This week I am attending the Docks and Marinas seminar in Madison, WI that is put on by the Department of Engineering at the Univeristy of Wisconsin. This is where the industry goes for professional development and they are devoting an entire morning to greener marinas. So, stay tuned. The next several posts will be chocked full of cutting edge info.
The new "specific purpose" microfibers are a no-brainer for non toxic boat cleaning. These are amazing products – and as green as you can get. They are permanently impregnated with non-toxic substances that do the specific job for which they were intended. And for a little more oompf – just add water.
West Marine and Boaters World carry a line of generic microfiber towels - and even Wal Mart sells them. But we really like the line put out by Casabella. The products are color coded so it is easy to recognize the one for the head, or for the electronics screens, or the table, or the galley counters, etc. and the colors are bright and fun - which makes the whole process much more pleasant.
Casabella also makes specialized mops and window cleaners that are just perfect for boats. There are also a couple of non-microfiber products that we really love because they are so well designed and boat perfect. The toilet bowl brush and holder is so slim that it fits in almost any head. the flexible dust pan and broom conform easily to the vagaries of the sole and tucks in to any available cranny. And the bright pink rubber gloves have a permanent place in the gallye (the old yellow ones have been relgated ot pump-out duty. Check out their line at http://www.casabella.com/
Another useful resource for similar products is StarFiber http://www.starfibers.com/
What is microfiber? According to Starfiber, the term “microfiber” is based on the size of a fiber measuring below 1.0 denier (the diameter or fineness of a continuous or filament fiber—the lower the number, the finer the fiber, which in turn is more effective for cleaning surfaces). Each strand of microfiber is comprised of two components--wedge-shaped polyester filaments and a core of nylon. Made of both oil-attracting and water-attracting polymers, these strands are woven into masses of tiny "hooks & loops”. The sharp edges of millions of these fibers cut through dried-in stains, attracting and absorbing dirt and micro-particles, eliminating the need for additional chemical cleansers. Most microfiber products are not treated with any chemicals. The capillary effect between the filaments and nylon core creates a high absorbency, which in turn, enables the fiber to clean and polish at the same time. Therefore, only water is needed as a detergent to clean any type of surface.
There are several approaches to eliminating oil discharges in bilge. OilSorbers and similar products have been on the market for a while and are effective - but the problem is what do you do with the oil soaked result. There is still a serious disposal issue.
Clean Water Solutions's Oil Eradicator line of oil eating microbes uses a bio-remediation technology to not only absorb all of the oil in the bilge - BUT turn it into safe carbon dioxide, water and fatty acids, that fish love. Clean water has completely eliminated the disposal issue.
CWS has a series of products - in all shapes and sizes – sardines, whale, barracuda - that are basically sized for the job (and priced accordingly). Plus there's a powder that can be sprinkled on surfaces or dropped into containeres. These naturally cultured Archaea microbes digest as much as 32 times their own weight in hydrocarbons — such as MTBE, oil, gasoline, diesel, nitrates, kerosene, marine deposits, animal feces, fish blood, and even odors — until they are gone. This product solves a very serious problem in the most positive way possible - it belongs on every boat.
To learn more, here is a link to their site: http://www.cleanwatersolutionsinc.com/
Most of us tend to eschew “boat water” in favor of those cumbersome gallon jugs of “spring” water. But, if we could develop “boat water” that is fresh, clean and palatable, we just might be able to eliminate those jugs and their companion cases of individual bottles– and all that plastic. In our experience, these four steps will create tank water that will be as good as what is in most of those jugs.
1. Keep the water tank clean. Flush it periodically with a non-toxic antibacterial, anti-fungal product (i.e. Puriclean) and add a non-toxic, biodegradable conditioner and purifier to each tank (Aqua-Clean). Consider adding a very small amount of lemon juice into the water tanks with each fill-up as well.
2. Put an outboard filtration on the water hose that manages the water going into your tanks. These can be purchased from chandlers (labeled “marine”) or put together easily and less expensively at Home Depot. Change the filters several times a season.
3. Put an inboard filtration system under the sink. These are relatively easy retrofits and have replaceable filters that can be changed easily and often.
