Sustainability

Ace of Blades is committed to making our campaign and row as sustainable as possible to protect our planet. As rowers, kayakers and sailors, we have all seen first hand the amount of rubbish building up in our rivers and the ocean, and the impact it is having on our environment cannot be ignored.

According to the Circular Economy’s 2022 Circularity Gap Report, between COP25 in 2015 and COP26 in 2021, we extracted 70% more virgin materials than what the Earth can replenish. This is clearly not sustainable, but there are four key ways everyone can reduce this percentage:

  • Use fewer resources

  • Use resources for longer

  • Use resources again

  • Regenerate materials

We intend to apply these principles to all aspects of our Atlantic campaign, covering travel, food, equipment, clothing and the boat. We will use second-hand equipment wherever possible, opt for companies that employ demonstrable circular practices to create their products, and mend whatever we can.

The Big Plastic Pledge was founded by Hannah Mills, a former Olympic sailor and IOC sustainability ambassador. The initiative aims to bring together the voices, concerns and efforts of athletes and fans around the world to create a tidal wave of change: to educate others on sustainable practices, encourage brands to re-think their products and processes and to eliminate single-use plastics.

Any athlete, organisation or individual can make pledges to make a difference. With the support of World’s Toughest Row, Ace of Blades have made pledges to try to bring improvements to the world of ocean rowing. You can find details of our pledges below, and we’ll be sharing the challenges, tips and tricks we discover throughout our journey.

Our Big Plastic Pledges

  • Take our own water bottle

  • Take our own coffee & beverage cups, food containers and cutlery, and avoid food that comes in plastic packaging

  • Leave no trace - Preferably leave places cleaner than how we find them

  • Refuse single-use plastic packaging and bags

  • Encourage sports events to find alternatives to single-use plastic

  • Make informed choices

  • Spread the word of the Big Plastic Pledge

The Taff Trash Tidy Up

Since joining Cardiff City Rowing Club, Lizz has come to understand just how much rubbish there is in the River Taff, which flows through her hometown of Cardiff. She aims to use some of her time on the water to combat this.

She’ll be heading out in the training boat, on paddle boards or whatever else she can get their hands on to tidy up the Taff (while remaining safe at all times, of course!). She is involved with the Keep Cardiff Tidy and Cardiff Rivers Group.

Keep an eye on the social channels to see what the team have been doing where they live.