Bucking trends and breaking records

Green powerboat takes on the world – and wins 

Pulling into the Spanish port of Sagunto a full 13 days, 21 hours and 9 minutes ahead of the official circumnavigation record, it was a case of around the world in 60 days for the crew of Earthrace, the hawk-like biodiesel-powered trimaran [‘Biodiesel in the fast lane’].
 
Having visited over 250 schools on both sides of the Atlantic in the run up to the record bid, the Earthrace team were determined to show just how powerful green technologies can be. The boat bristles with green credentials – biodiesel aside – including flooring made from a hemp composite alternative to carbon fibre, also found in the door panels of the BMW 5 Series.

As skipper Pete Bethune told Green Futures ahead of the record attempt, “With a little bit of thought, people can still do amazing things without damaging the environment. The same applies to our everyday lives, and that’s our message in schools. The kids have been so receptive to that.” – Jon Wallace

11 July 2008

Jon Wallace

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Fri, 18/07/2008 - 09:50 — Rob (not verified)

Biofuelheads

An unusually uncritical treatment by GF! Earthrace was conceived several years ago, when it was still possible to use "biofuel" and "carbon neutral" in the same sentence and be taken seriously. But now we know more (though not nearly enough) about the impacts of biodiesel production, including major carbon emissions from the land use change it stimulates, together with global food price hikes, this stunt is a long way from green.
But hey, hemp flooring - maybe everything's all right after all!

Round the world in 60 days Photo: Earthrace/Water Wizards