Farewell & Thanks!

Almost 13 years ago I was working as an environmental planner in Saanich when I got the call from then GSA Executive Director, Laurie MacBride, to offer me the opportunity to launch the fledgling Green Boating program and take it to the next level. For me, with a love of the ocean and boating, and a desire to be based on Gabriola Island this was indeed opportune. It was a chance to do something positive and proactive to help maintain and improve the health of our local part of the ocean, namely the Strait of Georgia and its adjoining waters.

In the years since I started with GSA I have been extremely fortunate to work with some amazing people and together we have accomplished much. We have worked hard though enormous challenges and all the while the focus on the health of our waters has been maintained.

All the staff have been and are incredible people who are totally dedicated to the mission of the organization. We've had some amazing boards over the years and it has been a privilege to work with them. Our volunteers continue to amaze and inspire me. My colleagues beyond GSA have also been an inspiration and it's great to know we are not alone in caring for this part of the world. To all, I thank you for everything you have done and are continuing to do. I also thank GSA for the confidence they have had it me and the tremendous support they have given me over the years.

While the essence of GSA's work is positive and proactive it is a bit of a shame that we have to spend valuable energy and resources reacting to the threats that continue to come at the Strait. While I know this work is necessary I have been (and continue to be) more excited by the projects and programs that inspire us all. I will take that positiveness with me on my new adventures and always thank GSA for it.

As for what I'll be up to; I'll be taking some time for myself but will be on the lookout for another position while I develop a facilitation & education consultancy on the side (www.mikerichardsfacilitation.com). All while enjoying our new acreage in the islands and sailing around them. I may even do some contract work with GSA if the opportunity arises.
But for now, goodbye and thanks so much for 13 amazingly rewarding years!

Times They Are a-Changin'

How many times have those words from Bob Dylan's 1964 song been used to describe a current situation? Who knows for sure, but I do know that those words are as true today as they were back then. Indeed I believe we are on the cusp of tremendous change. Some good, Some not so good.

Throughout the world we are seeing and hearing about dramatic changes in political stability, economic viability and environmental health. We are seeing record breaking climatic events every week and the emergence of movements like Idle No More and Defend our Coast. We are hearing about a public, here and in other countries that is dismayed by the actions (or inactions) of their leaders. People are standing up for what they believe is right and it seems that enough is finally enough.

Whilst I do not profess to have the answers to why or how much of this is happening, I do suspect much of it has to do with economic and social models based on continuous growth. Anyone who has studied ecology understands that ecosystems have resource and energy limits and can only adapt to change at a certain rate before they start to collapse. And like it or not, humans and our sometimes weird ways are part of those ecosystems and part of the ecosystem of the whole planet.

Once that is understood by more of our politicians and our business leaders, perhaps some of the conflicts we are seeing now will be unnecessary as we evolve to live in a more harmonious way with our home and each other. We cannot continue to use up all the resources of our planet. We cannot continue to poison our planet and we cannot continue to support a lifestyle that we in so called developed counties seem to believe is our right and that now is desired by less developed nations. With around 7 billion people on this fragile third planet from the sun something really has to change if we are are to survive as a species long term.  Let the changes happen. Support them happening. Lets make our own changes even though they can be scary and lets change to a more sustainable world.

Pipelines and Public Relations

"Information Session". Now isn't that a friendly, non threatening term. And indeed that's exactly what the Kinder Morgan Information sessions on their proposed new pipeline to bring Alberta Tar Sands crude to the coast to load onto tankers were for the most part.  These are almost over, with just one left in this region on Salt Spring Island in January.

 I attended the one in Nanaimo and saw nothing but overt good cheer and intentions from the full spectrum of opinions that we all know this project has. Apparently there were some minor kefuffles in Hope and Victoria but not having been there I can't give a perspective. Kinder Morgan seems to know they cannot just ram this project through as perhaps once was the case and have developed a strategy that is all about public relations at this stage.

When I got there quite a few people had already gathered awaiting entry. When the doors opened I was one of the first in and was asked if I wanted to sign in. I presented my card and asked if I could speak to the main PR person expecting someone from Vancouver or Calgary. I was surprised to find they actually have someone based in Victoria. This means they are taking this PR stuff very seriously.

