IYRS and RIMTA four part 'green education' lecture series

by Cynthia Goss on 25 Oct 2011 Rhode Island's IYRS Restoration Hall will transform into a place of green education when a four part series of evening lectures on ‘Environmental Issues Facing Sailors and the Marine World’ gets underway on November 1st. The series is set to run through the middle of December.

Leading experts at the frontlines of ocean environmental protection efforts will travel to the school to talk about the actions their organizations have taken to help keep the waters clean—from creating approaches to running regattas in an eco-friendly way, to removing marine debris. Daniela T. H. Abbott of Sparkman & Stephens will also talk about green approaches to designing and building today’s boats.

'Those who attend these lectures will come away with a valuable education,' said Jay Picotte, curator of the Museum of Yachting and an organizer of the series. 'They will gain an understanding of the good work being done, and how each and every one of us can help.'

On November 1st at 7:30pm, Sailors for the Sea CEO Dan Pingaro, comes to IYRS to talk about how this nonprofit is helping the boating community protect the world’s oceans and local waters—an effort that also includes a partnership with organizers of the 34th America’s Cup. Sailors for the Sea will implement their 'Clean Regattas' program at the World Series, Challenger Series, and the 34th America's Cup in San Francisco.

This regatta certification provides independent, third-party verification that a yacht club, sailing program, or regatta is environmentally responsible and doing its utmost to protect the waters people sail on. Come hear about this inventive partnership and the ramp-up to the Cup, including next summer’s regatta in Newport.

On November 15th at 7:30pm, Rachael Miller comes to IYRS to talk about The Rozalia Project, a unique effort focused on cleaning the oceans and picking up plastics and non-biodegradable marine debris—one piece at a time.

As executive director of the project, Miller will talk about the problem of marine debris in an exciting, interactive audience challenge and what we, as sailors, can do about the problem. She also brings the story of the organization’s mothership, the 60-foot sailing research vessel American Promise, and the work done onboard collecting debris using a VideoRay ROV (remotely operated vehicle). Actual footage of debris on the bottom of the ocean will provide an alarming wake-up call for all who attend.

On November 29th at 7:30pm, Daniela T. H. Abbott, P.E., naval architect and marine engineer at Sparkman & Stephens, will conduct a discussion that all boaters and those in the marine industry will want to attend—about the environmental challenges that yacht designers, builders, and boat owners face in today’s increasingly eco-conscious society, and the methods for creating more efficient boats and a more sustainable approach to boatbuilding. Abbott will review state-of-the-art marine equipment and machinery (particularly options for hybrid propulsion), the integration of electrical power generation and control systems, and their importance to the efficiency of onboard operations. Abbott will also survey sustainable and eco-friendly materials and green concepts that can be implemented during construction.

Have you ever wondered why Rhode Island has some of the cleanest shorelines on the East Coast? On December 15th at 7:30pm, Captain Joe Mariani will talk about successful efforts made to keep our home waters clean. Clean the Bay has removed more than 1500 tons of marine debris from the shorelines and waterways of Narragansett Bay and surrounding areas. Mariani will speak about Clean the Bay’s operations, equipment, vessels, projects, and partnerships—and about where marine debris comes from, what happens to it after collection, and how we can all help keep the bay clean.

All lectures begin at 7:30 pm at IYRS Restoration Hall (449 Thames Street, Newport). Lectures are free for members of IYRS and the Museum of Yachting, $7 for non-members. Café Zelda (528 Thames Street, Newport) coordinates their dining schedule with the series on lecture nights.

For more information about the IYRS lectures, visit www.iyrs.org