Save our oceans - #ReThinkPlastic

During the last ICOMIA/IFBSO Congress in Berlin in June 2018, IFBSO delegates agreed that boat show organisers are in a unique position to act as trail blazers for the industry and encourage initiatives to curb the pollution of the world’s oceans, lakes and waterways. Accordingly, one of the most important outcomes of the annual gathering was the commitment by IFBSO members to use their boat shows as conduits to push measures in line with the UN’s sustainable development goals and run a campaign to communicate information on issues related to plastic pollution and increase the ecological awareness of participants and visitors at IFBSO member boat shows. Thus IFBSO members are joining a fast growing movement aimed at eradicating single-use plastics from packaging in an effort to tackle the global pollution crisis. This commitment has been included in the IFBSO Code of Excellence and the specially developed #ReThinkPlastic logo will signal the member shows’ commitment and highlight specific activities during the shows to the public.

The relevant wording in the Code of Excellence is as follows:

For now, the new initiative is a voluntary code and we are encouraging our members to comply with it to the best of their ability. Some of our members are already very active and, in addition to making their shows plastic free zones, hold seminars and workshops on sustainability in the marine industry and generally strive to increase the integration of this principle into their business models and company management.

It requires a lot of effort and, accordingly, resources to fully embrace the campaign, and given the diverse size, history and structure of our member boat shows, IFBSO will provide as much help and advice as is possible to help members become drivers of the global sustainability agenda.

Not only are we asking our members to make a commitment to environmental causes concerning all aspects of their individual shows but also to encourage their customers to do the same. Accordingly, our intention is to widen the ongoing discussion of sustainability and advance the cleanliness and biodiversity of our oceans, lakes and waterways wherever and however possible and share our vision, mission and values.

 

Cooperation partners IFBSO

During our recent environmental workshop during the 2019 ICOMIA/IFBSO congress we were supported by a number of organisations and hope that the following links are of interest and value:

Blue Marine Foundation:

If you want to support Blue Marine with their annual London to Monaco challenge, you can find details here.

Plastic Soup Foundation:

Cleanwave

Seabin Project