I don't know whether this has been discussed much, but how can USMS support "going green," promoting and/or being supportive of being environmentally responsible for clean water to swim in as well as to drink?
Open Water swims, of course, are the perfect venues to remind us all to keep our waters clean for swimming. The Boston swim focuses on this; do other Open Water swims promote cleaner water? What do they do?
Can pool Masters swimmers, clubs, LMSCs promote being "greener"? Encouraging people to take shorter showers is one way. What are other ways?
I think it is a fine idea and good opportunity for USMS to promote this particular aspect of the environment. By the way, all the Great Lakes are down several inches, except for Lake Superior (where, at the moment, we don't have Open Water swims...but who knows, in the future???).
Jennifer Parks, Michigan Masters
Parents
Former Member
Water quality is important, there are reasons for it (medical, ecosystem, etc.) that are not political.
They've managed to clean up most of the untreated sewage that was being dumped in the SF bay but they're noticing fish species are still declining due to other (mostly man-made) chemicals in the environment being introduced through runoff. Blue water isn't necessarily ok. It's visually appealing but there can still be other contaminants.
Water quality is important, there are reasons for it (medical, ecosystem, etc.) that are not political.
They've managed to clean up most of the untreated sewage that was being dumped in the SF bay but they're noticing fish species are still declining due to other (mostly man-made) chemicals in the environment being introduced through runoff. Blue water isn't necessarily ok. It's visually appealing but there can still be other contaminants.
