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
Many years ago there was a unique swim In Hamilton Ontario, The Cross Hamilton Bay Swim. It was about 2 miles. Hamilton is a very industrial town and sewage and industrial waste went into the bay. The big joke was that it was so puluted you could walk across the bay. By the early 40's they stopped all swimming in the bay. We cheated a bit. www.hamiltonharbour.ca/.../Birds-muddying-waters-TheSpec_16Aug06.pdf This article says swimming was banned in 1924 but races accross the bay were still held in the early 40s and they used to swim in LaSalle park beach in 1946. I know I was there.
They have cleaned up the bay and when I was in Hamilton a few years ago I saw pictures in the paper of kids swimming in the places that I had swum in 1939. They are really doing a good job.
Many years ago there was a unique swim In Hamilton Ontario, The Cross Hamilton Bay Swim. It was about 2 miles. Hamilton is a very industrial town and sewage and industrial waste went into the bay. The big joke was that it was so puluted you could walk across the bay. By the early 40's they stopped all swimming in the bay. We cheated a bit. www.hamiltonharbour.ca/.../Birds-muddying-waters-TheSpec_16Aug06.pdf This article says swimming was banned in 1924 but races accross the bay were still held in the early 40s and they used to swim in LaSalle park beach in 1946. I know I was there.
They have cleaned up the bay and when I was in Hamilton a few years ago I saw pictures in the paper of kids swimming in the places that I had swum in 1939. They are really doing a good job.