4. Keep Brita pitchers of filtered water in the refrigerator or the cockpit cooler. Your “boat water” is now triple filtered and will usually pass the most discerning smell and taste test.
5. But if that isn’t enough, give everyone onboard a New Wave Enviro refillable water bottle with a built-in, replaceable filter. (And, when you’re ready to toss it, the bottle’s plastic is actually a corn-based polyactides that biodegrades in less than 80 days.)
5. Use rechargeable batteries when possible and keep a portable inverter and charging units on the boat to make them convenient. When using disposable batteries, keep an eraser handy to clean off the contacts – they will tend to last longer that way (also be sure to only use batteries in matched pairs for optimal efficiency.) And dispose of them properly.
6. Keep the use of paper products to a minimum. Label a set of various size “microfiber wipers” with their intended purpose - galley counters, cockpit, heads, sole, topsides, dinghy, etc. If you do use paper towels, buy the new “variable” sheet-size rolls, it is amazing how much that reduces usage. And if paper plates are required.
7. Have a large stash of dish towels in two colors – hang two from the oven door. One for hand-drying and one for dish drying. Change them every day.
8. Three to six paper napkin per day per crew member adds up to a lot of landfill and a lot of missing trees. Consider using no-iron, cloth napkins with a variety of fun, “individual” napkin rings. We are always on the look-out for boat napkin rings when we go ashore – they’re great souvenirs. Replace the napkins every couple of days – depending on how messy the meals are…. . Alternatively – or in addition – stock post-consumer, recycled paper ones.
9. And about those black plastic garbage bags – buy 100% biodegradable and compostable one. BioBags are one option. They’re good for about 12 days before the contents start to “compost” the bag…. (And they make dog pooper bags as well.) So maybe they are not such a good idea for a long cruise – but great when frequent landfalls are planned.
Managing trash on a boat – especially if you are on a longish cruise – is a major issue. Even if you are out for the weekend or the day, dragging a big black plastic bag of trash and garbage to the dumpster is never a good feeling. Here are a few thoughts for reducing the size of that bag. A lot of these ideas are ones that many of us use at home but when we get to the boat, all those good practices seem to be pushed aside.
1. Try to minimize individual drink bottles. There are pros and cons to plastic and glass, but they all take up space on the boat and, even if most are recycled, some still end up in the landfill. Fill one gallon jug with triple filtered boat water, add five teabags and lash it to the mast every morning for a constant supply of solar tea. Step it up by adding slices of fruit.
2. Assign every crew member a “water bottle” with his/her name on it. They can be used for all kinds of drinks – maybe even cocktails. They don’t spill, and don’t fill up the sink or the trash bin. The options include Lexan plastic bottles (i.e. Nalgene in the $10 range) or higher-end customizable SIGG (Swiss Engineered Water Bottles) for about $20 that offer 144 bottle designs with a choice of 22 lids – they have light-weight aluminum exteriors with a secret formula liner.
3. Label disposable drink glasses with each crew members’ name so they can be reused for a couple days before tossing. A fine point permanent marker works well.
4. -Keep reusable Shopping bags - string and canvas -- on the boat and tuck one in your pocket when heading ashore – or take a whole raft if it’s a big provisioning run. The smaller net bags work well for produce and several can be loaded into the larger cotton ones. You could even up the ante one more notch by looking for organic cotton bags. In any event, try not to bring paper bags or cardboard boxes onto the boat – they not only fill up the garbage bags but they also provide homes to a variety of small creatures.
For many women, boating is all about the head – and odors of any kind are simply not acceptable. And, it is not just sewage that causes odor; it’s also all those microorganisms that are arriving with the seawater and dying and decaying. To keep the tank and hoses disinfected and smelling fresh, consider multiple approaches.
1. Choose either a bio-active (i.e.K.O. Kills), nitrate (Nitrator) or enzyme (Headzyme) treatment – each has its pros and cons, but they all break down waste (those odor-producing anaerobic bacteria) with environmentally friendly processes. Chemical treatments, on the other hand, kill bacteria but don’t destroy odors – they just mask them with deodorants – and they aren’t particularly environmentally friendly.
