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Happy Earth Day: IODA Announces Sustainability Initiative

As Earth Day turns 50, IODA announced today they are launching a co-branded education inititative with World Sailing. This is a great step towards climate action and sustainability, with the Opti Class being one of the largest youth classes, education is the first step to action.


IODA Announces Sustainability Education Initiative

Full Text Reproduced Below

EARTH DAY 2020 – IODA Launches Co-Branded World Sailing Sustainability Education Program 

IODA is committed to ensuring that sustainability and the environment is a focus of our class activities.
The theme of Earth Day 2020 is “Climate Action” and as the largest youth sailing class in the world, we recognize that Optimist sailors are the next generation leaders and future guardians of the worlds’ lakes, oceans, rivers, and the planet.  The actions we undertake today on climate change will affect future generations of sailors and the world in which we play our sport.
As result, on this Earth Day 2020 and as part of IODA’s Sustainability Strategy, we are launching a co-branded IODA version of the World Sailing Sustainability Education Programme to our Members and Optimist sailors around the globe.
World Sailing, in partnership with the World Sailing Trust and 11th Hour Racing, have released a Sustainability Education Programme in eleven different languages as part of its Agenda 2030 – sailing’s commitment to global sustainability.
The Sustainability Education Programme materials were developed with The Ocean Race, capitalising on the success of their own programme in the 2017-2018 edition of the race.
The educational materials are split into six Topics each comprising of a Booklet, Trainer’s Guide and Worksheet for age groups 6-8, 8-10 and 10-12.  The Topics are:
  1. Race with World Sailing
  2. Resources & Climate Change
  3. Navigating Wildlife & Biodiversity
  4. Reducing Waste
  5. Oil & Fuel
  6. Boat Cleaning & Maintenance
Each Topic of the IODA Version of the World Sailing Sustainability Education Programme will be launched over the next 6 weeks. Optimist images courtesy of Matias Capizzano have been included in the IODA version along with the addition of our Sail Optimist logo on all documents. 
Dan Reading, Head of Sustainability at World Sailing, commented, “I’m delighted that IODA have adopted our new sustainability education program. Originally the resources were designed for sailing clubs to be delivered when the weather isn’t suitable for sailing but I know the fun and interactive lessons centred around topics close to many sailors hearts will help parents currently under lockdown bring some sailing related learning into the household.”
The co-branded IODA Version of the World Sailing Sustainability Programme is currently available in English and free of charge to all our members, coaches, sailing schools and sailors.
It can be found in a new section on the IODA Website called “Sustainability”. Each Topic includes PDF versions of a Booklet, Trainer’s Guide and Worksheet which are available at http://www.optiworld.org/content/topic-1-race-with-world-sailing/category/18/action/content and can be downloaded and printed at your convenience.
The Booklet provides the overall content and information on the topic. The Trainer’s Guide has the lesson plans and steps to complete each section, as well as the answers to the questions and activities of the Worksheet.
This week we are launching Topic 1- Racing with World Sailing, that introduces some of the top sailing races in the world, the types of boats that race in these events and the skills needed to be a top sustainable sailor and race all over the world!
It also introduces the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals and World Sailing’s alignment with five focus areas of the IOC’s Sustainability Strategy, as well as introduce sailors who champion the message of sustainability and the importance of reducing plastic to improve ocean health.
Alternate language versions will be soon available in Arabic, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Latvian, Mandarin, Portuguese, Spanish and Vietnamese.
Please download and share the IODA Version of the World Sailing Sustainability Education Program with your sailors, coaches and parents.
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