Columbia River Follow-on Efforts: 2006. Archived Press Releases and Advisories, most recent first.
****MEDIA ADVISORY****
Issued: 7/28/2006
COLUMBIA RIVER SWIMMER GETS BACK IN THE WATER
Christopher Swain Supports Local Groups in Call for Stringent Standards on Toxics, and a Comprehensive River Cleanup
What: Three years after his historic swim of the entire 1,243 mile length of the Columbia River, Christopher Swain will dive back into the River of the West to show his support for a coalition of local environmental groups advocating for more stringent toxic standards, and a comprehensive cleanup of the Columbia River.
Where: Kelley Point Park, (N. Marine Drive and Lombard St. in Portland, Oregon).
When: Monday, July 31, 2006, @ 10:30 a.m.
Photo Opportunities: Christopher Swain swimming in the Columbia River, river traffic, samples of dirty water, scenic shots of river, Port of Portland, and Port of Vancouver.
Interview Opportunities: Christopher Swain, Columbia River Swimmer, Brent Foster, Executive Director, Columbia Riverkeeper. Representatives from NEDC, and OSPIRG are also expected to attend.
Contacts: Christopher Swain, Columbia River Swimmer, 802-598-5000. Brent Foster, Executive Director, Columbia Riverkeeper, 541-387-3030.
Background:
Toxics in the Columbia:
The Columbia River is polluted with a variety of dangerous, toxic compounds and chemicals, from Mercury, PCBs, and Arsenic, to weapons-grade nuclear waste. These compounds are hazardous to the health of all life in the Columbia River Basin. Swain is joining Columbia Riverkeeper, OSPIRG, NEDC, and others in calling for more stringent standards and a comprehensive cleanup.
Christopher Swain:
On July 1, 2003, Christopher Swain completed his historic 1,243 mile swim of the Columbia River’s entire length. His swim called attention to the dislocated peoples and disrupted ecosystems of the Columbia River Basin. Three years and one month later, he is back in town to advocate for his favorite river, and stump for a screening of “Source to Sea” a documentary on the swim that will be showing at the Clinton Street theater in Portland on Tuesday August 1, 2006 at 7:30 p.m.
+++
PRESS RELEASE: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE DATE: 7/24/2006
Return engagement of “Source to Sea” Draws Columbia River Swimmer Back to Oregon
Columbia Riverkeeper to Make Peace with Christopher Swain at Repeat Showing of Critically-Acclaimed Documentary
One night only: August 1, 2006 7:30 pm at the Clinton Street Theater
Portland, Ore. – After a sold-out premiere of at the Clinton Street Theater last Spring, the ninety minute documentary of river advocate Christopher Swain’s 165-day, 1,243-mile swim of the Columbia River’s entire length, “Source to Sea,” is back in Portland for a return engagement. And this time, Swain, a former Portland resident, will be on hand to answer questions from the audience.
Swain’s Columbia swim brought worldwide attention to the threats facing the Columbia River. Christopher swam up to 25 miles a day, braved waters as cold as 39 degrees, encountered every toxic from arsenic to zinc, and persisted through the slack water pools behind 14 dams. Millions watched to see whether he would complete his journey.
Swain achieved his goal, and the new documentary entitled “Source to Sea,” produced by Andy Norris, chronicles Christopher Swain’s historic swim and the serious challenges facing the Great River of the West. The film reflects the contributions of over 30 Pacific Northwest filmmakers. Tickets for the 90 minute film are $6, and the curtain opens at 7:30 p.m. Additional screenings are planned in several Columbia River Basin towns, including, Bend, Astoria, Hood River, Wenatchee, Spokane, and Golden, British Columbia. A percentage of Portland ticket sales will be donated to Columbia Riverkeeper.
“I’m excited to come back to the Northwest and share this film with my old friends and neighbors,” said Swain. “I’ll never forget swimming through Portland. Every choice we make in Portland affects the Columbia River.”
Public demand for another screening, the chance to purchase the once sold-out DVD, and the opportunity to ask questions of Swain in person—are what’s driving the second showing. The screening will mark Swain’s first public appearance in Portland since he and his family moved back to the east coast in 2004.
