Will the BP Oil Disaster be our last?

I’ve been keeping my head buried in the sand lately over the oil spill disaster. Every time I peek out, my heart feels like it might break and I stick my head back into its hidey hole again. Last night, right before falling asleep I heard on the news that operation Top Kill was a failure, that a solution would not be arriving until August. August?? What about the millions of gallons of oil filling our oceans a day? How can you remediate the loss of life in an entire gulf, about to spread to oceans? How is money or beach clean-up equal to the destruction of millions of fish, mammals, birds, ecosystems, communities and job loss? Where are the billions of BP profit from last quarter to aid in prevention or in “what if” protocols? I can’t be the only person wanting these concerns addressed.
The plethora of news articles skirt these hard questions and downplay the daily and long term destruction of marine life. Do we really need a report 6 months from now to tell us that billions of gallons of oil will/did have devastating effects at all depths of the ocean and all ocean life and coastal communities? Perhaps they (oil companies, government, news) think we don’t care? Or that we couldn’t possibly understand? Or that this is old news because it didn’t happen last hour. How about, “Last hour 2,000,000 fish and sea birds died along with pristine coral reefs and fishing habitat, stay tuned for next hour’s update!” or “It’s a sad day for the world and is inhabitants as the oil to water ratio has exceeded viability for life and is continuing to pollute our fresh waterways. No seafood tonight or ever again.”
Why have the Coast Guard or NOAA or some other government agency not been involved in initial oil dispersement remedies that BP employed? This “remedy” only served to increase the devastation by adding toxic chemicals that break down the oil into smaller particles easier to digest by wildlife? How was that allowed to happen? Aren’t there rules for safeguarding our wildlife? For drilling oil? Why do we have these government agencies if not for this very situation? Oh, that’s right, we DON’T HAVE a national or international agency to protect or oversee the protection of our ocean and marine life. Only the Marine Protection Agency (MPA.gov) that aims to protect an extremely small percentage of US coastal habitats. Do marine life know to stay within the boundaries of these protected zones? Over 50 MPA’s (http://mpa.gov/pdf/helpful-resources/horizon_spill_mpas_5.4.2010.pdf) are within proximity of the BP oil spill. A better question: why was an oil drilling platform allowed within close proximity to over 50 protected zones? That’s protection for you. Have you heard from the MPA in all the press? Have they stood up for the wildlife? We have more regulations for shipping rights of way, collision avoidance laws than we have protection for ocean waters and inhabitants. Why do You think this is being hushed? If this was war time, this amount of loss of human life would result in revolt, or uprising or likened to a genocide!
This is a global crisis that threatens the entire ocean system, fresh water too and all coastlines and ocean species. Why aren’t Universities, ThinkTanks and oil drilling teams around the world working on this with utmost urgency? Why is President Obama telling us everything is being handled without giving details of how?
How is it that BP is still being allowed to handle this crisis? They fucked up and we as a planet must stand up and say, “No.” No more hiding, no more excuses, no more waiting for months for a possible solution, no more putting our planet and all its inhabits at risk to drill for oil, no more oil, no more wait till it breaks policies then hush it up, no more hiding from the true cost of having combustable engines.
Let’s come together people. If we are the sentient beings then why do we keep killing every living thing in the name of progress and profit? Let’s smarten up and use our brains and compassion and creativity to create systems that work for all life on the planet. Let this crisis be the straw. Do something!

Green sailing in the British Virgin Islands?

More a bruised color like those covering my body from sailing the late Christmas winds. Maybe its the crystal clear waters that allow for the transparency of conservation issues to be seen so easily, or that my attention was focused on something other than where my next rum drink was coming from; a past-time tourists invoke with alarming frequency in the BVI’s.

In all it was a great vacation and the sailing was glorious! The scenery was beautiful and the first time we jumped in the water, donned our masks and fins and floated away to do some reef watching, voyeurism quickly turned paradise into a heart sinking sadness; the reef was severely damaged. Our first snorkeling experience saw broken coral, few fish and a white, deathly pallor over the sea floor.

I sat on the stern of our sailboat and considered all the reasons for this devastation: anchor chains, snorkelers stepping on coral, oil from boat engines, waste going directly into the ocean and realized yet again that my own presence added to the destruction of an amazing eco system. I was not given a choice when chartering to use a holding tank as no pump out facilities exist. Even though we limit our engine usage, a diesel engine is required to set an anchor using a windlass and to charge batteries, and the heat from the raw water system pumps hot water directly into the reefs vicinity. Even though we made sure that all grey water coming from our boat would not contain sulfates or other chemicals and our bathing products were organic I felt personally liable for the severity of the problem.

