Standing on the side of a ferryboat, taking in the sights of the San Francisco bay and Alcatraz Island, a tourist might go through several thoughts. Thoughts about the beauty of the urban landscape, or about the immense history of Alcatraz, maybe even thoughts about what's next on their vacation agenda- but thoughts about how they can recycle the water bottle they have in hand?

Going "green" has taken over Alcatraz. These thoughts seem to have become normal for tourists who can now ride the nation's first ever hybrid boat to visit the San Francisco landmark that once caged such notorious criminals as Al Capone.

In March 2009, Alcatraz Cruises launched the service of the Hornblower Hybrid, a ferryboat that combines the use of a diesel-powered engine with wind power and solar panels, creating a greener power source for the boat to run on.

"We have seen more than three million passengers since 2006," Alcatraz Cruises' spokeswoman Tegan Firth said. "Our goal with the hybrid is to cut down on our carbon footprint and become an example for future green innovations."

Alcatraz Cruises, a division of Hornblower Cruises and Events, came up with the idea of a hybrid vessel after looking at who they were serving as a company, says their Environmental Services director, Cameron Clark.

Clark says that the eco-consciousness of their customers and the Toyota Prius were inspiration to the hybrid boat.

"A lot of people laughed at us saying, 'A hybrid boat? That's crazy.' But we thought- why couldn't it work," says Clark.

So, in 2005, the company started work on the boat and proved that the idea could work. Now, when describing the boat, Clark emphasizes that the Hybrid runs similar to the Prius. Like the Prius, which uses and switches between gasoline and electric power, the Hornblower Hybrid switches between is diesel and electric. On the Prius, dashboard lights and air conditioning are powered by a battery pack. Similarly, the Hornblower Hybrid uses power from its battery banks to power lighting, navigation, and other electronic uses.
What makes the Hornblower Hybrid different from the Prius is that the captain of the ship monitors the boat's energy needs and can choose the most energy efficient way to run on, unlike the Prius, which, when the driver is idling, automatically switches from the gasoline-powered engine to electric mode.
"For example, when the boat is idling at the dock we can shut off the engines and the electric motors will run off the battery supply," Clark said.

The Hybrid is also more energy efficient than regular boats. Compared to a typical ferryboat that burns 25 to 30 gallons of diesel per hour, the Hornblower Hybrid uses between five to seven gallons per hour. The company has also uses environmentally friendly practices. They recycle trash accumulated on the tour and cruise ships and according to Clark it is with a diversion rate of 75%, meaning that the trash is sorted to prevent landfill pile ups. Plus, all the lights used on the Hybrid are LED and the countertops are even made from 2,000 recycled Skyy vodka bottles.

"We are working to find ways to reduce as much as possible," Clark says.

The company also tries to educate as much as possible about becoming environmentally conscious. They educate their staff about the practices they follow, as well as educating their passengers about recycling through posters they have around the ships and bins. According to passengers stepping off of the boat, the posters are working.

Stephanie Ferrer, a student at the University of San Francisco, says she never did much to improve the environment before taking the cruise, but now will think twice before she tosses a soda can into the trash.

"Its cool what [Alcatraz Cruises] is doing because boats in general give out a lot of toxins," Ferrer, 19, said. "It's a good direction to start in, especially because San Francisco is very conscious about the environment."

The eco-friendly elements that Alcatraz Cruises has added to the Hornblower Hybrid make the cruise both educational and fun for its passengers. One popular learning tool they have on hand- an exercise bike. This bike, which is hooked up to a miniature representation of how the boat uses wind, and solar power, gives passengers a hands-on idea about how the boat actually runs.

Vanessa Alfonso, a mother of three from Miami, FL, was not even aware that the boat was a hybrid until they stood in line to get on the boat. She said she thought it was an ordinary ferryboat, simply lugging tourists to see some famous landmarks.

"I was thinking we would just go see Angel Island and Alcatraz but my family is taking away something very rewarding," Alfonso says, while peddling away on the exercise bike. "My 8-year-old daughter now knows the importance of composting."

Alcatraz Cruises wants to go even farther than the Hornblower Hybrid to educate people about steps in becoming environmentally friendly. To do so they have set up "Respect Our Planet," an organizational plan designed to promote best practices for environmental management.

Through "Respect Our Planet" the company has created a program promoting environmental consciousness. Educational Bay Cruises is a program aimed directly at reaching out to students. With the program, the company takes students on a boat for a field trip, interacting and teaching them about renewable energy and how it impacts the environment.

"Respect Our Planet is about reducing our impact on the environment and protecting the beautiful places we work and live in everyday," Firth said.
Hornblower Cruises has future plans to build more hybrid vessels, as well as even more eco-friendly innovations. Currently they are working on building the Hornblower Hybrid Hydrogen, the first boat of its kind. The Hydrogen will be the first boat to complete a full day of service without burning diesel. The Hybrid Hydrogen will be even bigger than the current hybrid, with a capacity to hold 600 passengers.

"Hopefully the Hybrid will inspire people," Clark said. "If a little San Francisco-based company like us can come up with this, why can't the bigger companies?"