“Source to Sea” was extremely well-received when it premiered in Portland a few months ago. One viewer called the film, “A gut-wrenching portrait of a man and a river.” George Wilson, Chair of the Sierra Club’s Juniper Group, wrote, “What’s great about this movie is that it gives a first-hand look at what’s happening on the Columbia and to our salmon—through the eyes of a guy who spent more time in the Columbia than probably any human alive.” All agreed that the audience was a spirited and enthusiastic.
Swain to accept lifetime membership award from a once-hostile organization
After the screening, Columbia Riverkeeper, a non-profit organization that publicly criticized Swain during his historic swim, will present him with their first-ever life membership award.
“Christopher Swain’s swim down the Columbia is an amazing story that blends the personal struggles Christopher faced with the larger struggles facing the Columbia River and its tributaries,” said Brent Foster, Executive Director of Columbia Riverkeeper. “This is a unique opportunity to experience Christopher’s passion and energy for river protection.”
Contacts:
Christopher Swain, Swimmer, 802-598-5000, Brent Foster, Columbia Riverkeeper, (541) 380-1334 (in Hood River)
.
|
CHARLES RIVER SWIM FOR CLEAN WATER:
ARCHIVED PRESS ADVISORIES AND RELEASES--MOST RECENT FIRST
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE DATE: NOVEMBER 12, 2004
Boston, Mass. This morning, Christopher Swain completed his Charles River Swim For Clean Water by stroking under the Charlestown Bridge, and out into Boston Harbor.
Over four and one half weeks, Swain swam the entire 80 mile length of the Charles River, making his way through sewage, polluted stormwater, industrial chemicals, and discarded appliances. He slogged through shallow sections, hiked around 20 dams, and passed beneath more than 90 bridges. He is the first person known to have swum the entire length of the waterway.
Along the way, Swain led trash clean-ups, met with government officials, visited schoolchildren, and lent his support to a coalition of government agencies, and NGO's committed to making the Charles River swimmable, every single day of the year.
Swain was joined by representatives from the Charles River Watershed Association, Organic Valley Family of Farms, Charles River Conservancy, Conservation Law Foundation, Earth Society Foundation, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency, all of whom expressed their support for Swain's vision of a swimmable Charles River.
"Many of these organizations have been working on this issue for years. I am here to lend them my support. As a kid growing up in Massachusetts, the idea the idea of swimming in the Charles seemed insane. But a generation from now, I hope to see folks swimming in this river, every day, all summer long."
Swain also pointed out that his Lake Champlain, Hudson River, and Charles River clean water swims were designed in part to bridge the gap between the United Nations International Water Year 2003, and the United Nations Decade of Action "Water For Life" 2005-2015.
Swain explains it this way, "I agree with the United Nations that clean water is a basic human right. We need to remember that access to clean water is not just an issue here in the Charles River basin, but all over the world."
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 11-1-2004
Contacts: Christopher Swain, 802-598-5000, Sue McGovern 781 648 7157.
CHARLES RIVER SWIMMER REACHES HALFWAY MARK
Goal of 80-Mile Journey is a Swimmable Charles
Dover, Mass. Yesterday afternoon, with the water temperature at 49 degrees, former Allston, Mass. resident Christopher Swain, a 36-year old clean water activist and father of two, passed the forty-mile mark on his swim of the Charles River’s entire length.
Swain, who made history with his entire-length swims of both the Hudson River and Lake Champlain earlier this year, began his journey at the River’s headwaters in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, on October 12.
In addition to swimming, Swain has hosted community meetings, led trash clean-ups, and visited local schools. He has slithered through mud, crawled over waterfalls, hiked through tunnels, boogie-boarded down bony rapids, swallowed sewage, collected trash, battled a swollen lymph node, and sustained several minor injuries.
Swain is swimming in support of the Clean Charles 2005 Initiative, an association of academic and research institutions, NGOs, government agencies, and other entities working toward the goal of a swimmable Charles River by Earth Day, 2005.
Robert Zimmerman, Executive Director of the Charles River Watershed Association, an environmental organization dedicated to improving and protecting the quality of water in the Charles, applauded Swain for his effort. “By swimming the Charles, Christopher is reminding us all that there is a vital link between the health of the Charles River and the choices we make as citizens to protect our waterways.” said Zimmerman. “We have come a long way in improving the Charles, but much work remains. Christopher is spotlighting the importance of reducing human impacts and restoring the River.”
