Racing Into Environmental Action With Two Chloes

Every so often, some details get lost in translation. In the September issue, we published a story written by youth sailor and Latitude reporter Chloe Eenmaa from San Francisco about 29er sailor and environmental advocate Chloe Goodman from San Diego. The two Chloes did cause a little problem for our team. We have no excuse, and we apologize sincerely to Chloe and Chloe for the mix up regarding who is who.

Chloe Eenmaa is the author of the story about Chloe Goodman, who is working with Sailors for the Sea to implement environmentally sustainable practices in sailing through the Clean Regattas program. We inadvertently wrote that some of the photos were of Chloe Eenmaa, and that she provided such photos. This is incorrect. The photos in the magazine and the excerpt below were provided by Chloe Goodman. Chloe Goodman is also the woman who appears in the photos. There are no photos of Chloe Eenmaa in the story.

Now that we have hopefully clarified the different roles of each of the two Chloes and addressed our errors, we leave you with the story written by Chloe Eenmaa.

Racing Into Environmental Action

At the end of a regatta, long after the last boat has been trailered up and driven away, what is left onshore tells its own story, one that is often ignored. Forgotten gear, bits of electrical tape, broken zip ties, snack wrappers and empty plastic bottles remain scattered along the dock. Sailing is a sport immediately connected to the water, but its environmental footprint is often overlooked. The very athletes who depend on clean oceans for competition and recreation can unintentionally contribute to their decay. But a growing movement in the sailing community aims to change that.

Sailors for the Sea, an ocean conservation organization, is leading the way through its Clean Regattas Initiative. This program offers a simple framework for organizers to reduce the environmental impact of sailing events across the world. From small intraclub regattas to international championships, the Clean Regattas certification process provides step-by-step guidelines to help events lessen their ecological footprint. By eliminating single-use plastics, establishing recycling stations, and promoting ocean education, it provides sailors with a framework to protect the oceans they depend on so heavily.

At the front of this movement is Chloe Goodman, a 29er sailor from San Diego. She became involved with Sailors for the Sea after learning about the Clean Regattas program and immediately felt it aligned with her values.

“It gave me a clear way to combine my passion for racing with environmental action,” Chloe says. “I’ve always loved the ocean, and I started noticing how much plastic and waste was left behind after regattas. I was looking for a way to do something meaningful through sailing, and when I discovered the Clean Regattas program, it felt like the perfect fit.”

Chloe advocates for small, green changes so that people can get started: “There are so many simple things that make a big difference,” she explains. “Skipping single-use water bottles and bringing reusable packaging, such as reusable metal boxes, a reusable water bottle and silicone zip lock bags, is a huge start.”

Continue reading.