I’d like to start off playing a little game by a show of hands who here has had
game by a show of hands who here has had
game by a show of hands who here has had a sip of rum this weekend don’t be shy
a sip of rum this weekend don’t be shy
a sip of rum this weekend don’t be shy Oh looks like a lot of yeah okay maybe
Oh looks like a lot of yeah okay maybe
Oh looks like a lot of yeah okay maybe not chocolate what about chocolate hands
not chocolate what about chocolate hands
not chocolate what about chocolate hands up keep the hands up cool we’re really
up keep the hands up cool we’re really
up keep the hands up cool we’re really Wow all right if that didn’t get your
Wow all right if that didn’t get your
Wow all right if that didn’t get your coffee and tea hands up
coffee and tea hands up
coffee and tea hands up Wow okay let’s that’s that’s everybody
Wow okay let’s that’s that’s everybody
Wow okay let’s that’s that’s everybody okay so all of these products and many
okay so all of these products and many
okay so all of these products and many more in this room they all got here on a
more in this room they all got here on a
more in this room they all got here on a ship so what is the environmental impact
ship so what is the environmental impact
ship so what is the environmental impact of all this transportation of our
of all this transportation of our
of all this transportation of our favorite goods I can tell you and the
favorite goods I can tell you and the
favorite goods I can tell you and the statistics the frightening in terms of
statistics the frightening in terms of
statistics the frightening in terms of global greenhouse gas emissions if the
global greenhouse gas emissions if the
global greenhouse gas emissions if the shipping industry was a country they’d
shipping industry was a country they’d
shipping industry was a country they’d be the sixth largest polluter on the
be the sixth largest polluter on the
be the sixth largest polluter on the planet that’s a head of Germany and
planet that’s a head of Germany and
planet that’s a head of Germany and Canada but I’m not here to point out the
Canada but I’m not here to point out the
Canada but I’m not here to point out the shortcomings the major shortcomings of
shortcomings the major shortcomings of
shortcomings the major shortcomings of the shipping industry I’m here to talk
the shipping industry I’m here to talk
the shipping industry I’m here to talk about the idea the idea to put cargo
about the idea the idea to put cargo
about the idea the idea to put cargo under sail my name’s bender cause I’m
under sail my name’s bender cause I’m
under sail my name’s bender cause I’m from North Vancouver Canada and years
from North Vancouver Canada and years
from North Vancouver Canada and years ago I decided to take a step back from
ago I decided to take a step back from
ago I decided to take a step back from my career I was gonna go traveling and I
my career I was gonna go traveling and I
my career I was gonna go traveling and I was going to look for new opportunities
was going to look for new opportunities
was going to look for new opportunities I ended up in Berlin bright-eyed and
I ended up in Berlin bright-eyed and
I ended up in Berlin bright-eyed and looking for a project to really get
looking for a project to really get
looking for a project to really get involved with but it didn’t work out for
involved with but it didn’t work out for
involved with but it didn’t work out for me just Club Matthew really
but one night months on I decided to go
but one night months on I decided to go online and look for a project and I
online and look for a project and I
online and look for a project and I found this guy and he he wanted to
found this guy and he he wanted to
found this guy and he he wanted to rebuild a 1920 schooner ship named the
rebuild a 1920 schooner ship named the
rebuild a 1920 schooner ship named the Avant or with the idea to put cargo back
Avant or with the idea to put cargo back
Avant or with the idea to put cargo back under sail I thought this was radically
under sail I thought this was radically
under sail I thought this was radically traditional I loved it I thought it was
traditional I loved it I thought it was
traditional I loved it I thought it was wild and so the next morning I packed up
wild and so the next morning I packed up
wild and so the next morning I packed up half my stuff and I was heading out to
half my stuff and I was heading out to
half my stuff and I was heading out to else left
else left
else left which was close to the city of Bremen I
which was close to the city of Bremen I
which was close to the city of Bremen I admit neither of leader I had ever heard
admit neither of leader I had ever heard
admit neither of leader I had ever heard of so there I was on the train really
of so there I was on the train really
of so there I was on the train really excited get into L slit farms for days
excited get into L slit farms for days
excited get into L slit farms for days coming in and this guy Cornelius Bachman
coming in and this guy Cornelius Bachman
coming in and this guy Cornelius Bachman shows up he looks at me and something
shows up he looks at me and something
shows up he looks at me and something was off right away
was off right away
was off right away oh nothing had gone right in his day
oh nothing had gone right in his day
oh nothing had gone right in his day everything was terrible oh it was going
everything was terrible oh it was going
everything was terrible oh it was going terribly wrong and we were gonna have a
terribly wrong and we were gonna have a
terribly wrong and we were gonna have a rum that night
rum that night
rum that night okay so here I am excited to get in and
okay so here I am excited to get in and
okay so here I am excited to get in and we’re gonna go have a rum tonight right
we’re gonna go have a rum tonight right