Swain’s Charles River Swim for Clean Water includes school visits, on-line teaching tools for K-12 educators, community events, a clean water action plan, and an online swim journal.
Swain’s swim will conclude with a public celebration at Puopolo Playground in Boston’s North End, on Friday morning, November 12, 2004. Says Swain, “When I meet with folks in Cambridge and Boston, I tell them that if we work together, they could be swimming in the Charles River every single day after work.”
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 10-12-2004
Contacts: Christopher Swain, 802-598-5000, Sue McGovern 781 648 7157.
FORMER MASSACHUSETTS RESIDENT BEGINS SWIM OF CHARLES RIVER
Goal of 80-Mile Journey is a Swimmable Charles
Hopkinton, Mass. Earlier today, former Allston, Mass. resident Christopher Swain, a 36-year old clean water activist and father of two, began his 80-mile swim of the Charles River’s entire length .
Swain, who swam the entire lengths of both the Hudson River and Lake Champlain earlier this year, began his journey in the upper Charles River in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, and will attempt to swim the entire river over the next four and a half weeks. Along the way, Swain expects to put in six hour days stroking through raw sewage, trash, heavy metals, dioxins, and PCBs. He will hike sections too shallow to swim, and walk around the river’s twenty dams.
Swain estimates that he will pass the halfway mark in Dover, Mass., on October 24th. The swim will conclude with a public celebration near the mouth of the Charles River in Boston, on Friday morning, November 12th.
Swain is swimming in support of the Clean Charles 2005 initiative, an association of government agencies, academic and research institutions, NGOs, and other entities working toward the goal of a swimmable Charles River by Earth Day, 2005. Says Swain, “When people ask me what success looks like, I tell them it looks like thousands of kids swimming in a clean Charles River every day, all summer long.”
The source of the Charles River is found in the wetlands and springs north of man-made Echo Lake in Hopkinton. The first section deep enough for Swain to swim was several miles downriver.
Swain’s Charles River Swim for Clean Water includes school visits, on-line teaching tools for K-12 educators, community events, a clean water action plan, and an online swim journal.
Background
Christopher Swain is not a scientist, not rich, and not that fast a swimmer. All the same, earlier this year, Christopher became the first person in history to swim the entire length of the Hudson River in New York state, as well as the entire length of Lake Champlain, in New York, Vermont, and Quebec. In 2003, he became the first person to swim the entire 1,243 mile length of the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest. All three swims were in support of clean water.
Swain has survived 12 foot waves, collisions with boats, Lamprey Eel attacks, and waters laced with everything from human waste to nuclear waste. He has received an International Earth Day Award at the United Nations, and an e-chievement award on National Public Radio's e-town. A former resident of both Gloucester and Allston, Mass., Swain and his family now live in Vermont.
Swim For Clean Water Sponsors
The organic farmers of Organic Valley Family of Farms (www.organicvalley.coop) are sponsoring the Charles River Swim for Clean Water to heighten public awareness of the clean water-organic farming link. Representing over 600 organic farmers in 17 states, including Vermont, Maine, and New York, Organic Valley is the only national organic brand that is 100% farmer-owned. It’s also the only national, independent, organic dairy in the United States. Organic Valley sells “New England Pastures” milk and more than 130 organic products in leading natural foods, groceries, and cooperatives nationwide.
The Charles River Swim for Clean Water is also supported by the generosity of the following: Patagonia, ProMotion Wetsuits, Wolverine Fabrications, and Small Dog Electronics.
|
LAKE CHAMPLAIN SWIM FOR CLEAN WATER:
ARCHIVED PRESS ADVISORIES AND RELEASES--MOST RECENT FIRST
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE DATE: 28 SEPTEMBER 2004
CONTACT: Christopher Swain, 802-598-5000.
ACTIVIST-DAD COMPLETES LAKE CHAMPLAIN SWIM FOR CLEAN WATER
129 Mile Advocacy Swim Makes History
Saint-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Quebec. After surviving Lamprey Eel attacks, a capsized escort boat, and toxic blue-green algae, Christopher Swain, a father of two from Colchester, Vermont, completed his Lake Champlain Swim For Clean Water today.