2. Check the connections and the hoses periodically – they wear out, get porous and then leak. When it’s replacement time, look for smooth-walled, heavy-duty, odor-free hoses.
3. Consider adding an air-injection system, which helps the waste-consuming (aerobic) bacteria thrive - like Graco’s “Sweettank.”
4. Use “good ole” Stick-Ups in the head and near the “Y” valve. Lemon smells the freshest and balances any lingering odors. Or better, a couple drops of an antiseptic essential oil.
Educating your crew and guests about good head practices will also stave off embarrassingly unpleasant situations. After you’ve given a newbie guest the regular head tour, point to the little sign that you’ve posted. It clearly reminds them how the head works and explains exactly what goes in it and what doesn’t – and notes the location of discrete disposal bags for everything that doesn’t. What goes in should be limited to human waste and reasonably small amounts of biodegradable toilet paper.
Number one on every boater’s “green list” should be the proper disposal of human sewage. This single measure can make a noticeable difference in the coastal environment because untreated waste can have a three-fold impact: it can be visually distasteful, it presents a health hazard, and it creates nitrogen pollution which lowers oxygen levels necessary for aquatic life (eutrophication) and causes algal blooms.
Pumping untreated “black water” overboard is also illegal. The Federal Clean Vessel Act Grant Program prohibits boaters from discharging raw, untreated sewage – which is what spews out of most sailboat holding tanks -- within all navigable US waters. That means anywhere within three miles of either US ocean. In very fragile and sensitive regions, specific “No Discharge Zones” have been designated where it is now illegal to dump even treated sewage (see discussion of NDZs).
Just the concept of a holding tank is unpleasant - there‘s no way around it. So keeping the tanks clean and working right is a priority because, as many of us have discovered, no one wants the job of fixing them – for any amount of money! At every pump-out, purge the tank by pumping the head handle(s) about 50-60 times each sending many more gallons of fresh sea water into the tank. And then pump out again – until the outflow is absolutely clear.
An additional step, cribbed from R-V users, suggests mixing water softener and a non-toxic biodegradable detergent into a jug of water, then pumping it into the cleaned out tank. The motion of the boat will slosh this mixture throughout the tank keeping the interior slick so the gunk won’t stick- and it will continue to act on the new black water until the next pump-out. (Note: Don’t combine this recipe with one of the tank treatments described below unless you understand the chemistry of each.) Also, consider a tank monitor – to prevent overfilling.
An outgrowth of the Clean Marina program has been the National Clean Boaters Campaign. Founded by the Marine Environmental Education Foundation, it has been getting traction in Florida with 3,500 participants, but seems to be stalled on its trek northward. California also has an active Dockwalkers Program that spins off from the same parent. They all focus on a similar set of best boating practices.
1. Minimize oil discharge from the bilge. Tuck absorbent pads under the engine to catch drips and place a few strategically in the bilge.
2. Take care during oil changes and fueling. Keep absorbent pads handy when fueling and moving oil filters, don’t overfill the fuel tank, and have spill-containment supplies on board in a convenient spot.
3. Keep spring and fall boat maintenance projects away from the water, and, if you can’t, then take a long hard look at your bucket full of supplies, read the labels and decide if you can, in good conscience, use them.
4. Use non-toxic, ecologically safe cleaning products. Some of the same principles applied to the interior of the boat can work when cleaning the outside. But if you want to use commercial products, read the labels carefully (West Marine has a line of generally non-toxic, bio-degradable cleaners). “Biodegradable” is not enough – be sure that the product is also non-toxic and phosphate-free. Check out automotive cleaners, as well. Surprisingly, that industry has made some interesting strides in developing environmentally-safer products (PuraClean, for example) that are often less expensive then ones labeled “marine.”
5. Rethink how you select, use and treat anti-fouling bottom paint. Choose non-toxic bottom paint and use minimal abrasion when cleaning the hull to reduce the amount of extra paint that is sloughed off. E Paint EP2000, for instance, offers a slick racing finish with good anti-fouling properties. Successful, solo around-the-world sailor Bruce Schwab used it on his SV Ocean Planet.
