NO TOILETS - But perhaps a little methane. Humans cannot live without adding to global warming, but they can make choices that will reduce their carbon footprint and still breathe.

LONELY PLANET - Dilemma: you’re a climate change activist who needs to get from your hometown in Sweden to a conference in New York but taking a flight is out of the question. How do you get there?
Climate change activist Greta Thunberg is inspiring a new generation of green travellers.

If you’re Greta Thunberg, you’ll sail across the Atlantic in a “zero emissions” racing yacht. The 16-year-old Swedish climate change activist is speaking at the United Nations Climate Action Summit in New York in September and has plans to visit Canada, Mexico and Chile in December, as well as other places in South America “that are important in tackling the climate crisis.”

To reach her first destination, Thunberg will sail aboard the Malizia II, a 60ft sailing yacht equipped with solar panels, wind turbines and underwater hydrofoils to run on zero emissions. The yacht is sponsored by Yacht Club de Monaco and was offered to Thunberg from its owner, German property developer Gerhard Senft, who came across the Nobel Peace Prize-nominee’s travel dilemma on Twitter.

Thunberg will be joined by her father on the nonstop transatlantic journey, along with Swedish documentary maker Nathan Grossman, captain Boris Herrmann and founder of Team Malizia, Pierre Casiraghi (grandson of Monaco’s late Prince Rainier III and actress Grace Kelly).

Despite the yacht’s glossy appearance and royal connections, life on board will be challenging. Holly Cova, manager of Team Malizia, told The Times that passengers will eat vegan-friendly “astronaut food” that will be freeze-dried ahead of the two-week journey. There’s also no toilet on board, just a bucket and no cabins either. Passengers will sleep on makeshift beds.


Thunberg said that while she had planned to travel the Americas by rail, finding a way to reach North America from Europe had been difficult. However, on Monday she tweeted the good news, saying: “I’ll be joining the UN Climate Action Summit in New York, COP25 in Santiago and other events along the way. I’ve been offered a ride on the 60ft racing boat Malizia II.

“Together with many other young people across the Americas and the world, I will be there, even if the journey will be long and challenging,” she added. “It is our future on the line, and we must at least have a say in it. The science is clear and all we children are doing is communicating and acting on that united science. And our demand is for the world to unite behind the science.”

METRO 13 AUGUST 2019 - Greta Thunberg will sail to US on boat with no toilet to avoid flying

Climate change activist Greta Thunberg is sailing to the US on a boat with no shower or toilet to reach the US.

She wants to attend a United Nations summit and join climate protests without contributing to carbon emissions by flying.

To do so, she has been offered a place on a 60ft racing yacht fitted with solar panels and underwater turbines which produce electricity on board.

She will set sail for New York from Plymouth on Wednesday with the aim of making the trip zero-carbon.

‘I might feel a bit seasick and it’s not going to be comfortable but that I can live with,’ Thunberg told the BBC.

‘If it’s really hard then I just have to think it’s only for two weeks then I can go back to as usual,’ said the 16-year-old who will be accompanied by her father, Svante, and a cameraman on the journey.

The boat is designed for speed rather than luxury, and has blue buckets in lieu of a toilet.

Skipper Boris Hermann said: ‘Greta taking on this challenge of sailing across on a race boat with zero comfort really shows her commitment to the cause and how far she’s willing to push herself.’

Greta added: ‘By stopping flying you not only reduce your own Carbon Footprint but also that sends a signal to other people around you that the climate crisis is a real thing.’

When she arrives, she will join the UN Climate Action Summit in New York in September and the COP 25 climate change conference in Santiago, Chile in December. By Jen Mills

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NEWS TALKZ 14 AUGUST 2019

PLYMOUTH, ENGLAND: Climate change activist Greta Thunberg sets sail for New York in the 60ft Malizia II yacht from Mayflower Marina, on August 14, 2019 in Plymouth, England.

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg began her journey to the United States today for the United Nations Climate Conference. Her mode of travel is fitting for someone who’s climate conscious: She’s arriving in an eco-friendly boat. 

The 16-year-old, who has inspired youth protests around the world, left Wednesday afternoon from Plymouth in the United Kingdom. She’s making her two week voyage across the Atlantic in a zero-emissions racing yacht, emphasizing the need to reduce carbon emissions worldwide.

Thunberg spearheaded a global demonstration in March when tens of thousands of students walked out of school to protest inaction on climate change: rising global temperatures that threaten food production and rising sea levels. She was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, featured on Time magazine’s cover and met the Pope. 

The boat, called Malizia II, has solar panels and underwater turbines to generate electricity on board. Pierre Casiraghi, grandson of American actress Grace Kelly and Monaco’s late Prince Rainier III, and race skipper Boris Herrmann will captain the vessel. 

Thunberg doesn’t fly because of the sky-high amount of carbon emissions caused by planes. So when she decided to attend the UN conference, she spent months researching the transportation with the smallest carbon footprint.

The yacht is not meant for luxurious travel — there’s no toilet, shower or refrigerator, The Associated Press reported. Thunberg says she doesn’t mind.

“It’s not very luxurious, it’s not very fancy but I don’t need that. I need only a bed and just the basic things,” Thunberg told The Associated Press. “So I think it will be fun, and I also think it will be fun to be isolated and not be so limited.”

The Malizia team founded the Malizia Ocean Challenge, a project championing ocean and climate change education for children. Their mission very much aligns with Thunberg’s goals to turn words into action on climate change, Herrman said in a statement.

“I feel humbled that Greta accepted our offer as the lowest-carbon option to cross the Atlantic – despite the lack of comfort for her,” Herrman said.

Thunberg is accompanied by her father, Svante, and filmmaker Nathan Grossman of B-Reel films, who will capture the journey on film. Their progress can be tracked on a map online.

She’s taking a year off from school to continue her activist work in North America, meeting with people most affected by the climate crisis, fellow activists and lawmakers. Thunberg also plans to visit Canada, Mexico and key sites related to climate change in South America.

“Together with many other young people across the Americas and the world, I will be there, even if the journey will be long and challenging,” Thunberg said in a statement. “We will make our voices heard. It is our future on the line, and we must at least have a say in it..”

LINKS & REFERENCES

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2019/08/14/climate-change-greta-thunberg-sets-sail/2010820001/

https://www.newstalkz.com/2019/08/14/climate-change-greta-thunberg-sets-sail/

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/news/2019/07/31/greta-thunberg-nyc-eco-friendly-yacht/

https://metro.co.uk/2019/08/13/greta-thunberg-will-sail-us-boat-no-toilet-avoid-flying-10566606/
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/07/29/swedish-activist-greta-thunberg-set-sail-new-york-un-climate/
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7365909/Greta-Thunbergs-Atlantic-trip-zero-carbon-yacht-generate-emissions-saves.html

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