Earth Day Reminds Us Why Sailors Will Save the Planet

Who’s on board for Earth Day? Yesterday could not have been more beautiful on San Francisco Bay. Though we spent most of the day on boat projects, we were there to see the well over 200 Opti sailors from all over the country heading out from San Francisco Yacht Club to race the Optimist Team Trials on the Berkeley Circle. It reminded us that Earth Day is for the next generation.

This was a huge race weekend for these kids, who have spent years learning to sail and race to qualify for the team trials. While the focus here was competition, it could be easy to miss the years they’ve already spent so close to wind and water. It’s something that brings all sailors together.

Youth sailing programs today teach far more than tactics and race rules. Today, teaching sailing combines learning to sail with learning to love and protect your planet.

The evolving message is everywhere. The recent Summer Sailstice newsletter highlighted Sailors for the Sea, which was founded in 2004 to unite sailors worldwide to take on the task of creating a sustainable future for the next generation. It’s daunting, but signs of shifting trends are everywhere. We are amazed at how many initiatives, started by individuals and organizations, are underway. We see more sailors sailing with electric auxiliaries, more solar power, paper straws at yacht clubs, balloons banned from more events. Mary Crowley and the Ocean Voyages Institute are hauling tons of plastic out of the oceans; 11th Hour Racing is sponsoring sailing impact assessments. And the list goes on. From new legislation to transition to a carbon-free economy to straws at the yacht club to kids learning through the Sailors for the Sea Kelp project, society is slowly getting the message. Will it be enough?

Whether all the technology and societal shifts will be enough to avoid the possible climate-change disasters remains uncertain. We worry as we see many events, programs, and projects that appear to be of questionable value or are outright greenwashing.

It’s easy to point the finger at all the gross violations perpetrated on the planet by individuals and companies, but on today’s Earth Day we’re going to remember why we care and the things we can do ourselves, and focus on the positive trends we see happening all around. Humans are imperfect and so is everything they do, but the momentum shift in human behavior and technical advancements is encouraging.

Through all this change we see sailors as the people mostly likely to understand the why and how. They’re always trying to figure out how to align with nature to move through the world. Good sailors know you don’t fight Mother Nature, you respect, adapt and align. Sailors also learn how to live simply since their energy, water, fuel and other resources are often limited. They are some of the most creative people on Earth. They learn to conserve and know the waters through which they sail so they know where the trash goes.

The next generation is growing up differently and looking for the support of current generations to ensure a livable future on Earth. If you were out sailing on the Bay on Sunday you know why it’s worth it. For adults and kids it was a reminder why we all need to be on board for Earth Day today and for 365 days of the year.