Green Boating in BC
The BC Marine Trades Association is committed to environmental stewardship, as are it's members and BC boaters. There is a lot boaters can do to contribute to the preservation of BC's coastline.
- Manage waste and discharge responsibly
- Use environmentally-friendly products and services
- Support Clean Marine BC marinas
How to be a Green Boater
- Manage all sewage responsibly by using pump-out services where possible and/or dumping sewage in deep open water, away from anchorages, sensitive areas, shellfish beds and swimmers.
- Reduce greywater discharge (from sinks and showers).
- Take care when fuelling by using oil absorbent rags and other devices to make sure no fuel goes in the water.
- Use bilge filters or bilge pads to absorb oil and fuel so none gets pumped overboard accidentally.
- Maintain the boat using environmentally responsible products or alternatives.
- Use hard bottom paint (non-sloughing), or eco-friendly alternatives.
- Dispose of all wastes properly.
- Haul out at responsible boat yards with containment policies and equipment so sandings and scrapings don’t end up in the water.
- Support marinas with responsible environmental policies and practices.
- Help other boaters become more aware by being a role model and educating others on green practices.
Clean Marine BC
The Clean Marine BC program, run by the Georgia Strait Alliance, a non-profit environmental organization, is a program that encourages marinas to make their facilities as environmentally sustainable as possible. By joining the program, marinas commit to adopting environmentally sound management principles and operating practices such as eliminating the release of contaminants into the ocean, minimizing pollutants and adopting waste reduction and recycling strategies. By supporting these marinas and educating others on the program, you can also promote green boating in BC.
Video - Environmentally Responsible Boating
For more boating videos, visit the Discover Boating website.