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
I disagree. I think we need to go out of the way to save energy.
There will be a very small group of people who feel the way you do. However, as Margrave states, it is pretty much universally accepted that the hook to conservation is market forces, not early adopters or new gizmos. For instance, the sole reason people are sick of SUVs is the cost of gas, and a lesser extent environmental issues. If gas were still $1.25/gallon SUVs would still be hot sellers.
The majority of citizens will not go out of their way to save energy unless there is some economic value to them. Plus, if I have to go out of my way to save energy, doesn't that mean I'm wasting energy?
Stud cited a perfect example. Why would he bother taking mass transit, which is cleaner and ultimately better for our environment, when it is more costly to do so?
I disagree. I think we need to go out of the way to save energy.
There will be a very small group of people who feel the way you do. However, as Margrave states, it is pretty much universally accepted that the hook to conservation is market forces, not early adopters or new gizmos. For instance, the sole reason people are sick of SUVs is the cost of gas, and a lesser extent environmental issues. If gas were still $1.25/gallon SUVs would still be hot sellers.
The majority of citizens will not go out of their way to save energy unless there is some economic value to them. Plus, if I have to go out of my way to save energy, doesn't that mean I'm wasting energy?
Stud cited a perfect example. Why would he bother taking mass transit, which is cleaner and ultimately better for our environment, when it is more costly to do so?