"Lake Champlain could be drinkable again in the space of a generation," Swain said. "But we'll need to change the way we live, the way we build, the way we farm, and the way we do business." Swain has created a program called, "Clean Water By 9 AM" which is designed to jumpstart the process.
After visiting schools, farms, cities throughout the 8,000+ square mile Lake Champlain Basin, Swain sees cause for hope. "Everyone we meet professes an affection for this Lake. The trick is to find a way to leverage all that affection for the good of the watershed."
Swain suggests that a combination of better stormwater management, stricter industrial discharge permits, lake-friendly residential practices, and organic farming would go a long way toward making Lake Champlain pristine.
When asked whether he had any more clean water swims planned for this year, Swain smiled and said, "So far, I have only swum waterways that I have a personal connection to. And I grew up in Massachusetts. So, look out Charles River!"
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE DATE: 21 SEPTEMBER 2004
CONTACT: Christopher Swain, 802-598-5000. Nicole Bowmer, 802-318-6542.
CLEAN WATER ADVOCATE LEADS CEREMONY ON UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE
Event Coincides with United Nations Observance in New York City, Shares Clean Water Focus
Earlier today, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, rang the UN Peace Bell during a ceremony at United Nations Headquarters in New York City. September 21 is the United Nations International Day of Peace, and Secretary Annan used the occasion to call attention to the United Nation's Millennium Development Goals, which include a commitment by all 191 member nations of the UN to reduce by half the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water by 2015.
In a concurrent ceremony at the United States-Canada border in Alburg, Vermont, United States, Clean Water Swimmer Christopher Swain, Canadian and American schoolchildren, farmers, elected officials (including State Senators Sara Kittell and Don Collins), and representatives from various watershed NGOs (including Lake Champlain Committee, Lake Champlain Basin Program, Friends of Missisquoi Bay, and the Lake Champlain Kayak Club) came together to recognize the importance of clean water to all North Americans. The concurrent ceremony took place at 11:30 AM and included the ringing of a bell, followed by one minute of silence (“a minute for peace”). The ceremony was held on The Forgues Family Farm, an Organic Valley farm within sight of the U.S.-Canada border.
Showcasing The Importance of Clean Water
According to the United Nations, over one billion people do not have sustainable access to safe drinking water. Marcia Brewster, Senior Officer in the United Nations Division for Sustainable Development, said, "The General Assembly has proclaimed 2005-2015 as an International Decade for Action, "Water for Life". The efforts of this international group of citizens in the Lake Champlain Watershed to conserve their water heritage will inspire people in other watersheds everywhere to respect, use, enjoy, protect and restore their home waterways."
Next to the polluted waters of Missisquoi Bay on Lake Champlain, Swain and an international group of stake holders sent a message of their own. "If we truly hope to protect Lake Champlain, or any of the world's waterways, each of us needs to see clean water as a basic human right--and as an individual responsibility," said Swain, who swam through toxic algae and pesticide contamination in Missisquoi Bay at the event.
(Swain is presently swimming the entire length of Lake Champlain in support of clean water. His actual route does not pass through Missisquoi Bay--he will swim up the west side of the Alburg peninsula and into the Richelieu River--but he did not wish to finish the swim without calling international attention to Lake Champlain’s most threatened bay.)
The UN Peace Bell is rung only twice a year at UN Headquarters in New York City, once on the International Day of Peace (21 September), and the other on the moment of the spring equinox, International Earth Day (20-21 March). John McConnell, the founder of Earth Day, and Margaret Mead, world-renowned anthropologist, initiated the idea of ringing the UN Peace Bell at UN Headquarters on March 21, 1971, with the support of then-UN Secretary-General U Thant. Earth Society Foundation (a UN-Accredited NGO) Chairperson Helen Garland noted, “Dr. Margaret Mead, would have been delighted with the efforts of Mr. Swain’s swim for clean water team, and the program they held today to coincide with the Equinox as well as the UN International Day of Peace. Dr. Mead chose the symbolism of the Equinox to illustrate the need for recognizing our dependence on Earth's natural systems, and our interdependence with all living things. Protecting air and water quality, and helping the quest for peace--these are some of mankind’s highest goals."
A bell salvaged from a retired steam locomotive that once serviced the Missisquoi Bay region, was restored and rung at the Vermont ceremony by a group of Canadian and American children. The bell will now reside at the St. Albans Historical Society.