Lots of opposition at the Nanimo info session

Looking around the room the essence of slick PR professionalism was everywhere. From the many members of the young fresh faced PR team to the few experienced company, port and response representatives. The comprehensive, very professional looking information signage covering almost every conceivable aspect of the project including the inevitable environmental and socioeconomic concerns of course and the general layout of the room which allowed for the one-on-one discussion method to be most effective.Having been a somewhat serious student of the martial arts for almost 30 years I recognize this strategy of drawing your opponent in.

However a large number of the folks who were there seemed to be highly informed about the project already and were not letting themselves be drawn in. In fact many stayed outside the room singing songs and handing out  information from a different perspective. There were all sorts of signs in opposition and many blue drops (a sign of solidarity for clean water).



I let myself be drawn in order to tell the main PR guy very clearly and firmly that Georgia Strait Alliance does not support this project or any that would increase the risk of a major spill in our sensitive waters or significantly contribute to climate change. The environmental, social and economic consequences are just not worth any risk! Prepared to extract myself from a conversation geared to convince me to the merits of the project if necessary, I was pleased but not overly surprised to be told that he would not try to dissuade us from our position (another tactic I'm familiar with).

What I was surprised at however was a cheerful, though perhaps unintended, admission that there was really no point in me trying to convince him of our position either. I understand some of these folks are not just about growth or short term gain and they actually believe this is a good project, but I guess I'd call that a a bit of a PR disaster.
I thought they wanted to hear from us. Well maybe they do but they certainly didn't seem to want to actually listen.

In martial arts, a strategy following the drawing in, is a reversal of your opponent's energy to use it against them. I'm curious if Kinder Morgan will try this next? And will it work if they cannot actually draw people in? Another option of course would be to actually listen to the community concerns, in fact be part of the community - not opponents at all, and be prepared to pull out of the project if it is not supported, rather than forge ahead regardless.

There's more than tankers out there!

Anyone who spends time traveling around or gazing out on Georgia Strait will see ships here there and everywhere in the region. The anchored ships in English Bay, Vancouver are a world renowned spectacle for tourists, travelers  and business visitors alike. Personally I love to see them and greatly appreciate how they bring many of the goods that my family and I need to this part of the world.

In the Port of Metro Vancouver there are well over 3000 ships entering and exiting each year and that does not include BC Ferries. Nanaimo sees over 200 and Victoria the same once again not including all the ferry trips.  While many of the ships look similar they perform a wide range of functions. From ferries to oil tankers, bulk carriers to container vessels, military vessels to large pleasure craft and cruise ships to break bulk. More information about ships in Georgia Strait is available on our main website.

Excluding tankers, an average ship is over 2 football fields in length and carries over 1.5 million litres in fuel oil. Add in oil tanker traffic and that's a lot of hydrocarbons floating around our waters. For the most part, the shipping industry is very conscientious and usually gets  them in and out of here without incident. However there have been accidents and oil has been spilled here. Just like the increasing tanker traffic that has had so much media attention lately, the more other ships we have transiting our waters, the more risk we have of a hydrocarbon spill.

So in order to keep those risks at an acceptable level it behooves us as a society to ensure that those shipping trips are necessary and that the goods that are being shipped are needed. Ninety percent of world goods are transported by ships and unfortunately some of those goods are just satisfying consumer wants and/or perceived needs.  I suspect that the production, transportation and use of some products could do more harm than good when you look at the bigger picture of world environmental and socioeconomic sustainability. Oil and coal might come immediately to mind but there are many other examples. What would it take to ensure all products shipped fit into a world view of sustainable development as outlined by the Bruntland Commission Report way back in 1987?

"Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". It contains two key concepts:

• the concept of "needs", in particular the essential needs of the world's poor, to which overriding priority should be given; and
• the idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organization on the environment's ability to meet present and future needs."

Your respectful thoughts are welcome.

Tankers, Thanks and Banks

Adapted from original publication on smallchangefund Blog

Oil tankers shipping out of Vancouver Harbour were really not paid much attention to by the general public a couple of years ago, and maybe even just a year ago. The increase seen over the last decade did not get much publicity and the fact that tankers of some form or another have been using our waterways since the turn of the last century seemed to make it less threatening. Thanks to a perfect storm of different but colliding events, all that is rapidly changing. Certainly all the publicity about dirty tar sands oil has been part of it and Enbridge’s beleaguered Northern Gateway Pipeline project, the climate change debate, Keystone XL pipeline kerfuffle in the US and the Kalamazoo pipeline spill in Michigan. 

