PRESS UPDATE: February 22, 2012
BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival - 26 March to 1 April 2012
Going Green and for Gold!
BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival, known for its innovation on and off the
race course, was the first regatta in the world to be recognized by Sailors of
the Sea Clean Regatta Program with a Silver Certificate for its commitment to improving
the oceans' environment. This year the event organisers are going for the Gold certificate.
Taking another giant leap forward in its conservation efforts they will be awarding
prizes made from recycled glass from the 2011 event.
Boats from throughout the world flock to the British Virgin Islands (BVI) to sail
in one of the Caribbean's premier events which runs from March 26 - April 1. This
year, winners could walk away with a prize that speaks not only to their sailing
prowess but also to preserving the BVIs finite natural resources.
Judy Petz, Director of the BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival, is especially
proud: "This year the awards being given to the winners of first, second and third
places have a special meaning to the regatta. The drink you were holding last year
may be the award you hold this year. They are not only made from recycled glass
from the past Spring Regattas, but they are also original creations made here in
the British Virgin Island."
For the last three years the BVI Spring Regatta has participated in Sailors for
the Sea's Clean Regatta program. To achieve the Silver certification, sponsors the
BVI Marine Association provided refillable water bottles and Clearwater - a purification
system for pure water - gave free refills to all participants. SOL joined in and
included environmentally friendly cleaning products in all skippers bags. Additionally,
organisers have collected over 15,000 bottles each year. This year, those bottles
are being crushed and recycled to make the 2012 awards by The Glass Studio Project,
one of the Green VI initiatives.
The Glass Studio Project has been developed as a way to create awareness of the
need to recycle. Charlotte McDevitt, Green VI's Executive Director readily admits
that this is not a way to manage glass waste on the Island: "This is just a demonstration
project of how waste can become a resource if you see it differently. It's a nice
project to have, it creates jobs and there are skills transfer to other industries,
but it is not a waste management solution. It's an artistic educational demonstration."
Beautiful recycled awards for winners of the 2012 BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing
Festival made by The Glass Studio Project
Only eight months old, The Glass Studio Project is not yet self-sufficient. Once
it can turn a profit, the proceeds will go towards the non-profit organisation,
Green VI for other environmental projects.
To go for the Gold certification this year the organisers are asking for more from
sponsors and all those racing and attending. Sol is providing spill kits for each
of the race committee boats and food vendors will be asked to use only biodegradable
containers.Green Technology, another local BVI company, will be donating all the
wine glasses and Mount Gay's reusable cups will be used for all other drinks. Heineken
has also agreed to match funds collect to off set our carbon foot print. Those funds
will go to BVI recycling programs. There are more Clean Regatta ideas in planning
stages.
The BVI Spring Regatta, Green VI, regatta sponsors and Sailors for the Seas are
working together to create environmental awareness in the British Virgin Islands
and the sailing community. Through this partnership, we all benefit.
For more information about the BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival go to: http://www.bvispringregatta.org/bvi/
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