we’re gonna go have a rum tonight right okay sounds good
okay sounds good
okay sounds good so that night we’re sipping a rum and he
so that night we’re sipping a rum and he
so that night we’re sipping a rum and he starts to tell me why he started this
starts to tell me why he started this
starts to tell me why he started this project called timber coast he had
project called timber coast he had
project called timber coast he had worked his whole career in the shipping
worked his whole career in the shipping
worked his whole career in the shipping industry and there he saw firsthand the
industry and there he saw firsthand the
industry and there he saw firsthand the negative effects the shipping industry
negative effects the shipping industry
negative effects the shipping industry was having on the environment and he
was having on the environment and he
was having on the environment and he knew it was time to act you can’t just
knew it was time to act you can’t just
knew it was time to act you can’t just wait and so he purchased this ship and
wait and so he purchased this ship and
wait and so he purchased this ship and his plan was too full he was going to
his plan was too full he was going to
his plan was too full he was going to work with this the workers at the
work with this the workers at the
work with this the workers at the shipyard in El slit but also he was
shipyard in El slit but also he was
shipyard in El slit but also he was going to put out the call to volunteers
going to put out the call to volunteers
going to put out the call to volunteers anyone who was willing to give their
anyone who was willing to give their
anyone who was willing to give their time and expertise to make this come
time and expertise to make this come
time and expertise to make this come true so one by one people such as myself
true so one by one people such as myself
true so one by one people such as myself we started to come from on every corner
we started to come from on every corner
we started to come from on every corner of the world we had welders from
of the world we had welders from
of the world we had welders from Argentina we had sailors from Denmark we
Argentina we had sailors from Denmark we
Argentina we had sailors from Denmark we had carpenters from Israel we had
had carpenters from Israel we had
had carpenters from Israel we had shipbuilders from within Germany we had
shipbuilders from within Germany we had
shipbuilders from within Germany we had architects from Australia we had
architects from Australia we had
architects from Australia we had travelers from the you know Hongkong and
travelers from the you know Hongkong and
travelers from the you know Hongkong and we had recent grads from the UK and the
we had recent grads from the UK and the
we had recent grads from the UK and the list goes on and on and on and on and
list goes on and on and on and on and
list goes on and on and on and on and throughout this project we ended up
throughout this project we ended up
throughout this project we ended up having 160 volunteers from 26 different
having 160 volunteers from 26 different
having 160 volunteers from 26 different countries come together and at this
countries come together and at this
countries come together and at this point it had turned it had moved away
point it had turned it had moved away
point it had turned it had moved away from being a project and into a movement
from being a project and into a movement
from being a project and into a movement but it wasn’t easy each and every day
but it wasn’t easy each and every day
but it wasn’t easy each and every day whether it was summer or winter we had
whether it was summer or winter we had
whether it was summer or winter we had to show up to work we woke up for
to show up to work we woke up for
to show up to work we woke up for healing we got on our bikes and we rode
healing we got on our bikes and we rode
healing we got on our bikes and we rode to the shipyards and it wasn’t as if
to the shipyards and it wasn’t as if
to the shipyards and it wasn’t as if once we arrived we were just gonna
once we arrived we were just gonna
once we arrived we were just gonna twiddle our thumbs and oh I’m gonna go
twiddle our thumbs and oh I’m gonna go
twiddle our thumbs and oh I’m gonna go work on that
work on that
work on that to bang a hammer over there no we were
to bang a hammer over there no we were
to bang a hammer over there no we were there we had a schedule and a deadline
there we had a schedule and a deadline
there we had a schedule and a deadline the plan was to build a ship in six
the plan was to build a ship in six
the plan was to build a ship in six months we worked really hard to make
months we worked really hard to make
months we worked really hard to make that happen but that day came and went
that happen but that day came and went
that happen but that day came and went we returned our eye to 12 months we put
we returned our eye to 12 months we put
we returned our eye to 12 months we put everything into it we got to 12 months
everything into it we got to 12 months
everything into it we got to 12 months we didn’t get it the finances were at an
we didn’t get it the finances were at an
we didn’t get it the finances were at an all-time low but we bonded together and
all-time low but we bonded together and
all-time low but we bonded together and we pushed on and after 18 months of work
we pushed on and after 18 months of work
we pushed on and after 18 months of work that day finally came we finished we had
that day finally came we finished we had
that day finally came we finished we had looked at each other in astonishment
looked at each other in astonishment
looked at each other in astonishment thinking did we actually just do this I
thinking did we actually just do this I
thinking did we actually just do this I did this project just end it was it was
