Crown Estate extends deal to help yachting clubs and sailors go green

The organisation responsible for managing property owned by the crown, which includes most of the UK seabed and half the foreshore, is to continue paying an environmental agency to educate sailors in how to behave more sustainably.

The Crown Estate has provided the Royal Yachting Association and the British Marine Federation’s environmental awareness programme, the Green Blue, with a further three years’ worth of funding. This continues its support for the scheme since it was launched in 2005.

The Green Blue teaches yachting and boat clubs and marine businesses about how to preserve the marine environment and even save money through energy efficiency, recycling and water use.

It recently helped the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy and Sunsail achieve ISO 20121, a standard for sustainable event management.

“The project has been a fantastic success, winning our Marine Business Award in 2011, an award which recognises excellence in sustainability, innovation and business performance”, said the Crown Estate’s coastal manager Gary Thompson.

Speaking to Blue & Green Tomorrow, Thompson added, “We believe supporting our tenants in reducing their environmental impact, through initiative like the Green Blue, will enable them to create sustainable, successful businesses as well as helping to conserve and enhance some of the environments we manage.”

Meanwhile, the Green Blue’s project manager, Jane Swan, added, “We are delighted that the support from the Crown Estate is set to continue for another three years. It is vital that the development and use of the UK leisure marine sector is as sustainable as possible for today and for future generations.”

Further reading:

A loyal toast and humble suggestion: sustainable monarchy

Sustainable investment is about optimisation, not maximisation

Zac Goldsmith: the green hope in a sea of blue