Perhaps this was an isolated incident and other reefs were not so affected, I thought, and so we continued on with our sailing. Other sailors seemed satisfied with their snorkeling experience and I wondered if they new the difference. Had they seen a healthy reef before? Guilt began to settle over me, as we sailed what looked like pristine waters and I considered the irony of how the act of enjoying and loving your environment can destroy it.

Unfortunately the next stop showed the same depressing results; the reef was dying. The pilot book stated this particular area had some of the best snorkeling in the BVI’s! How was it possible that between publishing the book and now, a mere 2 years later, the reef could be so damaged? Was I missing something?

So I began talking to locals, Brits and West Indians about the local political situation (corrupt), the waste facility (that empties raw sewage into the ocean on Tortola), and lack of guardianship for the natural resources that sustain the local economy thru tourism. Lets not forget the incinerator that burned all the garbage and spewed acrid smoke the length of the island (no recycling here). There were changes in the air, a proposal for a new waste treatment plant, a company interested in creating a mobile pump-out station and a trickle of “green” ideas not yet in fruition.

To be fair, these issues are not endemic to the BVI’s. All countries wether tropical islands or not have to contend with issues of waste, garbage, preserving natural resources and education of inhabitants. It’s just easy to see the direct correlation in a small island country. My partner read just last night in Oceans that Bluefin tuna “are anticipated to be gone by 2012.” Two short years from now. That blew my mind. How quickly we can damage and kill is astounding, but the good news and one of the things I remember most about our vacation is the stunning clarity of the water and the beautiful fish and corals that are still holding on. With a little searching we did find some beautiful reefs, a field of purple fan coral, gigantic red sea slugs, 6 foot rays, a variety of reef fish and a few turtles too.

How lucky we are to view for a moment the beauty of our natural world. The aqua blue waters that we so love to sail are worth fighting for and I hope to continue to learn - even if those lessons are hard ones - how to take more responsibility for my contribution to the decline of ecosystems and species wether living on land or boat. My understanding of what harms an ocean ecosystem and the challenges that must be overcome to save our seas was especially difficult to process on a vacation.

Back home I find myself taking a deep breath knowing that I cannot turn my back on this issue: I care too much. Like the night we realized that our sandy anchoring spot was surrounded by coral heads when the wind shifted 180 degrees. We were suddenly putting the coral ecosystems at risk, so even though it was dusk, we pulled anchor and went across the channel to a mooring buoy, a safe spot for our boat and our peace of mind.

Sailing in the BVI’s - creating a green holiday

In preparing for an upcoming sailing trip to the BVI’s this spring (which I daydream most everyday), I mentally pack my backpack with all my sailing gear, bathing suits and snorkel gear. Really what else do you need? I visit my favorite forums detailing the minutia of traveling to and sailing in the beautiful waters of the British Virgin Islands. There is an amazing amount of advice on all things travel in these forums, but since my focus is creating a green sailing holiday I peruse forums with this intent. Although I am staying at eco-friendly lodging while traveling and paying for flight offsets, I am surprised to find no-one addressing healthy body care products.

At home I refrain from chemicals and fragrances in any cleaning and body care products. It’s a little more difficult when we travel because often what is available is unknown until we arrive. I know where to buy organic and natural products in my home town but carrying 3oz of shampoo for two weeks is woefully inadequate for my long locks and so I must consider checking in at least one bag to bring my own products. It would be easy to keep it simple and buy what is in stores in Tortola and support the local economy.

I might consider buying local traditional products but for the reef systems that I will be snorkeling in while covered in sunscreen, and the showers on deck every 3 days or so. The average shampoos, soap, sunscreen and moisturizer contain sulfates that damage the reef systems that I consider one of the most beautiful living things in the world. Most body care products also contain non-biodegradable ingredients that enter the water, the fish and plants and eventually my body. I don’t really want to eat chemical laden shampoo with my seafood.

So, walking the talk means buying reef friendly, organic sunscreens. Bringing organic soaps and lotions and paying the price at the baggage counter to have a green holiday seems the only choice. Enjoying our natural world inspires me to take responsibility for its health and longevity even at the expense of connivence and my pocketbook. It’s a new way to think. Not just the initial expense of a holiday, but the price to make it green. It’s just another way of loving the ocean.

I’ve created a section on my site GoGreenSailor.com with detailed information about healthy body care products.

Should I install a composting toilet on my sailboat?

Lately, I’ve had an opportunity to talk to a few sailors about changing out conventional heads for a composting toilet. There are many factors to consider when making this choice; the cost, the labor to install and the mystery that surrounds composting to unveil. If those factors are addressed then composting toilets are an excellent decision that in the long run can dramatically reduce polluting our waters, accidental spills, expense of maintenance and the horror of having to maintain the conventional marine toilet.

