Go Green! Reducing Plastic at Sea

If you choose to book a sailing holiday, then you already appreciate nature which means you also understand the importance of taking care of our surroundings and responsibility for our consumption to ensure that generations after us get to enjoy nature as we do.

There are a number of ways you can go green and reduce your consumption, waste and plastic usage at sea. Here are a few tips that we have learned over the years:

1. Reusable bags

No doubt you will go shopping daily for provisions, so having a collection of reusable bags is one of the easiest ways to reduce plastic usage aboard. At bakeries, markets and stores, almost everyone will try to give you a plastic bag with your goods – a simple “no thanks” and providing your own bag will do the trick and it also helps spread the message of reducing plastic.

2. Natural cleaning and bathing products

There are now far more natural products available on the market, either pack your own or find the local bio shop in the region. Shampoo bars and bars of soap immediately cut out plastic packaging. In fact, many destinations have natural handmade soaps, so, support the local economy and buy where you are – and soaps made from the likes of olive oil are great for your skin too!

Natural cleaning products are easier to find these days, though many still come in plastic packaging; a brilliant alternative is using white vinegar with baking soda as a cleaning agent. Pro tip: for a better smell, soak citrus peels in the vinegar before use.

3. Tupperware and packaging

You probably don’t want to overdo the packing but a few Tupperware containers (versus clingfilm) are great as a means of storage in the fridge to keep food fresh or store leftovers; they also keep food safer from spillages – making your life easier. Beeswax wraps or natural scrubs (for washing dishes) can’t be found everywhere but again, these are light, so you may consider packing them to bring aboard.

4. Wooden Pegs

At sea, pegging wet clothes and towels outside is standard practice, a simple way to reduce the chance of plastic pegs accidentally winding up in the sea (which is a high possibility) is to buy wooden pegs/clips instead; this way, if you lose them, at least they are biodegradable.

5. Water and straws

Buy large bottles of water as opposed to packs upon packs of small 500 ml bottles of water to reduce your plastic consumption. Straws – this was a trick, you don’t need straws but if you really want to have straws, buy paper straws so flyaway plastic straws don’t end up in the sea and harm marine life.

6. Recycle

Even though free space on a boat is a commodity, find a solution to separate your waste and dispose in recycling bins at every opportunity. Not all locations have every bin but general waste, plastic and glass can be expected in most locations and here is a ‘quiet’ tip, combine tin with your plastic because plastic waste is separated on site, so they will put tin aside.

Food scraps can go directly to the sea when you are sailing – the principal ‘take from the sea, give back to the sea’. This way, bio waste doesn’t end up in landfills which is some of the most toxic waste.

7. Reduce and Reuse

It should go without saying but reduce your consumption and waste wherever possible. In regards to food, there are typically small markets in every destination, so don’t over-provision at the beginning of your trip and end up with a lot of food waste. Rather, buy as you go and plan your meals to be able to use leftovers from the day before; i.e. leftover stir fry one day, could be added to a pasta dish the next.

8. Pick it up

If you see it, pick it up. Plastic pollution in our waterways is a major issue worldwide harming the environment and marine life. Plastic can be taken by currents and wash up in small bays and remote locations; so, make a habit of cleaning whatever you see, whenever you can, even if it isn’t yours. We should all have a philosophy of leaving a place better than we found it and everyone should take responsibility for the world we live in.

In general, do your part to reduce, reuse and recycle. Everything we do makes a difference to the larger picture, so let’s all do our part to protect the environment and sea for future generations to enjoy.

Live. Love. Sail.