Atlantic Cup in NYC - Sailors for the Sea

Atlantic Cup in NYC

 May 16, 2014  | By: Oceana

Congratulations to Joe Harris and Patrick O’Connor of Gryphon Solo 2 for winning the first leg of the 2014 Atlantic Cup presented by 11th Hour Racing!

The race leg from Charleston, South Carolina to New York City left race organizers just enough time to pack everything up, hit the road and set everything back up again just as the boats passed the Statue of Liberty for the finish early morning on Wednesday.

The Atlantic Cup headquarters in New York City is located at the bottom of Manhattan at the North Cove Marina, and the high rises towering over the Class 40s is a slightly different look than the marshlands of South Carolina.

What does being in a big city mean for sustainability?
There has been a lot of research as to whether or not it’s more environmentally friendly to live in a city versus living in a suburb, and even today the jury remains out. Many claim that having more people in a smaller area results in less energy use, making cities more sustainable. However the Atlantic Cup has found that trash created in Manhattan travels an average of 272 miles (1 of 26 possible landfills) before it reaches a landfill. The weight of the trash and the enormous distance it travels contribute to the carbon footprint of your event.

Recycling on an Island
In order to keep a low environmental impact, race organizers have focused on reducing waste – with many events on land in New York ensuring all events have reusable cups, silverware and plates is the key component to reducing waste.

The upside to being in a city is the availability of public transportation including bike shares, subways, buses and walking! Another aspect of being carbon neutral involves race organizers tracking how everyone arrived to their events and – as one can imagine – public transportation is highly encouraged!

Highlights of the Hornblower
The New York City stop is highlighted by two events, Water Week NYC and Living on the Edge. These events offered incredible panel discussions about the importance water to our society. Conferences and cocktail parties like many other short-term events are generally planned without the environment in mind. Therefore, event organizers chose to host their events aboard the Hornblower Hybrid – an eco-conscious dinner boat powered by fuels cells, solar panels, and wind-generators! Even the construction of this stately dinner cruiser took the environment into consideration with the use of recycled flooring, reduction of VOC’s in decorating and countertops made from recycled glass!