did this project just end it was it was
did this project just end it was it was going to be endless but we did it we
going to be endless but we did it we
going to be endless but we did it we have a cargo hold that can carry 120
have a cargo hold that can carry 120
have a cargo hold that can carry 120 tons of cargo on that day we finished
tons of cargo on that day we finished
tons of cargo on that day we finished and in that time we were rebuilding we
and in that time we were rebuilding we
and in that time we were rebuilding we approached many companies loads of
approached many companies loads of
approached many companies loads of companies with terrific track records
companies with terrific track records
companies with terrific track records they import organic Fairtrade good
they import organic Fairtrade good
they import organic Fairtrade good sustainably harvested they know their
sustainably harvested they know their
sustainably harvested they know their entire supply chain but sail cargo and
entire supply chain but sail cargo and
entire supply chain but sail cargo and clean transportation wasn’t a part of
clean transportation wasn’t a part of
clean transportation wasn’t a part of that conversation no matter we decided
that conversation no matter we decided
that conversation no matter we decided to sail we sourced we decided to source
to sail we sourced we decided to source
to sail we sourced we decided to source our own rama 3 huh
our own rama 3 huh
our own rama 3 huh we needed it we needed it that’s what
we needed it we needed it that’s what
we needed it we needed it that’s what actually happens that is actually what
actually happens that is actually what
actually happens that is actually what happens so there we are we get into the
happens so there we are we get into the
happens so there we are we get into the Canary Islands we found this family
Canary Islands we found this family
Canary Islands we found this family distillery that had allowed us to buy
distillery that had allowed us to buy
distillery that had allowed us to buy three barrels of rum off them it was a
three barrels of rum off them it was a
three barrels of rum off them it was a glorious day everywhere whoa we’re doing
glorious day everywhere whoa we’re doing
glorious day everywhere whoa we’re doing it we’re sail cargo and then we had two
it we’re sail cargo and then we had two
it we’re sail cargo and then we had two supporters out of Bremen who decided
supporters out of Bremen who decided
supporters out of Bremen who decided they were gonna start a coffee company
they were gonna start a coffee company
they were gonna start a coffee company just so we could sail back some coffee
just so we could sail back some coffee
just so we could sail back some coffee for them they asked us to go to Honduras
for them they asked us to go to Honduras
for them they asked us to go to Honduras for 20 tons of organic coffee our crew
for 20 tons of organic coffee our crew
for 20 tons of organic coffee our crew on board made it their mission they
on board made it their mission they
on board made it their mission they sailed across the Atlantic Ocean three
sailed across the Atlantic Ocean three
sailed across the Atlantic Ocean three months all the way to the commercial
months all the way to the commercial
months all the way to the commercial port of Port au Cortez we were so
port of Port au Cortez we were so
port of Port au Cortez we were so excited to be there and so proud to be
excited to be there and so proud to be
excited to be there and so proud to be that we had just rebuilt our 44 meter
that we had just rebuilt our 44 meter
that we had just rebuilt our 44 meter sail carts with nine sails here we are
sail carts with nine sails here we are
sail carts with nine sails here we are coming into a commercial port we were
coming into a commercial port we were
coming into a commercial port we were tiny
tiny
tiny they’re everywhere we come in and
they’re everywhere we come in and
they’re everywhere we come in and there’s giant container ship 400 meters
there’s giant container ship 400 meters
there’s giant container ship 400 meters long and can carry 200 tons two hundred
long and can carry 200 tons two hundred
long and can carry 200 tons two hundred thousand tons of cargo they laughed at
thousand tons of cargo they laughed at
thousand tons of cargo they laughed at us they looked at like okay all right
us they looked at like okay all right
us they looked at like okay all right right on right on okay so we covered the
right on right on okay so we covered the
right on right on okay so we covered the port and surely we start to tell them
port and surely we start to tell them
port and surely we start to tell them what we’re all about we want to move
what we’re all about we want to move
what we’re all about we want to move away from depending on fossil fuels to
away from depending on fossil fuels to
away from depending on fossil fuels to transport our goods and to do that we’re
transport our goods and to do that we’re
transport our goods and to do that we’re rebuilding this ship as a message and
rebuilding this ship as a message and
rebuilding this ship as a message and surely one by one they started to think
surely one by one they started to think
surely one by one they started to think okay yeah let’s do this and so there we
okay yeah let’s do this and so there we
okay yeah let’s do this and so there we were our crew and those in puerto cortes
were our crew and those in puerto cortes
were our crew and those in puerto cortes loaded hand by hand 290 sacks of coffee
loaded hand by hand 290 sacks of coffee
loaded hand by hand 290 sacks of coffee onto the ship it was an incredible
onto the ship it was an incredible
onto the ship it was an incredible feeling and then we were off we were
feeling and then we were off we were
feeling and then we were off we were heading back to Germany 5,000 nautical
