20 NATCHEZ ON THE WATERFRONT
Keep marinas clean and green T
oday’s world is, for the most part, very environmentally-aware – ‘clean’ and ‘green’ are the
current buzzwords. Everywhere one turns, there are adverts for ‘green’ products, restaurants and stores. Like many in-vogue expressions, the terms are sometimes employed pretty loosely to make customers feel good. In fact, there is much more to
the buzzwords. It is an approach to how operations and activities are undertaken, as well as the attitudes of both providers and users. Simply stated, it is to improve recreational boating to be even more environmentally-friendly. It boils down to a two-pronged approach, one having to do with the physical plant and operations of the facility and the other having to do with education and awareness for boaters. I truly believe that the people
comprising the marina and boating community, and particularly those
at its core, are the stewards of the waterways around the world. After all, no one wants to bathe, fish or sail in polluted waters. By and large, the worldwide marina industry is leading in ‘doing as I do’ rather than many governments, which seem to follow more of a ‘do as I say not as I do’ approach. That’s because most pollution of our waterways comes from three main sources – agriculture, industry and governments, including the run-off from roads and car parks. Only a very minute percentage (less than 2%) comes from the marina industry.
In addition, that percentage
keeps shrinking as both marinas and boaters keep getting cleaner and greener. In the US, numerous states have created their own ‘clean marina’ programmes, usually voluntary and usually easy to work with and be meaningful. There are also other national and international boating organisations that have set up their own
MARINA EURO-REPORT • DECEMBER 2016
programmes. Unfortunately, some of these groups have decided to introduce the concept of creating a profit centre out of their programmes, which can discourage participation and foster a political hierarchy. Basically, being clean and
green all starts with instilling a mind-set with management and employees, as well as customers, visitors, suppliers and contractors. It can be as simple as disposing of rubbish in litter bins as opposed to the ground or as complicated as installing a solar array on top of a marina’s dry stack storage building or administration block. The internet, of course, is full of
helpful suggestions, programmes and advice for marinas, with a search just for ‘Marina Best Management Practices’ yielding over 600,000 results! One of the best websites
I’ve come across that gathers a tremendous amount of information on things boaters can do to
be environmentally-friendly is at:
www.sailorsforthesea.org/ programs/green-boating-guide as this covers everything from the more common things like bilge cleaner products to outfitting your galley. They even give brand names for products that they have found to be particularly worthwhile. Beyond the guide, you can also find information on Sailors for the Sea’s Clean Regattas programme and Kids Environmental Lesson Plans (KELP), all geared to heightening awareness and educating current and future boaters on the need to keep our waters clean. Why not like them on Facebook and provide a link to the Green Boater’s Guide on your website? At the same time, try to stock the recommended products in your chandlery store and provide maintenance offers tied into the routine maintenance recommendations. We tend to lose track of just
how much plastic has entered our lives, and when that plastic makes
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