How do we reduce and even eliminate our sailboat's carbon dioxide emissions when using auxiliary propulsion and electrical HVAC systems?
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The initiative to reduce emissions is appreciated but more often advertised for the sales bias.
Let’s start with a sailboat set of sails-and the hours under sail vs motoring. Then clearly explain the expectations- racing, cruising, day sailing locally.
Only then may the green effort be real numbers and described as efforts to reduce greenhouse or health emissions.
Sails are sourced from dinosaurs as well as diesel and gas. – so what is the comparison? Only then can the feel good politics be truly comparable.
Let’s think deeply about this….how much CO2 is released when these batteries are manufactured? What is their reasonable life span? Where does shore power come from? What emissions does that create?
Perhaps the quick and easy, and certainly the cheapest way to ‘green up’ a sailboat is to sail more and motor less!