October

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Brown is the new Black at The Green Blue

It’s been a rather busy and exciting couple of months at The Green Blue. After her three month sabbatical and honeymoon, Sarah Brown (previously Black) is back. Sarah’s adventures sailing around the beautiful Western Isles of Scotland provided her with a well earned break and lots of exciting new ideas and directions for The Green Blue.

Canal Boat Builders Rewarded for Eco Friendly Build

But whilst Sarah was away we’ve been busy as ever getting out and about and spreading the word. The Inland Waterways Association Festival took place over the August Bank Holiday weekend at Ratcliff on Soar and The Green Blue was there to speak to boaters about their environmental concerns. We were also asked to help judge the prestigious Lionel Munk award, which is awarded annually to the best boat in show, and this year included environmental considerations within the judging criteria. Features such as LED lights, work tops made from recycled glass, FSC accredited wood and built in connectors for solar panels were just some of the innovations that were seen. Read More

Boat Show Round Up

The Southampton Boat Show 2009 was yet again a very successful show for us. With the winners of our photography competition receiving their prizes from Dee Caffari and Mike Golding OBE, and HRH Princess Anne launching our mobile phone and ink cartridge recycling scheme we thought it couldn’t get any better... until we were announced as the winners of the best campaign in PBO’s inaugural Green Awards. Check out "What’s New" for the details.

Bye Bye to Ruth

Due to the end of our funding programme in Wales we were sorry to have to say goodbye to Ruth Sharratt, our Project Officer in Wales. Ruth has done some great work integrating the programme into the Welsh Yachting Association’s events and activities, working with Clubs to raise awareness of environmental issues as well as acting as a stake holder representing recreational boating and environmental issues. However fear not for the Welsh coastline and waterways, as we plan to maintain our presence in different ways and will keep a close watch out for future funding opportunities. Watch this space!

wales@thegreenblue.org.uk

Book Now for The Green Blue Conference 2009

If you’re looking for ways to make your business, club or training centre more environmentally friendly then a good place to start would be at our annual conference taking place at the Coin Street Centre, London on Wednesday 4 November. Sponsored by The Crown Estate, the conference, ‘Success and Sustainability for the UK Recreational Marine Sector’ will be looking at ways of using sustainability to drive performance and cut costs.

With a packed agenda and speakers including Sir Keith Mills, Deputy Chair, London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games 2012 and principal Team Origin; Rob Stevens, Chief Executive, British Marine Federation, Rod Carr OBE, Chief Executive, Royal Yachting Association, Tobias Parker, Chief Executive, Sustain and many more, topics covered will include – Planning for climate change, How big is your footprint and The Sustainability Imperative, amongst others.

The Marine and Coastal Access Bill is likely to receive Royal Assent by the end of 2009 and this will provide for the creation of a network of new Marine Protected Areas around the English and Welsh Coasts. The Marine Bill (Scotland) which will probably come into force next year will also provide for new Marine Protected Areas. These new MPAs will protect species and habitats which are of national, as opposed to European, significance and work is already underway around the English coast to identify where these sites might be located. Four regional projects have been set up: Finding Sanctuary covers the South West; Balanced Seas covers the Eastern Channel (the Solent round to north of the Thames Estuary); Net Gain covers the North Sea, and Irish Sea conservation project, as its name suggests, covers the Irish Sea. Why is this relevant to boaters? Well, all four projects need data from the various groups of sea users so as to build up a picture of how the sea is currently used. The idea is that these new Marine Conservation Zones should be designated in such a way as to have least impact on sea users. The RYA is asking for volunteers to help conduct interviews at boating clubs around the English coastline to help feed into this process. Contact Kate Moore, the RYA’s Planning and Environment Advisor if you would like to help:

kate.moore@rya.org.uk

The Green Blue is extremely proud to have been crowned winner of one of the four inaugural Green Awards from Practical Boat Owner magazine. The awards were set up to recognise marine businesses and individuals who have taken steps to make the leisure boat industry more sustainable and environmentally friendly.

Clinching the title in the Campaign category, Project Manager Sarah Brown said: “We’re delighted to receive this Green Award from PBO for our work to promote sustainable boating. It’s a real team effort and we’re all extremely passionate about the work of The Green Blue and we’re very proud to have our successes recognised in this way.”