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
Yes, I think we have gone too far from the idea of the thread. I asked what USMS members, as swimmers, coaches, administrators could do environmentally, particularly about enhancing and encouraging cleaner water...really, in relation to our sport, which we do in water. I am very surprised that we have not had more Open Water comments!
The comments on shorter, not as hot, showers are good. Keeping the temp. down a bit on the pool water is good, too. Trying to minimize paper, of course, is good (we have a river near here, the Kalamazoo, which has/had paper mills polluting it for years...it flows into Lake Michigan!)
But where are the Open Water comments? I know the Manhattan swims have tried to promote cleaner water for years, particularly the Hudson but the other waters they swim in, too! What do or what can Open Water Swims do to promote cleaner water in their venue? My family and I do a team Triathlon in Lake Macatawa (once named Black Lake...by the way, the CEO of "Blackwater" comes from this area) that empties into Lake Michigan and we almost didn't get to swim this year because of an e coli reading the week before the Triathlon!!
If we're going to make a big deal out of Open Water Swims...meaning we're (USMS) going really try to market them more, I believe we must promote cleaner water! How can we, as an organization, as well as we, as individuals in this sport do this?? That's what I'm asking....looking for more positive ideas. Does just scheduling an Open Water swim in a local body of water do it? Or do we need to actively get involved in trying not to have boats empty their bilges or companies dump their refuse into our swimming area? JP
Yes, I think we have gone too far from the idea of the thread. I asked what USMS members, as swimmers, coaches, administrators could do environmentally, particularly about enhancing and encouraging cleaner water...really, in relation to our sport, which we do in water. I am very surprised that we have not had more Open Water comments!
The comments on shorter, not as hot, showers are good. Keeping the temp. down a bit on the pool water is good, too. Trying to minimize paper, of course, is good (we have a river near here, the Kalamazoo, which has/had paper mills polluting it for years...it flows into Lake Michigan!)
But where are the Open Water comments? I know the Manhattan swims have tried to promote cleaner water for years, particularly the Hudson but the other waters they swim in, too! What do or what can Open Water Swims do to promote cleaner water in their venue? My family and I do a team Triathlon in Lake Macatawa (once named Black Lake...by the way, the CEO of "Blackwater" comes from this area) that empties into Lake Michigan and we almost didn't get to swim this year because of an e coli reading the week before the Triathlon!!
If we're going to make a big deal out of Open Water Swims...meaning we're (USMS) going really try to market them more, I believe we must promote cleaner water! How can we, as an organization, as well as we, as individuals in this sport do this?? That's what I'm asking....looking for more positive ideas. Does just scheduling an Open Water swim in a local body of water do it? Or do we need to actively get involved in trying not to have boats empty their bilges or companies dump their refuse into our swimming area? JP