However even before Kinder Morgan’s announcement earlier this year of intentions to build a second pipeline to Vancouver from the tar sands, Georgia Strait Alliance (GSA) and a few others were starting to be concerned about the steady but seemingly silent, increase in tanker traffic through Burrard Inlet and the ecologically sensitive Salish Sea. After some extensive research we published the first version of our citizen's guide to tankers, oil spills and the risks to our region late last year and we have updated it recently to reflect the current situation.

Why would GSA be concerned about a few tankers traveling our waters when there are so many other issues facing this fantastic body of water we work to protect? Well, when I give presentations I explain that what is happening to Georgia Strait is like the death by a thousand cuts. Each travesty of pollution or inappropriate development that befalls it is cumulative and at some stage, if enough is done, Georgia Strait would eventually become like so many other devastated bodies of water. That being said, the damage that is currently being done, can (at least partially) be undone or stopped, and over the years we have lead many projects which have helped restore parts of Georgia Strait or served to protect it.  We believe our work and that of others will save Georgia Strait as a place of much natural beauty and biological diversity.

That, however, would all change if we have a major oil spill here and anything that increases the likelihood of that happening is of real concern to us.  If we have a catastrophic spill here we simply do not have the capability or resources to stop the irreparable damage to the ecology, economy and social fabric of this region. It would be a disaster in the real meaning of the word. Also of considerable concern to us is the fact that our communities have not been given any real opportunity to say if they are willing to take the risks of tar sands crude being shipped through our waters. That is something we are working toward on a number of different levels from our petition  and information on our website and in print to our liaison and email listserve hosting with other groups working on this issue and contribution to reports to meeting with Industry representatives.  

To do that we need funding, and this is the point we’d really like to thank our current funders including Patagonia, MEC and smallchangefund for all their support and promotion and all the wonderful donors who are contributing to our work. Thanks for going to your banks to help make our community voice on crude oil tankers a strong one. If you have not had a chance to contribute yet please do so on our website or by calling our office at 250-753-3459.

Many thanks!

Challenges Ahead

Since my cardiac arrest in January this year (see Crossing The Strait of Georgia - A Very Personal Journey), it's been a long journey of recovery and rehabilitation. After a number of setbacks, I was cleared to undertake a cardio rehab program (see Take Heart) with trained professionals. That program, which finished over a month ago, took over 3 months to complete and I've been in charge of my continued rehabilitation since.The trick now is to continue to challenge myself (but not too much). And to be honest it's bloody hard!

It's kind of like our work...
In order for the health of Georgia Strait to improve we must challenge ourselves. We must not give in to despair when the odds are against us. We must not back down just because we are challenged. We must push ourselves when we don't feel like it. We must set goals and aim to achieve them strategically. We must be open minded to ideas of others. We must nurture ourselves when we need it. We must not push too hard all the time. We must accept setbacks and keep positive. We must celebrate our successes and our victories. Perhaps, above all, in order to sustain our work we must take time to be rejuvenated by the natural world.

For many of us who live, work and play around Georgia Strait, being immersed in the natural world means being out on the water, on the beach or even beneath the waves. It's the deep connection to this part of the planet that allows us to understand what is at stake here.

 For the Strait there are many challenges ahead. Some small and insidious. Others large and overwhelming. I'd like to think that proponents of all projects in the Georgia Strait region believe what they are doing is right. Some projects however will potentially harm the ecological balance of Georgia Strait, and I do wonder if folks supporting these are missing that deep connection to the natural world so needed by us all.

 To that end let the challenge be for all residents and visitors to this wonderfully special part of the world to take time to be immersed in the natural Georgia Strait. Let the challenge be for all to understand this body of water and it's surrounds, not just in our heads and our wallets but in our hearts and our innermost beings. That way decisions can be made that support sustainability in all it's forms, economic, social and environmental.

Take Heart

After a very severe cardiac arrest in January (see Crossing The Strait of Georgia - A Very Personal Journey), it has taken many months to get back to a semblance of normal (as in before my cardiac arrest) life.
After almost five months and a number of complications I was finally given the all clear to start a cardiac rehabilitation program called "Take Heart" run at the North Ridge Fitness Centre in Nanaimo twice a week. It's a fantastic supervised physical program that will last 3 months in total and is aimed at increasing my cardiovascular capacity and giving me more confidence to resume a normal life.

At the moment one of the activities is to spend time on a treadmill walking at a steadily increasing but still slow pace. While walking I have time to look out the window and contemplate what is happening in the world. Indeed, because I have had a great deal of time resting over the last few months, I've had plenty of opportunity to read and see and hear lots of news, so have much to contemplate.

