Hoisting sails and claiming you run a sustainable expedition sailing company don't resonate well anymore. You are off course, way more sustainable than big cruise ships, but who isn't? You have to factor in diesel consumption, travel, food, waste, and many other factors to get a correct picture of your carbon footprint. But also the building of an expedition boat has to be counted, and that's where Andrew Cowen and his co-founders of Expedition Zero and Wavysail are going to make a difference. Their ambition is to build expedition boats for the commercial market with a much lower carbon footprint and upcycle old boats to the same market.

We talked to Andrew Cowen about the business side of their start-ups - and of course, the environmental side of it all. Their ambitions and business model give a sailor hope.

If you want to a number in your sailing carbon footprint, check out MarineShift360.

If you need information about sailing in the high latitudes check out the book I wrote with Bob Shepton: High Latitude Sailing – Self-sufficient sailing techniques for cold waters and winter seasons.

Keen on sailing the Norwegian coast? You should be. Read Sail the Norwegian Coast: How and Why you should sail the most beautiful coast in the world – Kindle edition.