Water Footprint Implementation Partners with 11th Hour Racing Team to Further their Sustainability Goals
In brief:
- 11th Hour Racing Team partners with Water Footprint Implementation to quantify and manage the Team’s direct and indirect water use.
- The partnership is part of an ambitious endeavor to ensure accuracy in the Team’s overall sustainability program and reporting.
- Monitoring direct and indirect water use allows the Team to make conscious choices on where to purchase goods and supplies.
© Amory Ross | 11th Hour Racing Download
NEWPORT, Rhode Island (March 22, 2021) - Pulling out all the stops in their quest for a water neutral campaign, 11th Hour Racing Team has established a new partnership with Dutch organization, Water Footprint Implementation.
The
Netherlands-based body will be joining the organization to quantify and
manage the sailing team’s direct and indirect water use until the end
of The Ocean Race 2022-23. 11th Hour Racing Team will work with Water
Footprint Implementation to track water usage, reduce consumption, and
compensate for the unavoidable remaining footprint from the campaign.
A
‘water footprint’ isn’t simply the amount of water that comes out of a
tap. Every product and service used takes water to make or provide –
whether that’s materials for the boat build, the sailors’ clothing or
the equipment taken onboard for each race. This is known as ‘embedded
water’ and accounts for the indirect water use. When products are traded
across borders, there is also a ‘virtual water’ trade taking place. By
monitoring the team’s use of this finite resource they can learn where
the water is coming from and how it may be impacting these often distant
regions, allowing conscious choices when purchasing goods.
In
an ambitious endeavor to ensure accuracy in the data, the Team’s goal
is to include embedded water consumption, as well as direct water
consumption, in their overall footprint calculations.
“Partnering
with Water Footprint Implementation is step one of many as we seek to
minimize our water footprint, and aspire to run a net positive campaign
across all our sectors of operation and influence - having a
regenerative impact on our environment,” explained Damian Foxall, 11th
Hour Racing Team’s Sustainability Program Manager. “Their expertise will
enable us to fully assess our campaign’s impact, allowing us to build
an effective strategy to mitigate our water use and optimize
opportunities for making considered choices when purchasing our goods
and supplies. It’s important that we understand, and take responsibility
for, our impacts in any given sector - only then can we begin to make
powerful and constructive changes that will improve the health of our
planet.”
According
to the World Wildlife Fund, if global water consumption continues at
the current level, two-thirds of the world’s population could be
affected by water scarcity by 2025. In order to better understand issues
like water shortages and pollution, Water Footprint Implementation
examines production and supply chains as a whole, helping governments
and organizations reduce their impact on water sources.
© Amory Ross | 11th Hour Racing
“We’re
very excited to work with the 11th Hour Racing Team on their water
sustainability journey,” said Ioana Dobrescu, the project lead from
Water Footprint Implementation. “Obtaining a precise insight into the
embedded water in the different materials the Team uses for the boat or
in their day to day activities during the race will be complex and
challenging, but it is indispensable to inform reduction strategies and
compensation options.
“What
we find particularly unique about this partnership is the possibility
for Water Footprint to use a previously unexplored field such as marine
sports to raise awareness globally about the virtual water trade. The
Ocean Race is a great ‘stage’, as virtual water trade takes place for a
major part, via cargo shipping on marine waters, which is not visible to
us as consumers. Juxtaposing examples of virtual water trade from one
stopover to the next we hope will trigger the wider community to
consider their water consumption.”
“Tackling
this challenge will be a real journey for us, but the results are sure
to make a difference,” acknowledged Mark Towill, CEO of 11th Hour Racing
Team.
“Over
our last campaign with Vestas 11th Hour Racing, we learned a lot about
the changes we can make to reduce our water footprint with ease. For
example, by simply implementing a ‘Meat-free Mondays’
policy during our last cycle, we saved more water than was used by the
whole team through taps and hoses throughout the entire campaign. That’s
mind blowing. Food has such a huge impact on our water footprints, but
there are many other contributing factors too. This is why we’re joining
forces with Water Footprint Implementation, to understand how we can
better address this problem and inform our Team’s net positive
approach,” Towill concluded.
11th
Hour Racing Team’s mission is to inspire positive action among sailing
and coastal communities, and global sports fans to create long-lasting
change for ocean health. The Team will accelerate change through
sporting excellence in sailing, ocean advocacy, and sustainable
innovation.
For more information on 11th Hour Racing Team’s sustainability program, please click here.
© Water Footprint Implementation Download
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About 11th Hour Racing Team
11th
Hour Racing Team was formed in September 2019 and is led by American
offshore sailors Charlie Enright and Mark Towill. Supported by title
sponsor 11th Hour Racing, the team’s mission is to win The Ocean Race 2022-23 with
sustainability at the core of all operations, inspiring positive action
among sailing and coastal communities, and global sports fans to create
long-lasting change for ocean health. Towill and Enright have competed
in the two previous editions of The Ocean Race. The Team is currently
training in Brittany, France in preparation for a two-boat IMOCA 60
racing program in 2021 with plans to compete in The Ocean Race Europe,
The Rolex Fastnet Race, the Défi Azimut, and the Transat Jacques Vabre.
For press inquiries:
11th Hour Racing Team
Emily Caroe
Water Footprint Implementation
Ioana Dobrescu