The green topic is red hot! Every business, obviously not just in the yachting industry, is boasting about its sustainability initiatives at any given opportunity. Some have made it their unique selling point and their whole business revolves around offering an eco-sustainable alternative or even an active solution. Many corporations have put a set of goals forward that they aim to achieve 30 years from now. Then some carefully word how they are less damaging than before,  and a few -regrettably- have changed nothing but their marketing message…
It is a complex and layered topic and I have thought twice before using this for our very first themed issue. However, it is one of the biggest challenges humanity is facing today and it is also a very obvious first theme to choose. The good news is that in contrast to about 20 years ago, nobody frowns upon the green issue anymore. Well… perhaps that’s bad news because now the problem has become big enough for everyone to see it. The new challenge for the consumer is to figure out whether a product has truly applied the correct measures to increase its eco-sustainability. In the October issue, Save The Med contributed an interesting article about so-called Greenwashing which is worth a revisit via our website.
Hypocrisy is always lurking around the corner and being called out for it even more so. Some people and companies are doing the best they can to change the tide, and sometimes their efforts are just a drop in the Ocean. But that drop in the Ocean counts in my opinion if it doesn’t evaporate under the heat of the naysayers and sceptics. Let’s always remember that raising awareness for a problem is the foundation for the solution. Our kids are already behaving differently than us because they are more aware of the problem and less bothered by the uncomfortable changes the solution may imply.
Is there such a thing as sustainable yachting? It would be a hard case to defend. Our industry is starting to work with new recyclable composite materials to build hulls, alternatives for decking, new propulsion technology and even trialling ideas that could have a massive impact on the maritime transport industry.
I believe that the biggest responsibility and opportunity for yacht owners and crew is in executing research and raising awareness. The more people are faced with the problem, the more attention it will receive. Last month we featured an article on how yacht crew can help to map the population of Risso Dolphins. The main feature in this issue is about a young sailor who intends to sail the Arctic circle, a part of the world very few of us get to visit. Her journey will help us to visualise and confront the reality of the crisis. Also in this issue, is how the yachting industry can be crucial in mapping the planet’s seabeds.
Yachting with an additional purpose on top of creating beautiful memories for owners and guests has always excited me. With navigation being simplified through technology in the last 2 decades, we should all feel morally obliged to contribute to research, especially when offshore, as part of our watchkeeping tasks. And of course, we can hope that even the most ignorant people change their ways after swimming into a plastic bag on their yachting holiday.
Jens OomesÂ