heading back to Germany 5,000 nautical
heading back to Germany 5,000 nautical miles on a standard container ship that
miles on a standard container ship that
miles on a standard container ship that could take a short is 11 days took us
could take a short is 11 days took us
could take a short is 11 days took us three months
take it in take it in take it in
take it in take it in take it in [Applause]
so our crew had to go through all sorts
so our crew had to go through all sorts of conditions from dead calms to fierce
of conditions from dead calms to fierce
of conditions from dead calms to fierce storms they sailed across the Caribbean
storms they sailed across the Caribbean
storms they sailed across the Caribbean Sea and over the Atlantic Ocean they
Sea and over the Atlantic Ocean they
Sea and over the Atlantic Ocean they were to arrive in Bremen we had
were to arrive in Bremen we had
were to arrive in Bremen we had absolutely no idea what was awaiting us
absolutely no idea what was awaiting us
absolutely no idea what was awaiting us there whether people even cared I mean
there whether people even cared I mean
there whether people even cared I mean here we are at 114 tonnes on this
here we are at 114 tonnes on this
here we are at 114 tonnes on this mission but is it really important to us
mission but is it really important to us
mission but is it really important to us it was and as it turns out when we came
it was and as it turns out when we came
it was and as it turns out when we came in that day into the harbor and Bremen
in that day into the harbor and Bremen
in that day into the harbor and Bremen the banks were lined up with people they
the banks were lined up with people they
the banks were lined up with people they were cheering us on we had an entire
were cheering us on we had an entire
were cheering us on we had an entire group an entire community that had come
group an entire community that had come
group an entire community that had come together to help us unload our coffee it
together to help us unload our coffee it
together to help us unload our coffee it was it was an image that we will never
was it was an image that we will never
was it was an image that we will never forget
so there we are we just arrived we
so there we are we just arrived we started unloading the coffee on
started unloading the coffee on
started unloading the coffee on controllers or trolleys and load it onto
controllers or trolleys and load it onto
controllers or trolleys and load it onto cargo bikes which we moved all of the
cargo bikes which we moved all of the
cargo bikes which we moved all of the 290 bags and rum back to the warehouse
290 bags and rum back to the warehouse
290 bags and rum back to the warehouse it was a day those volunteers that were
it was a day those volunteers that were
it was a day those volunteers that were there and had sailed across who could
there and had sailed across who could
there and had sailed across who could never forget we had done it and then
never forget we had done it and then
never forget we had done it and then that became clear that maybe just maybe
that became clear that maybe just maybe
that became clear that maybe just maybe this could be a catalyst for change
this could be a catalyst for change
this could be a catalyst for change maybe we can get people to reflect on
maybe we can get people to reflect on
maybe we can get people to reflect on just how far their goods are coming and
just how far their goods are coming and
just how far their goods are coming and what the impact that is having on the
what the impact that is having on the
what the impact that is having on the environment now we know with our Ave on
environment now we know with our Ave on
environment now we know with our Ave on tour and cargo under sail we’re just a
tour and cargo under sail we’re just a
tour and cargo under sail we’re just a drop in the ocean compared to commercial
drop in the ocean compared to commercial
drop in the ocean compared to commercial shipping but us and similar projects to
shipping but us and similar projects to
shipping but us and similar projects to ours we believe that if we can attracts
ours we believe that if we can attracts
ours we believe that if we can attracts a cargo and raise the awareness then we
a cargo and raise the awareness then we
a cargo and raise the awareness then we can warrant bigger more modern ships
can warrant bigger more modern ships
can warrant bigger more modern ships that do not rely on fossil fuels to take
that do not rely on fossil fuels to take
that do not rely on fossil fuels to take our products to us so I’ve spent the
our products to us so I’ve spent the
our products to us so I’ve spent the last two-and-a-half years investing all
last two-and-a-half years investing all
last two-and-a-half years investing all of my time alongside many people from
of my time alongside many people from
of my time alongside many people from within Germany and plenty from around
within Germany and plenty from around
within Germany and plenty from around the planet
the planet
the planet and this idea and the ship I can tell
and this idea and the ship I can tell
and this idea and the ship I can tell you now that I have a whole new
you now that I have a whole new
you now that I have a whole new understanding and appreciation of how
understanding and appreciation of how
understanding and appreciation of how far our favorite Goods must come and I
far our favorite Goods must come and I
far our favorite Goods must come and I know now that we can demand more from
know now that we can demand more from
know now that we can demand more from products like chocolate coffee and tea
products like chocolate coffee and tea
products like chocolate coffee and tea thank you very much
thank you very much
thank you very much [Applause]
”
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