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
Former Member
Carpooling was something else I was going to mention. Think about how many people are driving to practices and meets by themselves. I know I am most of the time. Heck, this forum could be helpful in organizing carpools to meets. If the entries were online a link could be given to a forum topic for carpooling to each meet.
That's a good Idea!
I'm all for light rail. Atlanta has a great rail system, except it doesn't go anywhere anyone wants to. By the time I drive to the MARTA station, I'm basically at work. I have tried to figure how to get to work using mass transite. Assuming everything is on scheulde my 25 minute drive becomes a 3.5 hour commute. I can cut that in half by riding my bike to the station, but the chance of death goes way up.
:notworking:
It's certainly not for everybody. Some occupations are simply not compatible with mass transit (I fall into that range of occupations) while other times the area in question does not have a transit system in place capable of providing any benefit.
I'm all for light rail. Atlanta has a great rail system, except it doesn't go anywhere anyone wants to. By the time I drive to the MARTA station, I'm basically at work. I have tried to figure how to get to work using mass transite. Assuming everything is on scheulde my 25 minute drive becomes a 3.5 hour commute. I can cut that in half by riding my bike to the station, but the chance of death goes way up.
:notworking:
Can pool Masters swimmers, clubs, LMSCs promote being "greener"? Encouraging people to take shorter showers is one way. What are other ways?
How about encouraging pools to keep the water temperature down around 80? Dropping the water temp a few degrees could save lots of energy.
Getting back to the topic, here in Charlotte for three years a group organized three lake races. They races benefitted the local riverkeepers group as a large river creates all three lakes. It was very popular and very successful and the highlight of my summer racing. Unfortunately, the couple that organized it has moved, a big blow to local OW racing here.
Progress, the reason for the great lakes dropping in level.
The dregging of the St. Cair River causes a massive drain of Lake Huron. Lake Superior level is way down also.
The St Cair River drain should be fixed. But like all problems the investigation of the cause will be a twenty year study which will be too late.
How about encouraging pools to keep the water temperature down around 80? Dropping the water temp a few degrees could save lots of energy.
Skimpier bathing suits...stop the destruction of the Lycra forests!!:bolt:
How about getting Electronic entry standardised on a web page, or even an Excel file. or a USMS cards that can be emailed instead of photocopied and 80% of a sheet of paper wasted just to mail it in...might be unpopular but do away with certificates for awards, though this could be done with recycled paper...save some trees, or at minimum, source a discount for recycled paper fo USMS swimmers.
Getting back to the topic, here in Charlotte for three years a group organized three lake races. They races benefitted the local riverkeepers group as a large river creates all three lakes. It was very popular and very successful and the highlight of my summer racing. Unfortunately, the couple that organized it has moved, a big blow to local OW racing here.
paper production pollutes rivers.
At least recycling destroys less resources all round. I'm for E-forms for USMS. Since you're going to generate carbon emissions with whatever you do. That can't be avoided.
efitted the local riverkeepers group as a large river creates all three lakes. It was very popular and very successful and the highlight of my summer racing. Unfortunately, the couple that organized it has moved, a big blow to local OW racing here.
Geek: a possible career change opportunity for you: make tons of money, go green, and do/support something you love. Sounds too good to be true!
