Why Sailing Isn't As Green As We Think

Having safe, reliable sailing equipment is essential, but making informed decisions about the environmental impact of our choices is vital, says Dee Caffari

- Dee Caffari

The water sports industry and more specifically, recreational yachting is on the verge of risking its reputation. Both as a sport and the pastime of cruising we talk of it being environmentally friendly, harnessing the power of nature. Comparing sailing to racing cars, off-road motocross and flying, we have been looking rather good. But we can no longer ‘greenwash’ the marine industry. It must step up and take responsibility for what it produces, how it uses materials and markets its products and sport. As consumers, we need to be aware of the lifecycle of the products we use to make informed, responsible decisions about what we buy and how we dispose of old products.

If we do not tackle the problem of our dated, linear approach within the industry, we will soon see yachting become a notorious pollution-generating sport. The traditional linear economy, which has a ‘take, make, dispose’ model of production, needs to change. Circularity is an economic system aimed at eliminating waste and the continual use of resources. Circular systems employ reuse, sharing, repair, refurbishment, remanufacturing and recycling to create a closed-loop system, minimising the use of resources and the creation of waste, pollution, and carbon emissions. The circular economy also aims to keep products, equipment, and infrastructure in use for longer, thus improving the productivity of these resources.