6. Dispose of all wastes – hazardous and household – at designated shoreside recycling and trash centers
If there is sufficient holding tank capacity, plumb your gray water along with the black water. On the other hand, if a small tank means discharging the sink and shower outflow directly overboard, then it becomes critical to control everything used on the boat that might find its way down one of the drains. Begin with a comprehensive review of the onboard cleaning supplies and toiletries.
Interior Cleaning Supplies
Consider dispensing with toxic, commercial cleaning agents for the boat’s interior. Generally, the galley will yield sufficient “natural” cleaning supplies to keep the space below fresh and sparkling – and those enclosed spaces make aggressive cleaning agents feel even more powerful. Put together an interior cleaning kit with just baking soda, white vinegar, lemon juice, salt, borax, vanilla, gentle dishwashing detergents, a commercial natural cleaner, a couple of spray bottles, and for those really tough jobs maybe a little Bon Ami.
1. Use a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water for the freezer and refrigerator and then put an opened box of baking soda inside each. To keep the freezer fresh, wipe it down with a little vanilla sprinkled on a cloth. A gentler 25/75 vinegar/water solution will shine up almost any galley surface. Don’t forget a final rinse with clear water.
2. Baking soda and water will clean just about everything else. To make a scouring powder add salt. For a stronger paste, just let it sit. Or for a foaming, stain remover, drizzle vinegar on top of the baking soda/water mixture.
3. If do-it-yourself isn’t your thing, then there are a plethora of natural, non-toxic cleaning agents available from reliable manufacturers like Seventh Generation, Method Home, Mrs. Meyers and make sure anything you buy is phosphate and chlorine free. A really good choice for always storage-challenged vessels is Shaklee’s Basic H2 Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate – just 16 oz. makes 48 gallons of a non-toxic, biodegradable works-for-everything agent. It also comes in impregnated biodegradable wipes.
4. Choose gentle dishwashing detergents that are also free of phosphates, chlorine, dyes and perfumes. Some use grapefruit or aloe extracts. (Sources include Bi-O-Kleen, Seventh Generation, Ecover or Life Tree).
5. The best scent is no scent – but that is hard to manage on a boat. So, look for natural deodorizers that use essential oils to put in the cabins and the heads. Natural air fresheners like Ecco Bella Botanicals’ Lavender Mist or Aura Cacia’s Ginger mint keep the below deck spaces smelling fresh. And Prelam™ Magic Odor Neutralizer is an interesting option for neutralizing head smells.
Personal Toiletries
If your shower sump is pumping overboard, reconsider what you are washing with. There are now many gentle, environmentally-friendly personal care products on the market. Aubry Organics has been making natural soaps, shampoos and conditioners for 40 years. The shelves at Whole Foods are also lined with similarly safe, plant based products that are as good for us as they are for the environment.
Boats use fuel – even sail boats – and that means pollution. So, consider going “Carbon Neutral.” The basic concept is that you calculate the amount of fuel your boat burns and figure out ways to contribute to the environment to compensate for that. For instance, one tank of fuel might equal “X” number of trees.
Several websites make the process easy. A tool helps you calculate the emissions (i.e. www.buycarbon.org has one specifically for boats) and then you compensate for those emissions by making a contribution to a Carbon Offset Project that plants trees, uses renewable energy or captures methane.
Where we spend our many marina and boat yard dollars can be a positive step toward saving our waterways. The maintenance, operation and storage of boats have the potential to pollute adjacent waters, impair air quality and lead to general environmental degradation. Contaminants include dust from hull maintenance operations, solvents from engine repair shops, petroleum from careless fueling practices, and heavy metals from antifouling paints. These pollutants may be deposited directly into waterways or carried in by storm water runoff. The answer is more environmentally sensitive marinas.
The National Coastal Management Program is a federal-state partnership dedicated to the comprehensive management of the nation’s coastal resources and, at the federal level, operates under the aegis of the NOAA’s Coastal Programs Division. Two of its major initiatives are the Designated or Certified Clean Marina and Clean Boat Yard programs which are interpreted and managed at the state level.
The program’s aim is to prevent (or at least reduce) pollution rather than to clean it up, and its linchpin is the “Clean Marina” designation which facilities can earn by meeting stringent criteria and adhering to procedures that protect the environment – the EPA has a checklist of 125 “pollution prevention actions.” When a marina decides to participate in the program, it is provided assistance in complying with environmental laws and also becomes eligible for financial aid in the form of Incentive Grants.
