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
JP, I know you missed Big Shoulders this year, but did you know one of the beneficiaries of the swim starting this year is the Great Lakes Alliance (http://www.greatlakes.org/)?
Good example, and a good suggestion for starting in one's backyard. Perhaps the organizers of a meet that enjoys Great Lakes water could be asked to make a donation of some kind. Lots of organizers simply don't know about Great Lakes Alliance. And one would want to be sure that some of the fee money so directed actually got used to promote water health rather than tourism.
VB
JP, I know you missed Big Shoulders this year, but did you know one of the beneficiaries of the swim starting this year is the Great Lakes Alliance (http://www.greatlakes.org/)?
Good example, and a good suggestion for starting in one's backyard. Perhaps the organizers of a meet that enjoys Great Lakes water could be asked to make a donation of some kind. Lots of organizers simply don't know about Great Lakes Alliance. And one would want to be sure that some of the fee money so directed actually got used to promote water health rather than tourism.
VB
