Alcatraz Does Its Part to Help the Environment

Alcatraz Island/Prison is a cool place to visit, especially if you're a huge Nick Cage fan (in which case we all invite you to permanently stay there) and loved The Rock. It's so popular, in fact, that approximately 1.4 million people visit it each year.

And since everyone one of those people has to be ferried over from San Francisco, it can leave a pretty large carbon footprint. But Alcatraz Cruises is helping out with that.

To help reduce this environmental impact recently launched their very own green solution - the Hornblower Hybrid ferry. The multi-hulled hybrid boat uses two wind turbines and a solar array to generate power for its navigation tools, lighting, and even part of its propulsion system.

Note the diagram above, except with less Beetles-esque cartoony graphics from the 1960's. Now, if you're into science, feel free to head over to their website and download the fact sheet and press release and whatnot. And if you're really gung-ho about visiting an old prison in an eco friendly boat, you can email the folks to set up a tour.