So far, there are only 130 Designated Clean Marinas and Boat Yards nationally with another 160 plus going through the process. Most fly a state C.C.M. flag and list their designation prominently in their promotional material.
Some boaters act on the belief that the contents of one little holding tank won’t make much difference in their body of water, especially since the tide “flushes” it daily. But the truth is, it can make a very significant difference, and it’s one that we can control. While, for instance, more than a billion gallons of oxygen-demanding, treated effluent flows into Long Island Sound every day, it is the untreated sewage – and vessel discharge is a primary source – that infuses the waters we play in with disease-causing pathogens.
The three major reasons for using your boat’s holding tank are:
o Visually Distasteful - Although “aesthetic revulsion” is the most obvious of the three effects, it is the least important ecologically. The absence of floating waste does not mean that the surrounding waters are safe from the harmful effects of sewage discharge.
o Health Hazard - Invisible microorganisms contained in human sewage can cause infectious hepatitis, diarrhea, bacillary dysentery, skin rashes, typhoid and cholera. The most common organism is coliform bacteria, which is found in the intestines of all warm-blooded animals. Fecal coliform, including E. coli bacteria, can increase from one bacterium to over 10 million in the 12-18 hour normal digestive time. Pathogen contamination has closed beaches and shellfish beds(note that although onboard treatment facilities can reduce bacteria, they do nothing to control nutrients).
o Nitrogen Pollution - Oxygen depletion caused by an overabundance of nutrients poses a serious threat to plant and animal sea life. A major indicator of pollution by organic materials is Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), the amount of oxygen that bacteria take from water to oxidize organic matter into carbon dioxide and water. In both air and water environments, oxygen produced by plants is offset by the oxygen consumed by animals, and the reverse is true of carbon dioxide. At its worst, as in the western end of the Sound from July through September, this low dissolved oxygen state is called hypoxia. The marine ecosystem goes out of balance as soon as an external source of oxygen demand is added, such as direct discharge of human waste. At its most extreme, it results in the death of some organisms and the escape of others
The EPA-designated No Discharge Zones (“NDZ’s”) refer to the areas where the discharge of sewage even after it is treated using MSD I and II type waste management systems. In concert with the relevant states, the EPA has created NDZ’s to protect particularly vulnerable areas from even treated discharges. And it is expanding the number and coverage of those NDZs as sufficient pump-out stations become available.
MSDs are onboard Marine Sanitation Devices. Type 1 and Type II MSDs are macerator-type waste treatment systems that grind up the solids and disinfect the waste – by reducing the coliform count to levels low enough to not pose a health hazard. These MSDs use chlorine-based products that need regular replenishment. Type III MSDs are just blackwater holding tanks without any treatment - what one finds on most pleasure craft. Portable toilets found on very small boats are just mini holding tanks that need to be physcially dumped ashore.
Please remember, Federal law prohibits the discharge of untreated sewage within all navigable US waters – and within three miles of the coast. If you have an MSD III Type system, and most smaller boats do , using pump-out facilities is the only way to legally empty your holding tank in most US waters. so, for better or worse, pump-out should be a routine part of your boating experience. The newer dock-side systems and pump-out vessels make the process relatively painless and a little less nasty – nevertheless dedicating a pair of robust rubber gloves to this task wouldn’t be a bad idea.
The Clean Vessel Grant Program has been the main instigator behind the proliferation of pump-out stations and boats; the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) program provides reimbursement to marinas that install pump-out facilities. The funds can support equipment purchases, operation and maintenance which, in turn, keep the waterways clean by reducing or eliminating discharge of black and gray water. Some states are underwriting, frequently in tandem with an EPA grant, the construction of pump-out facilities and then requiring that these be made available to all comers at very affordable rates.
