Environmental Archives - American Sailing

Clean and Green-Up Your Sailboat’s Bilge

American Sailing — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 14:29:13 +0000

While it’s definitely not many boaters’ favorite places on their boat, it’s one that can have direct contact with the marine ecosystem: the bilge. With much of my life spent messing about in boats, I’ve seen a range of bilges, from pristine and orderly to dark, smelly, and grimy. While it goes without saying that the clean bilge is more pleasant to work in and be around, did you know that it’s also better for the environment? Here are 6 tips to make your boat’s bilge better for both you and the ocean.

The post Clean and Green-Up Your Sailboat’s Bilge appeared first on American Sailing .

Look Good While Doing Good: American Sailing Partners with 4Ocean to Combat Plastic Pollution

American Sailing — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 21:39:46 +0000

American Sailing has partnered with 4Ocean, a premier ocean cleanup company committed to tackling the plastic pollution crisis head-on. Together, we are launching a new "Buy One, Pull One" campaign, a remarkable initiative designed to make a tangible impact on the global cleanup efforts. Now you can help clean the ocean through the American Sailing partnership with 4Ocean. For each apparel item purchased through the American Sailing store, one pound of plastic will be pulled out of the ocean.

The post Look Good While Doing Good: American Sailing Partners with 4Ocean to Combat Plastic Pollution appeared first on American Sailing .

How to Manage Trash Aboard

Zeke Quezada, ASA — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 16:27:56 +0000

We at Sailors for the Sea get asked a lot about how to deal with trash, and what’s “ok” to throw overboard. And the simple answer is, in a perfect world… nothing. That banana peel, glass jar, or soda can take a lot longer to biodegrade in the marine environment than you might think.

The post How to Manage Trash Aboard appeared first on American Sailing .

The Ocean Race Sails Into Newport with a Warning About the Health of the Seas

American Sailing — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 22:51:23 +0000

The Ocean Race stopped over in Newport, Rhode Island in mid-May 2023 with a message about the health of the seas and an exciting outlook toward the future of sailing. Sail Newport raised $2M in sponsorships to bring the race to the area with a focus on sharing the sport and raising environmental awareness.

The post The Ocean Race Sails Into Newport with a Warning About the Health of the Seas appeared first on American Sailing .

Earth Day 2023: American Sailing Launches Sustainable Membership Cards

Zeke Quezada, ASA — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 14:21:00 +0000

As part of American Sailing’s ongoing commitment to our environment through the Plastic Pollution Purge Initiative, beginning this Earth Day, we are no longer issuing plastic membership cards. We are releasing newly designed, sustainable, print-at-home membership cards to reduce our use of plastic and so that our members and instructors can still enjoy the benefits of carrying a physical card when needed. If you are a member, you can simply download and print your membership card on-demand from our Member Portal. Your membership card is also available to store in your smartphone wallet if you prefer a strictly digital experience. ...

The post Earth Day 2023: American Sailing Launches Sustainable Membership Cards appeared first on American Sailing .

Can Overboard! 🔉

American Sailing — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 14:27:00 +0000

Scenario: You crack open a cold one after a long day of sailing. Your buddy Jim finishes his first beer (rather quickly) and tosses the can overboard. When prodded about the environment, he confidently responds, “It’s just metal- it will break down naturally.” A debate starts, and you want it to stop so you can enjoy the sunset and your beverage in peace. Does Jim have a point? A Brief Beer History Lesson Back in the 1930s when designers were tinkering with how to can beer, they kept encountering a problem: the beer reacted quickly with metal, causing an unpleasant ...

The post Can Overboard! 🔉 appeared first on American Sailing .

Plastic-Free Provisioning

American Sailing — Fri, 02 Sep 2022 14:00:00 +0000

Over the years American Sailing has promoted our Plastic Pollution Purge campaign. We have asked our fellow sailors to “bring back more plastic than you take to your boat”, and to have fun practicing your crew overboard drills as you recover trash on the water. But to break the vicious cycle of plastic pollution in the water we must prevent it from getting to the ocean in the first place. Most of the plastic waste we create in our day-to-day lives comes from the way we eat and drink. Since we usually do this 3 times daily, it’s a great ...

The post Plastic-Free Provisioning appeared first on American Sailing .

World Ocean Day: Ocean Facts You Need to Know

Zeke Quezada, ASA — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 17:23:29 +0000

We all know that most of our planet is covered by an ocean. Often referred to as the world ocean this massive body of water covers upwards of 70% of the surface of the earth. While most of us have that fact in our arsenal of tidbits to talk about at dinner parties the ocean is a much more fascinating place. On World Ocean Day, June 8th, we share a few more interesting and significant facts about the ocean that we as sailors love to enjoy and are responsible for. After all, if the ocean does not have allies ...

The post World Ocean Day: Ocean Facts You Need to Know appeared first on American Sailing .

Social Media and the World Ocean

Zeke Quezada, ASA — Fri, 06 May 2022 18:19:00 +0000

Social Media and the World Ocean

The post Social Media and the World Ocean appeared first on American Sailing .

8 Ways To Foster Environmental Awareness

Zeke Quezada, ASA — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 16:42:00 +0000

When we step on a sailboat we often overlook that the bodies of water that we use to enjoy our sailing lifestyle are vital. The health of our oceans and lakes can seem like an afterthought when we glide across the surface and rarely think about what lies beneath. The truth is that all of us who embrace sailing as part of our identity have a responsibility to do our part to ensure that these vast bodies of water are healthy for generations to come. We all encounter plastic pollution regularly, and some personal involvement in conservation, awareness, and environmental ...

The post 8 Ways To Foster Environmental Awareness appeared first on American Sailing .