Caribbean Green Initiative – Go Green – Sails Green – sailing is the definitive Green Experience. 

For the past 5 years the Caribbean sailing community and associated organizations are starting to implement sustainable environmental changes through the Green concept in order to preserve the Caribbean region.  This partnership involves many islands, most of the marine related businesses and the community as a whole. Although recycling isn’t well implemented in the islands, the marine community is doing its part.

This group of individuals, such as charter yacht captains, chefs, day sailing crews, marine managers, boat yard workers, boat cleaners, marina chandleries, island regatta coordinators, are utilizing practices that will optimistically preserve the rich environment of these islands. Green VI is a not-for-profit organization created in the British Virgin Islands to educate and demonstrate the principles and benefits of sustainable living.  Green VI opened a green glass studio on Cane Garden Bay; whereby glass from beer bottles is recycled. I visited Green VI and end up doing some great shopping.  They have a wonderful selection of gift items such as jewelry, glass vases, bowls and cups, all made with recycle glass. Check Green VI website.

Here in the British Virgin Islands, The BVI Spring Regatta Committee introduced the “Green Regatta” a few years ago and the reduction of waste, mostly plastic was dramatically noted. The Charter Yacht Society of the BVI went Green in 2009 with the introduction of free re-usable aluminum water bottles to encourage the crew and brokers to re-fill on board from the yacht’s water maker.

Charter sailing yachts and luxury catamarans have engines and generators to keep up the high demand of the charterer’s needs. However, their carbon footprints have been minimized by the installation of solar panels and wind generators in quite a few of these Caribbean charter yachts.

The BVI’s crewed charter yacht fleet is very active in transforming and getting involved in every way they can. The charter chef, Annie, aboard the sailing yacht Sandcastle is an active volunteer for Reef Check, an organization committed to the preservation of coral reefs worldwide. Captain Trish Bailey on the sailing yacht Serendipity is a long time pioneer in going green on charter yachts. Serendipity doesn’t only offer ‘Captain Only’ charters, Trish  teaches her guests a lot about the fragile underwater world and how to take care of it

The crew on catamaran Secret Oasis volunteers to clean up the BVI beaches in their spare time. They have been following the example of Pacific Gyre  for many years.

The family-friendly BVI catamaran Viking Dream uses biodegradable bottom paint and ‘green clean’ products throughout its charters.

Captain Jerry on the diving catamaran Braveheart has replaced all of his lighting with LEDs, a low consumption, long lasting light.

The BVI diving charter catamaran Aldebaran offers individual re-usable water bottles and makes its own water. This green conscious catamaran adopts biodegradable products and shops for organic foods when available.
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The crewed yacht Corus has adopted re-usable individual H2O bottles, wind scoops, biodegradable & earth friendly products, organic and local products when available. Corus crew is committed and involved with beach cleanups and reef check through the years.

The crew of the fun catamaran Dreaming On have added wind scoops for all hatches. They use personalized re-usable individual aluminum bottles, have installed solar panels and use earth friendly & biodegradable products. They also take part in reef cleanups.