One of the most noticeable changes was the appearance of a recycling centre, complete with a can crusher, on the dock at Village Cay. Organisers said glass would go to Courtney Tomlingson, a local businessman who runs a small recycling operation out of Sea Cows Bay.

The CYS also encouraged its guests to ditch the plastic bottles. This year, brokers and yachters were given aluminum bottles that they were able to fill at a free water station provided by Chuck Peterson of Clear Water.

At the Expo in the Park on Friday evening, David Thomas of Clarence Thomas Ltd. Home Centre showcased a variety Green Works natural products, from toilet bowl cleaners to window sprays to floor mops.

Organisers are also hoping to make a noticeable change in how waste is treated during the show.

“One of the things we are doing is asking [yacht passengers] to voluntarily comply with certain green initiatives,” Ms. Bakewell said. During the show, captains were asked to come into the harbour with empty holding tanks and later to go out to sea at least 1,000 feet before discharging them.

Vessels were also given fuel spill pads, donated by SOL, to capture any kind of spillage during the show.

Ms. Bakewell, who also coordinated green initiatives at this year’s Spring Regatta, said she hoped the CYS show would receive a bronze level of certification, through the Clean Regattas programme, from the US-based non-profit Sailors for the Sea.

The full story appears in the Nov. 12, 2009 issue.