Yachting New Zealand have brought together some of the biggest names in sailing to stress the importance of looking after our oceans and waterways.
The likes of Sir Peter Blake, Peter Burling, Blair Tuke, Bianca Cook and Erica Dawson appear on a Yachting New Zealand environmental video being launched today in support of the Clean Club programme.
The world-leading programme was launched late last year as a way for clubs to become more environmentally focused, and those efforts are recognised in a three-star rating system based on the number of best-practice criteria achieved.
A number have already signed up to the initiative, from the Bluff Yacht Club in the south to Mangonui Cruising Club in Northland, but others are encouraged to sign up as well. You can find out more about it here.
Yachting New Zealand have put together an environmental video to help raise awareness.
As Blair Tuke says in the video: "What we do and say matters. So many of the issues that face the ocean are harder to see and out of sight. We must act now to ensure we have a healthy ocean for future generations."
The video was made in collaboration with BLAKE, the New Zealand SailGP Team, Live Ocean, the Te Toki Voyaging Trust and Animation Research.
"We're really thrilled with the video and the messages it delivers," Yachting New Zealand chief executive David Abercrombie said. "We'd invite every club to look into the Clean Club programme or members to make their club aware of what's involved.
"There are three levels of achievement and the Clean Club website we've created really simplifies everything and helps take clubs through the journey."
Yachting New Zealand have partnered with the New Zealand SailGP Team in the Clean Club programme and they will share their knowledge with Yachting New Zealand’s 108 member clubs as part of this collaboration.
The programme has also been co-developed by Sailors for the Sea, recognised as the world’s leading ocean conservation organisation for sailors, and is believed to be the first of its kind in the world.