EYC Foundation Sponsorship 2015 Leukemia Cup Regatta and Rock the Dock Party Recap

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1 Green Gree Annapolis R EYC Foundation Sponsorship 2015 Leukemia Cup Regatta and Rock the Dock Party Recap Some 103 boats participated in the regatta and approximately 300 people attended the Rock the Dock after-race party at Eastport Yacht Club. Annapolis Green was asked to help Leukemia Cup organizers and the EYC Green Team achieve Gold Level clean regatta certification from Sailors for the Sea by providing participants recycling and composting opportunities and public engagement services about the effort. We provided eight Eco-Stations and four composting bins. According to the EYC Green Team, recycling rates for both the regatta and party were an astounding 80 percent or more! In fact, at the close of the party, none of the trash receptacles was more than half full and the recycling receptacles were completely full. Once the recycling was collected, the recycling dumpster at EYC was totally full to overflowing. The Veteran Compost toters were widely used as well with over 240 pounds of food waste kept out of the landfill. Within two months it will become beautiful soil amendment for local gardens! Full to the brim recycling dumpster Compost bin and Eco- station at party 1

2 Annapolis Green prepared stickers for all three types of bins: Eco- Station corral sticker recycling bin sticker trash bin sticker compost bin sticker 2

3 In addition, Annapolis Green prepared an informational postcard that was put into the skippers bags and handed out at the event. informational postcard Annapolis Green prepared a banner for the event as well. It was hung from the top deck railing during the event. 3

4 8x2 banner Annapolis Green helped the Green Team staff the Green Table during the Rock the Dock party. Participants stopped by to learn more about the Clean Regatta efforts. The booth included: Displays explaining EYC s general Green practices Examples of green boating products that skippers were encouraged to use to keep the regatta green Information on Sailors for the Sea s educational program, Kids Environmental Lesson Plans (KELP) Information on sustainable seafood choices from the Monterey Aquarium Annapolis Green provided text and graphics for the regatta and EYC websites along with suggested graphics and text for press releases and social media. Annapolis Green promoted the Green aspect of the event in the following ways: Mention in the Annapolis Green e- newsletter, The Line, reaching a mailing list of over 3,300 Tweets to over 1500 followers before, during and after the event Facebook postings to Annapolis Green Facebook Group with over 900 members 4

5 Story in Annapolis Green website, annapolisgreen.com Mention during the WNAV Boat Show on May 27 Provision of a table to Leukemia Cup organizers at Green Drinks Annapolis on May 12 at the Chart House to inform environmental enthusiasts about the event. Some 200 people attended the event. Annapolis Green will promote Sailors for the Sea s Kids Environmental Lesson Plans (KELP) in the community, with educators and parents, including how to access this valuable resource for the next generation of ocean stewards. We will reach out to: The Annapolis Maritime Museum, the Sailing Hall of Fame, various summer camps, Annapolis Community Boating, various Riverkeeper and watershed organizations, Camp Letts, and local Green Schools. Due to time constraints, this could not be accomplished prior to the regatta. In an introduction to the regatta for children who were being taken out to see the race by the J/80 fleet, Commodore Scott Miller mentioned the importance of the Green aspect of the regatta. EYC is clearly taking ocean and Bay stewardship lessons to kids in word and deed. This regatta employed the Best Practices in bold green type below as outlined by Sailors for the Sea: 1. Assemble a Green Team - Having an effective Green Team should be the first thing you consider when hosting a Clean Regatta. 2. Good Waste Management - Well- labeled bins and volunteers to help point people in the right direction are paramount to an event having good waste management. 3. Water Bottle Reduction - On average, Americans throw away 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour and many of them end up in the landfill, or worse, your local waterway. 4. Water Refilling Stations - Water filtration systems are a great way to encourage participants to drink more water in a sustainable fashion. 5. Recycling - In the classic three R s, recycling comes third after reduce, and reuse. 5

6 6. Compost - When influential events implement and adopt greener practices such as composting, the benefits are threefold. 7. Paperless Regatta Management At your next regatta, consider reducing as much paper as you can by prioritizing paperless communications. 8. Responsible Dinnerware - While this option is a little bit more time intensive, providing reusable dinnerware at your regatta is ultimately the most environmentally friendly option you can provide your participants and attendees. 9. Regatta Awards - Regatta trophies can be very energy- intensive to create and often end up sitting on a dusty shelf somewhere. 10. Trash Free Regatta - Keep your site clean. 11. Eliminate Baggage - Since 2007, over 132 cities and counties in over 18 states have banned single- use plastic bags from stores across the United States. 12. Offer Local or Sustainable Seafood - Make sure that all seafood you offer is sustainably caught, that as much of your menu is as locally sourced as possible, and that vegetarian/gluten- free alternatives are available. 13. No Discharge - Research local pump- out boats and have them come to your regatta. 14. Oil Spill Prevention - Nearly 85 percent of the 29 million gallons of petroleum that enter North American ocean waters each year as a result of human activities comes from land- based runoff, polluted rivers, airplanes, small boats and jet skis. 15. Runoff Pollution Prevention - Water quality begins to diminish when more than 10 percent of the land adjacent to the ocean is covered with hard layers such as pavement or concrete. 16. Boat Maintenance Containment - Hull scrubbing can lead to the build up of toxic chemicals in your local waters as well as the potential introduction of invasive species. 17. Toxic Free Cleaning - As regatta organizer, you can request all participants limit their impact on local water quality by using water only washdowns ( WOW! ) at the end of racing. 18. Bottom Paint Education - Switching your copper- based bottom paint to a copper- free alternative applies to only some boats in some water- based events. 19. Responsible Signage - Long gone are the days where only cans and bottles can be recycled. 20. Energy Efficient Power Boats - Lightweight, fuel- efficient rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) use carbon fiber and weigh a third of the weight of a normal RIB and use only 20 percent of the fuel. 6

7 21. Sustainable Energy Sources - Fuel consumption in boats is much higher than in vehicles on land so switching to alternative fuels can have a huge impact on your carbon footprint. 22. Carbon Offsets - Beginning the journey to becoming carbon neutral requires an energy audit. 23. Promote Alternative Transportation - Most of a regatta s carbon footprint is caused by the travel associated with getting to and from the event. 24. Collect Sustainability Metrics - One thing you can do at your event is collect data on how much of an impact you re having on your local waterways. 25. Public Engagement - Educate your participants on threats and issues facing the ocean by creating a Clean Regattas subpage on your website or hosting an environmental booth at your regatta that informs people on a particular topic. 7