Maybe it's just my perspective but it appears to me that there has been an inordinate amount of reporting on the environmental challenges facing our planet. From extreme weather to oil spills to bill C-38 and more, there seems much to be concerned about at this point in time. More than usual maybe.

There also seems little hope that the concerns of those who care about the long term health of this region and the planet will ever be listened to by big oil and pipeline companies, shipping interests or our federal and provincial governments. Indeed we have been branded as "radicals" on the assumption that's a bad thing, and our access to meager funding gets more hampered every day because of what they say. It seems like science and common sense and a truly healthy planet are no longer valued by these people and short term profits and growth are the only way. Sigh...and I continue plodding on my treadmill!

I suppose if I want to make parallels I could look at the all those environmental threats to our region, such as sewage,pulp and other pollution, habitat destruction, unnecessary resource development and fish farming as being similar to angina (pay attention now!) while Bill C38 is like a heart attack (almost the end!) for our environment.

Fortunately the treadmill has a view. Beyond the roads and the housing developments, the snow capped Coast Mountains are a backdrop to a beautiful blue of Georgia Strait, glistening in the afternoon sun. A lone sailboat slowly glides along near the shoreline making it's way to adventures unknown and further out a tug and barge make its way towards it's southerly destination. Out another window a BC ferry is leaving a wake on it's journey to Horseshoe Bay on the mainland. And maybe, just maybe, I can see the tiny splashes of a pod of Orcas playing in the sun.

As I lookout on the Strait I remember all my own adventures on and around this amazing body of water. Of all the magical encounters with wildlife and the wild places still to be found by most. Of secluded coves and magical beaches. Of the enormous variety of plants and creatures above and below the water. Of rivers and streams that course down from spectacular mountains. Of an energy that changes with the changing moods of the Strait.

I also remember the hundreds, maybe thousands of wonderful people I have met during my years working to protect Georgia Strait and know how they care deeply about this very special part of our planet. And also of the hundreds of thousands of others who I have not met but know also care very deeply.

As I stare out on this biologically, spiritually and economically rich body of water, I know deep in my heart (which beats strongly now)that all is not lost. That there are many people who do care and who do get it. That commonsense and reverence and respect for the natural world has not disappeared. That, in fact, there is plenty of reason for me and everyone to be positive. That the Strait, Canada and the planet can get better, fitter, stronger, and more healthy! It will take some time and some bumps along the way but with determination and patience, anything is possible.

Now as I continue my rehabilitation, my program does more than give me hope for my own physical well being. It enables me to truly "Take Heart" for now and for the future.

Crossing The Strait of Georgia - A Very Personal Journey

Just over 2 months ago I suffered a very severe cardiac arrest while teaching a Karate class on Gabriola Island on the west side of Georgia Strait. It was pretty instantaneous as I felt strange for just a few seconds before I collapsed and I was essentially dead before I hit the floor. There was no way of knowing this could happen to me and in fact I'd had check-ups fairly recently and in retrospect the medical folk can't pinpoint any definitive factors that would have contributed to it happening.

Thankfully, our local vet, who also trains the volunteer firefighters in CPR, was right beside me when I dropped and his quick assessment and action, and along with my wife/ fellow instructor, kept my blood and oxygen flowing until help arrived. The rest of the class was amazing too. After 10 minutes of very aggressive CPR I was zapped back to life when the first responders arrived. One of the island doctors was also there within minutes.

With blood coming out of my lungs and a skin colour that I understand was less than attractive, it was pretty obvious that I needed to be airlifted ASAP and calls were made. Our local ambulance service raced me to the island's sports field where we were met by a cardiac team from Nanaimo. When the helicopter arrived a decision was made to fly me straight to Vancouver rather than Victoria, where cardiac patients normally go, because of a big storm closing in on Southern Vancouver Island.

Despite having crossed the Strait of Georgia hundreds of times before, that journey in the middle of the night with a winter storm bearing down on us was the most significant of my life. I had a very clear choice that, despite all the medical help I was receiving, was one that only I could make. The easiest choice by far was to die. All I had to do was let my will go. It was not at all scary and not actually that challenging to contemplate. In fact it was quite a desirable choice.

When we landed in Vancouver yet another team of dedicated caring people took amazing care of me. I was in hospital for 6 days as I recovered enough to go home.

