Island Heights Yacht Club

SUSTAINABILITY STATEMENT

The Island Heights Yacht club promotes a sustainable environment through our current actions and our future plans. The Toms River and Barnegat Bay define our history as a Yacht Club and as a community.  We have an obligation to preserve it, protect it, and cherish it.

 

We believe…

·       Being a leader in sustainability in the Barnegat Bay Yacht Club Community is important to the longevity of our treasured waterways.

·       Creating a clear plan for improving the environment for our club, our town, our river, our bay, and our ocean is our responsibility.

·       Each member of the Island Heights Yacht Club can be a part of the solution now, and into the future.

 

Our first steps have already been taken. Now, under the direction of Co-Chairs P/C Chris Wightman and Emma Wightman, we will take responsibility for creating even more awareness among our members, encouraging the membership to help us move forward with a variety of environmental initiatives today, that will help us to sustain our environment for a lifetime.

 

· Reduce Trash and food waste.	· Re-use sustainable materials.
· Recycle all recyclable materials properly.	· Eliminate single use plastic products.
· Donate all excess food.	· Use certified toxic free cleaning products.
· Ensure marina operations are clean and green.	· Employ best practices for landscaping and grounds.
· Encourage all Jr. Members to participate in the Marsh Madness clean up.	· Use LED Lighting throughout the Club House.
· Install Smart Thermostats.

 

These sustainability measures also provide a surprising opportunity to save money in several ways.

·       Asking members to bring their own cups to events will save us thousands of dollars by avoiding the purchase of single use cups and have a smaller amount of trash hauled away each week.

·       Reducing food waste by checking the kitchen and coordinating with other committees allows us to spend less money on each event and waste less food.

·       Using SMART thermostats allows us to properly cool the ballroom when necessary; and LED lightbulbs reduce energy and replacement costs while providing warm and safe cool-temp lighting.

·       Using the proper receptacle for trash and recycling reduces the amount of time our stewards spend sorting trash so they can focus on important activities to keep our members happy.

·       Donating left over food on a regular basis to those less fortunate allows our community to thrive, while avoiding unnecessary trash removable for spoiled food.

 

We hope that each member will take this commitment personally. Do your part by bringing your favorite sustainable cup down to the Club – BYOC with BYOB! Choose the proper refuse can for the type of product you are tossing. Act on replacing any chemical you use on your boat with an environmentally friendly option. It starts with each of us, and together we can make an impact on our lives at IHYC and create the future we all deserve here on the Toms River and Barnegat Bay.

 

For more information on how to get involved, please contact Co-Chairs, P/C Chris Wightman and Emma Wightman. They welcome members of all ages to participate in the IHYC Sustainability Committee.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 April 24, 2023