News Release
Once again university sailing clubs up and down the country are being urged to take action and make their sailing more environmentally sustainable in the hope of being crowned winners of The Green Blue’s University Sailing Sustainability Challenge.
Now in its fifth year the challenge gets underway on 01 September 2019 and runs until February 2020, with the winners being announced at a prize giving ceremony held at the RYA Dinghy Show in London in March 2020.
“When we launched the challenge in 2015 we were absolutely delighted with the response we received from Universities across the country”, commented Kate Fortnam, The Green Blue Campaign Manager. “With sustainability and environmental issues such hot topics at the moment we’re hoping that even more universities will get involved with this year.”
Supported by British Universities Sailing Association (BUSA), the challenge involves University Sailing Clubs working closely with their sailing venues to achieve sustainable actions throughout the academic year. From ensuring sailing venues have a spill kit available to clean up any accidental oil and fuel spills, to using re-usable sports bottles during training sessions and events to reduce waste and single use plastic.
“The format to the competition has changed slightly this year”, explained Kate. “In year one, clubs new to the challenge work towards the Bronze Award, with a set criteria of sustainable actions to be undertaken and evidenced through photographs, social media posts or documentation. In the second year of competition the clubs work towards the Silver Award and the Gold Award in the third year, with additional criteria being set for each level of award.”
Each club appoints a Sustainability Officer who acts as The Green Blue’s main point of contact throughout the challenge and is the key driver in leading their club to success.
“Last year we had students studying a variety of disciplines including engineering, law, geography, science and marine related degrees keen to take up the position due to their passion for protecting their sailing environment, build on their skills and knowledge and add their involvement with The Green Blue, a national sustainable boating programme, to their CV”, commented Kate.
By undertaking these positive sustainable actions clubs will have the opportunity to demonstrate to the rest of the boating community how achievable and rewarding sustainable boating can be.
Last year’s challenge was won by Newcastle University Sailing and Yachting Club.
Swansea University Sailing Club clinched second place and in joint 3rd place were Dundee University Sailing Club, the University of Sussex Sailing Club and the University of East Anglia Sailing Club.
For more information or if you and your university sailing club want to be involved in the 2019-20 challenge, contact info@thegreenblue.org.uk or call 023 8060 4227. You will then be provided with details of the criteria requirements for your relevant award.
Cheer on the University Sailing Clubs through the 2019-20 sustainability challenge by following @thegreenblue on Twitter and Facebook.
The Green Blue is the joint environment initiative created by British Marine and the Royal Yachting Association to encourage a more sustainable recreational boating sector.
To find out more about The Green Blue visit www.thegreenblue.org.uk
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For more information contact:
Emma Slater
RYA Press Office
Tel: 02380 604 215
Email: emma.slater@rya.org.uk
Notes to Editors:
About The Green Blue
- The Green Blue is the joint environment programme created by British Marine and the Royal Yachting Association (RYA). It was set up to encourage everyone who enjoys getting out on the water or whose livelihood depends on it, to do so as sustainably as possible. Its main purpose is to enable the UK recreational boating sector to decrease its impact on the environment by:
- Raising awareness amongst industry and users;
- Reducing harmful discharges;
- Reducing environmental disturbance; and
- Encouraging sustainable choices.
- Core funding for The Green Blue is provided by British Marine and RYA. The Green Blue is also supported with funding from The Crown Estate’s Marine Stewardship Programme and the Environment Agency. thegreenblue.org.uk
About the RYA
- The RYA is the national body for dinghy, yacht and motor cruising, all forms of sail racing, RIBs and sportsboats, windsurfing and personal watercraft and a leading representative for inland waterways cruising.
- The RYA is recognised by Government, the media and opinion formers as the representative body and voice for the activities that it represents. It continually fights for the rights and freedoms of its 112,000 personal members.
- The RYA has more than 1,500 affiliated clubs and classes, which represent some 350,000 boaters throughout the UK. It is estimated that 4 million people in the UK take part in boating activity annually.
- The RYA also sets and maintains recognised standards for training for both leisure and commercial boating through a network of more than 2,400 RYA Recognised Training Centres across 58 countries. More than 250,000 people per year complete RYA training courses.
- The RYA is responsible for one of the UK’s most successful Olympic medal winning sports. Our coaching and development schemes actively support 800 of our country’s top sailors, from talented juniors to Olympic and World champions.
- The RYA is committed to promoting all forms of boating and making them accessible to everyone. For more information please visit rya.org.uk.
About British Marine
- British Marine is the trade body for the UK marine industry and represents the industry both domestically and abroad. It has over 1,500 members, many of which are small businesses and works to promote boating and the boating industry to the public, government and other stakeholders. britishmarine.co.uk