I may never know all the reasons why I chose to live that night as we flew in the dark across an amazing body of water that I have spent more than 10 years trying to protect but that was the conscious choice I made. It is without a doubt the hardest thing I have ever done, physically, mentally and/or spiritually. A fraction of a second loss of focus and I would have died.

It has been a long and challenging road since that night and although I knew that when I made the choice, I sometimes briefly wonder what possessed me to fight to live. Every medical person I have seen since shakes their head and says how lucky I am to have survived. Despite that I have essentially remained very positive most of the time even when things were bad enough to send me back to hospital. What has helped my recovery a lot is the amount of support I have had (and am still getting) from my family, friends, neighbours, colleagues and all the communities of which I am a part.

As my healing continues my thoughts are returning to my work with Georgia Strait Alliance and the magnificent body of water we are trying to keep healthy. As I've be convalescing I have spent a good amount of time looking out on the Strait of Georgia and trying to harness it's healing energy. I am very thankful that we can connect to this special place.

I've also pondered on the parallels of my experience to the state of the world and in particular how people (me included) often take the easy route and accept the status quo especially where making money or keeping egos safe is concerned. No doubt if we all chose the easy path and stayed with selfish thought there would be no-one to left to keep watch over our waters, lands, and skies and everyone would be out there trying to make a profit without wanting or able to give anything to the planet in return.

Thank-you to all of you who choose to undertake and survive the hard journeys of this world! You make the world a kinder and healthier place and you inspire me to make more of those hard choices.

Sailing, Shakespeare, Seals, Shags and Slicks!

Last weekend my family and I were lucky enough to travel to Vancouver to see the wonderful Bard on the Beach production of Antony and Cleopatra. Surprisingly it was our 12 year old son's choice. We sailed over from Gabriola Island with an 18 NW knot breeze to push us along. Glorious conditions saw us sail right to our anchorage in False Creek where we anchored for the night. A short dingy trip ashore then a detour to Granville Island for some delectable chocolate eclairs.

On our way out of Granville Island, a large crowd was gathered on the board walk under the Bridge. My curiosity piqued, I wandered over to see what the attraction was. On the dock of a fishing boat charter company some folks were feeding a Harbour Seal. As the seal came back again and again for treats I watched the intense enthusiasm of the crowd as they oohed and ahhed at its antics. Just like when the Grey Whale visited False Creek recently, it reinforced for me, once again, that people are enamored by wild marine creatures and that there is a connection between our species.

As I continued to observe this phenomena I looked more around the waterfront and could not help but notice the scum on the water's surface undoubtedly consisting of once airborne particulates, spilled hydrocarbons and oily bilge discharge. Along with a couple of plastic bags and disposable coffee cups, this made for a not very nice place for marine critters to hang out.

Why the heck as humans, when many of us love and respect wild creatures, we just don't get it when it comes to looking after their (and our) habitat? Why don't folks understand that as long as we pour, spill and throw our waste into the waters (accidentally or otherwise) we will continue to degrade the very home of the critters that give us so much joy. I guess it gets much more complex than that when we start to look at the waste created by the production and transport of everything we buy and every thing we do, but as a start we should at least look at our direct discharges to our beautiful waters!

The show was fantastic and the highlight for many was when a Pelagic Cormorant entered stage right just as Antony died in Cleopatra's arms. The bewildered bird flapped and flopped around in front of the audience as Cleopatra embraced it's appearance and somehow made it part of the show! The bird exited stage right as if on cue!

Next day we dodged the myriad of shipping in English Bay before setting course for Silva Bay. With once again a beautiful breeze we enjoyed yet another crossing of this wonderful body of water. Just outside of our home port we were treated to visit of 50+ Pacific White Sided Dolphins who rode our bow wave and cavorted around us for some time before continuing their journey north. We really do live in a most magnificent part of the world and we need to look after it.

Loss of a lifestyle - musings over cell phones

Just recently, a "temporary" cell phone tower has appeared on the shores of Silva Bay on Gabriola island. I assume it was brought in to fill the little black hole of cell phone coverage we had in this neck of the woods. It seems some folks figure this is a good idea to increase communication in case of disaster or emergencies and perhaps to help alleviate the stress caused to those people who arrive here and suddenly find they are "connected' no longer.

