Yacht club celebrates passage into new environmental world
The Royal Victoria Yacht Club raised a flag Friday to celebrate its new eco-certification.
The club has received a Clean Marine B.C. rating of four “anchors,” through the Georgia Strait Alliance.
Clean Marine B.C. is a voluntary program recognizing marinas, boat yards and other marine facilities for adopting environmental practices that reduce or eliminate contaminants that could enter the water.
Site-verification audits are required to receive anchor ratings, which range from one through five.
“It’s pretty extensive, it took quite a few years to get here,” RVYC general manager Simon Gatrell said.
For the RVYC, it has included everything from waste reduction in its kitchen to spill-response plans, recycling oil, and reducing gas and hydro bills.
The RVYC spent $50,000 on a new water-treatment system for cleaning the boats, which removes all heavymetal particles, he said. “We want to be seen as environmental stewards,” he said. “It really comes down to saving the resources we use every day.” Certification is valid for three years. Eight facilities in the capital region are certified — including several Greater Victoria Harbour Authority facilities, as well as the Cedar Grove Marina and Westport Marina in Sidney. Another six are enrolled.
Across coastal B.C., there are 17 certified members in the program, representing 23 marine facilities.
The Georgia Strait Alliance is a conservation group that promotes sustainability in the Strait of Georgia.