In harbors where pump-out boats ply the waters, the services are usually free and full-service (tip appreciated!). In regions where facilities have been underwritten, the costs are either free or nominal, and “self-service” is the rule. In areas where it’s left up to the marinas, the quality, availability and cost varies widely.
o Identify all the possible the farmers’ markets along your route – and their schedules. A visit to one or two will net an enjoyable morning replenishing the galley stores while you participate in a local community event. Many farmers’ markets have expanded to include arts and crafts, entertainment and prepared food stands featuring local specialties – perfect for a quick lunch or a “to go” meal back on the boat.
o Post a list of the possible meals and snacks for the cruise – that way all the crew members know what the snack situation is and can pitch in and help with meals without a lot of instruction. That may be the best advice for improving the onboard environment.
o Store the drinks in a separate cooler on deck or below. This keeps the refrigerator from being opened twenty times a day as people rummage for that special can of whatever. Reload daily and keep it iced down. In very hot weather, a wet towel over the top keeps the ice frozen longer.
o Use fuel-friendly cookware. Woks were designed to cook quickly and spread the heat source over the surface. Small ones are galley-friendly and work wonderfully with propane and CNG units. On that same note, add a space-friendly four-quart stainless steel pressure cooker. For those who remember the temperamental, exploding pressure cookers of yore, rest assured that these new foolproof designs are safe. And they still cook fast, have tight seals that make them perfect for cooking underway, and double as a saucepan.
o Purchase a few identical stainless baking pans, so entrees can be frozen in them -- this eliminates the issues of weak disposable aluminum pans, aluminum foil, plastic wrap, etc. Imagine removing a bubbling lasagna that was frozen in an unstable disposable aluminum pan from a gimbaled oven in a rough sea. And look at the new silicone bakeware which neither rattles nor rusts.
Choosing what and how we eat also has environmental implications as well as affecting our personal health. There are a few basic principles that will make it easier to live and eat healthfully on the boat while minimizing negative impacts on the environment.
o Eat locally and seasonally – with lots of fruits and veggies. Purchase produce in varying stages of ripeness. Put the unripe produce in nets hung from the handholds and check it daily, moving the ripened fruits and veggies to the refrigerator to hold them at that stage. Clean each item as needed with a home-made or commercial veggie wash and a stiff nylon brush. (i.e. water with grapefruit see extract or apple cider vinegar and salt).
o Chill down the refrigerator with a block of ice to help the always challenged on-board cooling system. If the fridge is a top-open variety, then fill it with large, lidded plastic containers to hold all the food - this will keep the contents from getting waterlogged and allow you to add ice on top. And, to make the cooks job a little easier, try to load food in reverse order of potential use.
o Freeze everything freezable before leaving home. It’ll keep much longer as it slowly defrosts and may actually assist the boat’s cooling system.
o Stock the pantry and fridge with quick cooking whole grains and pastas and multi-purpose foods that can also be used as home remedies and cleaning supplies. Ginger or umeboshi plums for seasickness, vanilla for deodorizing, oatmeal for “cream” soups and compresses, Worcestershire sauce (to clean brass) and cream of tarter (for aluminum). A stop at Trader Joe’s makes this really easy.
o Be flexible. Move meals around to accommodate weather, time, crew needs and the fatigue level of the cook. Be open to what's available locally - you never know when fresh fish will appear on the deck or a local fisherman will happen by with too large a catch. Or an upland tour will wind past a bakery when the whole grain baguettes are just coming out of the oven.
Boating Green: How to Live Lightly on the Water is the sub-title of a book that I am currently writing and researching. This blog will contain the content of the book as it is researched, written, revised and rewritten and revised again. I invite your participation - your criticisms, ideas, improvements and support.
As sailors, we have already embraced one of the most environmentally friendly technologies for getting from one place to another – wind power. Whether we were attracted to sailing because of a predisposition to ecologically sound practices or whether sailing was instrumental in developing that sensitivity, most of us do have an intrinsic respect for the waters that we play in and a passion for preserving and protecting it. That perspective informs our decisions and choices and, as boaters and “water people,” we are often the first to see the repercussions of bad choices.
It’s that time of year when the waterways once again blossom with thousands of sail and power boats which makes this a good time to reflect on just how “green” our boat and boater practices are. Every little bit counts, and how we live on the boat and what we require of those who help us maintain her can impact the future of the water we play in, the environment that surrounds it, and our own enjoyment.
