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
There is one other factor that the marketplace doesn't take into account - affluence.
I do enjoy your reasonable and thoughtful tone. I disagree with the above statement. I believe the US Market is almost overly concerned with affluence. You really think there is a difference between a pair of Seven jeans for $200 versus a pair of Levi's for $35? Sure, but not six times as much. A service company will charge more in some zip codes versus others. Why does the exact same diamond cost twice as much at Tiffany's as it does at Fred's Diamond Express? It's all about affluence.
We have strayed far from swimming, my apologies.
There is one other factor that the marketplace doesn't take into account - affluence.
I do enjoy your reasonable and thoughtful tone. I disagree with the above statement. I believe the US Market is almost overly concerned with affluence. You really think there is a difference between a pair of Seven jeans for $200 versus a pair of Levi's for $35? Sure, but not six times as much. A service company will charge more in some zip codes versus others. Why does the exact same diamond cost twice as much at Tiffany's as it does at Fred's Diamond Express? It's all about affluence.
We have strayed far from swimming, my apologies.
