Two projects supported by 11th Hour Racing have been selected for recognition through the initiative “Tackling Climate Through Sport” promoted by the White House.
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) issued a call to action, asking for ideas from citizens and organizations from across the country on how leadership through sports can be used to cut carbon pollution, enhance climate resilience, and increase public understanding and awareness.
11th Hour Racing responded with commitments from two of the professional sailing teams that are supported through its sponsorship program:
- The lionfish legacy project developed in Bermuda through the partnership with the America’s Cup team Land Rover BAR.
- The comprehensive sustainability plan that the Volvo Ocean Race team 55 South will follow to reduce their environmental impact in the 2017-2018 edition.
The commitments by 11th Hour Racing are included in the list of new actions by Federal agencies and outside organizations who are using innovative approaches to tackle climate change through sports, as announced yesterday by OSTP on the inaugural Green Sports Day. The complete list is available here.
11th Hour Racing
Through the platform of the 2017 America’s Cup sailing race in Bermuda, and in partnership with the Land Rover BAR America’s Cup professional sailing team, 11th Hour Racing will raise awareness of the impacts of climate change on invasive species through a celebrity-chef culinary event focused on lionfish as a sustainable seafood choice. 11th Hour Racing will also engage tens of thousands of fans and young people in this campaign through their dedicated Exploration Zone at the team base in the America’s Cup Village, where they will communicate about the effects of a warming ocean and share solutions to increase the resiliency of coral-reef ecosystems.
55 South
55 South, a sailboat racing team sponsored by 11th Hour Racing, will race around the globe in the 2017-2018 Volvo Ocean Race (VOR) to raise awareness about climate and ocean-health issues. 55 South will develop a team sustainability plan for 2017-2018 to reduce or offset carbon, track and minimize energy and water use, and decrease waste; work with VOR to create and implement sustainability training for other teams, including best practices for the shore/support team; create a platform to engage with classrooms and sailing centers around sustainability; and publicize metrics from teams’ environmentally responsible practices and identify areas of improvement. They will be the first team in the VOR to track and offset the carbon footprint for all team operations.
The sport of sailing harnesses the power of nature, and sailors witness first-hand the impact that climate change is having on our oceans. Athletes from all disciplines can be engaging champions for climate action, reaching wide audiences to inspire change.
Image:
© Harry KH