of zero emissions power contributing to the reduction of fossil fuels reliance – be proud of it!
A running engine emits a range of gases into the atmosphere, one of which is carbon dioxide CO2 – the principal greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. Greenhouse gases (GHGs) are gases that increase the temperature of the Earth due to their absorption of infrared radiation. CO2 is part of Earth’s atmosphere, however, when the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere increases, more heat is trapped causing Earth’s surface temperature to rise, which in turn is altering the world’s climate.
Each liter of diesel / gasoline that is used produces about 2.7 / 2.3 kg of CO2. Therefore, every time you start the engine, you are contributing to climate change.
Avoid unnecessary idling as a marine engine is much less fuel efficient than running at about 75% of top speed. After all, idling gets you nowhere!
The decision not to equip this yacht with air condition and generator engine was deliberate as a universal approach to reduce our environmental impact.
When sailing or anchored, almost all electrical devices are supplied by batteries. A highly efficient flexible solar panel takes care of the batteries keeping them charged.
Responsible tips:
• Leave No Trace at sea. Take your trash (and trash left by others) with when you leave a beach. Each year, an additional eight million tons of plastic end up in the world’s seas where it is responsible for the deaths of up to one million sea birds, 100,000 sea mammals, marine turtles and countless fish. If current trends continue, our seas could contain more plastic than fish by 2050.
• Observe dolphins, whales, and seals from a safe distance of at least 50 meters (55 yards or 165 feet) by land or sea.
– Use binoculars which you can find in the boat, or telephoto lenses for a better view.
– Limit viewing time to no more than 30 minutes.
– Avoid circling or entrapping marine mammals between boat and shore.
– Avoid abrupt movements or loud noises around marine mammals.
– Avoid separating mother and pups.
– Move away cautiously if you observe behaviors that indicate the animal is stressed.
– Avoid touching or swimming with marine mammals, even if they approach you.
– Do not feed any species of marine mammal.
• Avoid digging holes or trenches and remove any obstacles that may become hazards for nesting sea turtles and hatchlings like beach furniture, holes, and sandcastles. Females tend to lay their nests towards the back of the beach. Turtles need clean and clear beaches (and seas) to increase their chances of survival.
• Use environmentally sound products to help keep the seas clean. When you are swimming, snorkeling, or diving, remember that any products you wear on your body, such as sun cream and body lotion, get absorbed into the marine environment.
• Avoid anchoring in seagrass and fragile sea beads.
• When use the dinghy with outboard engine, stay alert and avoid sea turtles. Propeller and collision impact from boats can result in injury and death of sea turtles.
• Examine, but do not touch cultural or historic structures. Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them.
Avoid introducing or transporting non-native species. When walking, stay on marked tracks. Do not take shortcuts or form new tracks as this damage the existing fragile flora and causes erosion because soil is stabilized by plants which hold it together.
• If toilets are not provided, move well away from nests, walking tracks, watercourses, and lakes. Bury waste at least 15 cm deep, 50cm in sand. Bag – do not bury – all personal hygiene products including disposable nappies and carry out for appropriate disposal.
• The discharge of raw sewage into the sea can create a health hazard. Sewage can also lead to oxygen depletion and can be an obvious visual pollution in coastal areas. Use holding tanks when anchored, in marinas and in coastal areas. Sewage can be discharged at a distance of more than 12 nautical miles from the nearest land when the boat is en route and proceeding at not less than 4 knots. The open seas are capable of assimilating and dealing with raw sewage through natural bacterial action.
