In a world grappling with environmental challenges, sustainability has become a pressing concern across various industries. Last year, Agecko sponsored Guy Waites in his Golden Globe Race. His recent completion highlights not only the incredible feat of human endurance but also serves as a reminder of the importance of waste minimization.
As Guy undertook his solo journey, he had to carefully manage his resources, demonstrating how waste can be kept to a minimum, highlighting the importance of sustainability and waste management.
As waste disposal control and minimisation is one of the rule stipulations for the Golden Globe Race, during his solo journey, Guy had to be acutely aware of the resources at his disposal. With limited supplies and a long voyage ahead, waste management was crucial. Every piece of waste produced had to be carefully considered, as excess weight on the boat would slow him down and potentially jeopardize his progress.
Guy made conscious choices to reduce, reuse, and recycle materials on board, aiming to create the least possible environmental impact during his voyage. His commitment to keeping waste to a minimum serves as an inspiration for us to reflect on our own waste generation and management practices.
With little effort this is what each person can produce in 4 months:
Of course, the issue of ocean litter cannot be overlooked when discussing waste minimization. Ocean litter poses a severe threat to marine life and the delicate balance of our global food chain. Plastic debris, discarded fishing gear, and other waste not only pollute the oceans but also entangle and suffocate marine animals, disrupt ecosystems, and contaminate the seafood we consume.
The magnitude of this problem requires a collective effort from all seafarers to “think like Guy Waites” and take full responsibility for the waste they produce at sea. By embracing sustainable practices, implementing effective waste management strategies, and raising awareness about the consequences of ocean litter, we can safeguard our precious marine ecosystems and preserve the integrity of our food chain for future generations.
In the business world, waste management is equally important. Companies across various sectors are now recognizing the need to adopt sustainable practices to reduce their environmental footprint. This is where Agecko, a leading waste management company, plays a crucial role.
Agecko offers innovative solutions to help organizations minimize waste, cut costs, reduce vehicle movement, lower CO2 emissions, and maximize recycling and rebates. By implementing their services, companies can significantly improve their waste management strategies and move towards a more sustainable position on the waste hierarchy.
By working closely with companies, Agecko identifies areas where waste can be prevented through process optimization, material substitution, or improved packaging design. They also encourage the reuse of materials and products whenever possible, reducing the need for new resources. Additionally, Agecko implements comprehensive recycling programs that ensure valuable materials are diverted from landfills, contributing to the circular economy.
The Round the World Golden Globe Race serves as a reminder that waste minimization is crucial, not just for sailors on a solo journey but for everyone seeking a sustainable future. Through innovation and a commitment to the waste hierarchy, companies like Agecko are helping businesses reduce costs, vehicle movement, CO2 emissions, and maximize recycling and rebates.
By minimizing waste and embracing sustainable practices, we can all contribute to a better and greener world.
A few words from Guy Waites:
“In spite of all the struggles and obstacles we have all achieved a great deal in completing our circumnavigation together, it has always been a team effort even when I was alone in the middle of the oceans, everyone who has helped me get to the start line has been my motivation to finish!
Waste management aboard a small boat, even for one person, is an important issue that cannot be underestimated. The overwhelming majority of waste on board was food packaging related, perhaps not too different to most households.
Not only is space and weight a premium aboard a boat but also the extent to which you can recycle what is left over from every meal, the can, bag, glass jar, plastic bottle etc.
I managed the situation by maximising my use of recyclable packaging, rinsing food packaging to get the most out of the can and reduce the build-up of potential odours during long months of storage in a potentially damp environment.
Space saving measures were taken by crushing metal cans and flat packing both foil and plastic food bags. Deliberately separating waste in to types e.g., metal, glass, plastic, paper etc.
Once back ashore in Les Sables d’Olonne we were able to easily recycle the waste stored aboard Sagarmatha at a local recycling facility, even the bags used to store the waste were made from reusable or recyclable material”.
