Draft:Green Sail

• Comment: Merge it to Sail Croatia. Gheus (talk) 11:13, 6 May 2025 (UTC)

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Green Sail is a non-profit organization based in Split, Croatia, that promotes sustainable practices and environmentalism within the nautical tourism industry. The organization works with marinas, charter companies, and tourism businesses to advocate for environmentally responsible practices and marine conservation, primarily in the Adriatic.

History

Green Sail was started in 2014 as an initiative of Sail Croatia, initially focusing on raising awareness among locals and tourists about waste disposal and recycling. After early partnerships with marinas and charter companies, Green Sail transitioned into a standalone organization in 2017 with Helle and Grant Seuren as co-founders.

In 2017, the organization launched an initiative called Green Sail Flag, awarding pennant flags to yachts and boats that adhere to its environmental guidelines. In 2018, it highlighted the improper discharge of black water and litter from boats into the Adriatic Sea. Subsequently, it launched a free online sailing course promoting sustainable boating practices. Later that year, it organized coastal and underwater clean-up campaigns along the Dalmatian coast, on World Oceans Day.

In subsequent years, Green Sail expanded its scope to sustainability and environmental management. In 2022, it developed a system to calculate the ecological footprint of sailing vessels called Green Sail Footprint, based on emissions, energy consumption, water usage, and amount of waste generated. The system was approved by the Institute for Tourism in Croatia.

Starting from 2022, Green Sail organized events connecting businesses, NGOs, and tourism board representatives to promote sustainable tourism initiatives and support the preservation of the Adriatic’s marine ecosystem.

Activities

Green Sail's activities focus mainly on environmental education, clean-up initiatives, and policy advocacy. The organization offers online courses, educational resources, and workshops aimed at teaching environmentally responsible practices to sailors, charter companies, and marina staff. It organizes coastal and underwater clean-up events in collaboration with volunteers and partner organizations, and the Eco-Walk tours in Split to raise awareness about the environmental impact of tourism.

Green Sail has advocated for stricter regulation of marine discharges, such as the introduction of no-discharge zones where the discharge of black water from vessels is prohibited. It has organized events facilitating networking among stakeholders in the tourism and maritime sectors to promote sustainability standards and practices.