Additional benefits include reduction of water use, end product recycled and maintenance costs all but eliminated. No Y valve, no black water entering our waters, no macerators, no hoses to burst and replace, no thru-hulls, plus, you get to use the space from the holding tank for another purpose.

The costs runs under $900 retail. This does not include the vent or piping to the vent. Not so bad when you consider many traditional heads cost this much when you add in the tank and hoses. Now the install is not nearly as complicated as a traditional head, however first you need to get that traditional head out, along with it’s tank and hoses and messiness.
The composting process is simple. Marine varieties of composting toilets work a little differently than land based models and there are only a few varieties of composting heads available for marine environments. I’ll speak to the Nature’s Head Marine models which are self-contained and need minimal electricity and a small vent. No water except for a spray down of the bowl! There is a door for #1 and a door for #2 in the bowl. It works out, believe me. The urine goes into a small tank that is removable and can be dumped in land based toilet or overboard and the feces go into a composting bin that along with some composting material such as coconut fiber or peat moss and a fan breaks down the matter into a benign dark matter called humus. Not stuff you’d want to add to your tomato garden but it can be added to the garbage, or allowed to compost further and dispose anywhere. The time between emptying depends upon the number of people using the marine toilet; 15 days on average. Which is darn good!

The draw backs are few. The composting toilet needs a vent, so a hole for the vent must be made thru the deck. The electrical needs are about 1 amp per hour for 6 hours a day to run the fan the size of a computer fan. The worst part is removal of the old system. On my next boat, I’ll be paying someone to do that job and worry about the installation myself.
If you add up the benefits of the composting toilet; reduction of water usage, minimal maintenance costs and hardly any probability of a break down, installing a composting toilet on a boat balances out the work necessary to rid yourself of the conventional system.

The larger picture of initial costs and installation of a composting toilet versus the maintenance costs and annoyance factor of conventional marine toilets creates a clear winner. You won’t have to worry about showing your crew how to use your head and crossing your fingers that you are not woken up in middle of the night with a clogged toilet. Composting toilets are a great alternative to conventional marine heads due to their simplicity not only their environmental friendliness.

Here’s a link to a good summary of an install on a sailboat.
http://sailboatfamily.blogspot.com/2010/01/composting-marine-toilet-conversion.html

New Year Procrastination

In putting off making a formal (read: or any) new year’s goals, I’ve had additional time to consider the wisdom of my choices. The question I have posed to myself is, “What in my life can I make more sustainable?”

Over the last two weeks my partner Shay has countless time said, “This is made in China!” Well, it’s been brought to my attention that most of my holiday gifts and recent purchases have indeed been made in China. This is disturbing on many levels. Thus I have been considering this new (for me) realization of where most of my belonging were born.

First off, its not made in America. I’m not a nationalist, (but I live here and am part of the economy) but it does smack to realize how many jobs are lost to China ( and India, and Japan...). From a sustainable point of view this means the goods are shipped most likely across the ocean, then trucked to its final destination. This is not good if one likes to buy local to reduce environmental impact from CO2 emissions and oil and gas polluting one’s oceans. I’m realizing my hypocrisy just now as today I made a point to buy local, organic produce.

Then I consider the recent Copenhagen Climate Convention and the agreements with country leaders that were halted due to China’s unwillingness to implement strategies to reduce CO2 emissions. Well, of course they are not interested in changing the status quo. They have a good thing going with all us Americans buying goods made by their factories where they pay paltry wages and I’m sure have pressure from companies such as Walmart to produce goods for pennies so that American companies can make a killing at our expense.

After thinking this thru I realize that China does need to take responsibility for their countries pollution but admittedly we are part of the equation. I do make conscious choices where to buy my goods; I never enter a Walmart or Sam’s club, for instance. When I choose to buy goods make in China, I am hiding from the effects that my purchasing decision have on the country I live in, other countries environmental choices and the health of this planets ecosystems. Well, this is a depressing thought and no wonder I have put off making a New Year’s resolution.

So here it is: From now on I choose to get my head out of my ass and pay attention to where my purchases come from and how they arrived to my home/boat in order to better understand how I contribute to the world’s economy, CO2 emissions and the sustainability of the world.

I didn’t want to say, “I won’t buy anything from China.” I think that would be good, (maybe impossible) but I want to have a deeper understanding of the process that goes into creating goods that I purchase. I would hope that with this understanding I will automatically make the better choice. Albeit, sometimes the better choice is not to make a purchase.