You know, I can appreciate the desire to have a supposedly"flawless" communications system in case of emergencies or disaster, to have another level on all those things we have already in place but I can't help wondering at what cost we are doing this. I'm no expert on the cumulative effects of electromagnetic radiation and such things that are associated with technology of these sorts but several learned friends and associates of mine assure me it's not necessarily benign. More on that side of things can be discovered at

http://www.weepinitiative.org/

I also wonder however, about a more subtle effect. One that talks to our developing mindset as a culture and our life experience as individuals. In this world of high tech gadgetry it's easy to be connected to the internet 24/7 if you want or if you are addicted. Lots of good stuff on the internet. Lots of great connections with voice or texting on your cell phone. I mean, all over the world we see folks on their phones or blackberries or laptops being "connected" while they are in restaurants, playing golf, walking down the street (or even the beach), driving and yes, even boating. Heck, I do it myself sometimes!

I just can't help wondering what that constant connection or ability to be connected does to us. I remember when I was a young man and when my freedom meant everything to me, I would go wild places by myself and have no way of connecting to any other human being and no one would know where I was. It gave me a wonderful sense of freedom, independence and self reliance. If I got in trouble of any sort I only had myself to rely on.

Perhaps it was a bit extreme and I've certainly mellowed but I still cherish those times when my connection to "civilization" is limited. When I'm disconnected I am far more present, far more aware of my surroundings, far more aware of the need to look out for myself and whoever is with me and far more aware of the need to be properly prepared. It also allows me to really connect with the natural world and the rhythms of the tides and weather and wild critters. Something that is crucial to really understanding why there is an ever-increasing need for environmental best practices.

Enter the cell phone and other devices with constant connection to the "world". Now I don't need to be as prepared. 911 is just a call away. Now I can keep up with my stock portfolio. Now I can connect with my"friends" and tell them how wonderful it is to be in such a beautiful place but not really experience it or understand what is needed to keep it beautiful.

Perhaps it is a risk to live or go somewhere without cell phone coverage but what sort of characters do we develop if we eliminate all risk? What sort of characters do we develop if we are able to connect all the time wherever we go? What sort of characters would we have if we did not question those things that are foisted upon us?

How can we, as individuals and as a community, really look after this precious part of the world if we do not spend time immersed in it and paying real attention to it's needs without being constantly distracted? I for one am not in need of more cell phone coverage. I'm in need of more time being disconnected.

"Green" Boating Week BC!

Though the winter has been kind of dark and dreary, a few hardy souls spent some time on our beautiful BC waters, enjoying the delights and challenges that winter cruising brings. For the majority of us however, it's just been the last couple of weeks when we've started to think more about our boats and the wonderful cruising and fishing in the months ahead. A couple of serious blows focused attention quickly on our boats and discussions around climate change was heard more often on the docks.

Though I work in the environmental field, it does seem to me that folks generally are more interested in issues of sustainability and healthy habitats and boaters are no exception! With more people getting into the boating lifestyle BC boating week is a good time for us to promote Green Boating and Clean Marinas.

While there are activities happening all over the province we will be putting our efforts in at some Nanaimo locations. On Saturday we will have a display at the Big Island Inflata-boats Marine Garage Sale and on Sunday we will again be doing a presentation at the West Marine store. Both events are also helping us raise a few funds to assist our marine conservation effort.

As boaters we are stewards of the marine environment and it is up to all of us to keep our impacts to a minimum. Come and join us during BC's "Green" Boating Week to find out more ways you can be a sustainable boater and how your marina can become one of Beautiful BC's eco-rated facilities!

Boater Blog!

It appears even I can get over my Luddite tendencies! Who would have known even a year ago that I would be posting to a blog? In the last year I have joined Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter. I have to say I'm still coming to grips with it all and don't often post anything but I'm slowly getting there.

Like many of us I find change is a hard thing to come to grips with but it's the only certain thing in life. As a species we are being pushed to change more and more through both the economic and the environmental challenges that we are all facing. In my world of Green Boating and Clean Marinas I am encouraged to see a lot of change for the better happening. This is coming in many forms from new technology and products to more thoughtful practices and policies.

The greatest encouragement I get is from the attitudinal changes I see happening. No longer are boaters asking "why should" we change but many are now saying "how can" we change to make things better. Much of the boating community is moving beyond a hedonistic approach and looking to how we can do things for the benefit of all. With this positive change in attitude is coming solutions to challenges, better communications and I believe better boating.

The increased adoption of Green Boating practices and principles and a surge in interest in Marina environmental best practices are all part of the change. So here's to more positive change! Lets keep it going!