Many schools, churches, and communities throughout the Lake Champlain Basin also rang their bells in the name of peace, and in support of clean water, at 12 noon today.
Mr. Swain will return to the western shore of Isle La Motte tomorrow, to resume his swim of the entire length of Lake Champlain. He hopes to complete his clean water swim, at Saint-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Quebec, by Tuesday September 28.
+++
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE DATE : SEPTEMBER 8, 2004
CONTACTS: Christopher Swain, 802-598-5000; Nicole Bowmer, 802-318
-6542.
LAKE CHAMPLAIN SWIMMER PASSES HALFWAY MARK; ARRIVES IN BURLINGTON
Fifty-Six Miles Remain in Activist-Dad’s Historic Swim For Clean Water
Earlier today, Christopher Swain, 36, a father of two from Colchester, VT, reached the 73 mile mark of his swim of the entire length of Lake Champlain.
Swain, who is swimming to advocate for a drinkable Lake Champlain, was met at the Burlington waterfront by representatives of the Lake Champlain Committee, the Lake Champlain Basin Program, the Echo Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, and the City of Burlington Mayor’s Office.
After braving headwinds, high waves, boat traffic, invasive plants, sewage,
chemical runoff from farm fields, and stormwater laced with copper, lead,
gasoline, motor oil and animal waste, Swain has just 56 miles of lake left to
swim before the waterway ends at St. Jean-Sur-Richelieu, in the Province of
Quebec, Canada.
If successful, Swain will be the first person in history known to have swum the entire length of Lake Champlain.
In commemoration of Swain’s arrival in Burlington, Mayor Peter Clavelle issued a proclamation designating September 8, 2004 “LET’S CLEAN LAKE CHAMPLAIN DAY.” Mayor Clavelle went on to ask “all residents to join Christopher Swain in his efforts to to bring attention to the need to keep Lake Champlain clean and further increase efforts to make it even cleaner.”
Says Swain, “The challenges I face as a swimmer and as an advocate are huge. But I am an optimist. I live here in Vermont, I love this Lake and I believe that in a generation or two, Lake Champlain can be not just clean, but drinkable, every single day of the year.”
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Release date: August 25, 2004
Contacts: Christopher Swain, 802-598-5000; Nicole Bowmer 802-318-6542.
ACTIVIST-DAD BEGINS FULL-LENGTH SWIM OF LAKE
CHAMPLAIN
Goal of Historic 125-mile Swim is a Pristine Lake
Early this afternoon, Christopher Swain, a 36-year-old father of two from Colchester, Vermont, plunged into the southernmost tip of Lake Champlain in Whitehall, New York, and began stroking north toward the Canadian Province of Quebec.
Over the next month, Swain will swim the entire 125-mile (201 km) length of the Lake, in support of clean water.
Inspired By His Daughter
Swain’s daughter helped to inspire his effort. When Swain returned home last month from his full-length swim of the Hudson River, he took his three year-old daughter to her swimming lesson in nearby Mallets Bay on Lake Champlain, only to find the beach was closed due to high fecal coliform levels. “My daughter’s swimming lessons keep getting canceled because of human and animal waste in the Lake. This Lake is one of the most beautiful waterways in North America, but it is often too polluted for swimming. That doesn’t work for my daughter, and it doesn’t work for the other kids in her swim class. Something has to change."
Through a comprehensive campaign of school visits, community outreach, and advocacy, Swain and his team will build support for his goal of a pristine Lake Champlain: a lake that is both swimmable and drinkable, every single day of the year.
During his swim, Swain will spend six hours per day in water laced with pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, gas, oil, sewage, and the invasive plants that threaten the "sixth Great Lake." He will also dodge boat traffic, and battle waves up to eight feet high.
If Swain succeeds, he will become the first person in history known to have swum the entire length of Lake Champlain.
"Lake Champlain is like a child without a parent,” says Swain. “The Lake needs a voice; the Lake needs a champion; the Lake needs our protection.”
+++
Press Release
For Immediate Release
Release date: August 18, 2004
VERMONT DAD TO SWIM ENTIRE LENGTH OF LAKE CHAMPLAIN
Goal of historic 125 mile swim is a drinkable Lake
On August 25, 2004, Christopher Swain, a father of two from Colchester, VT, will plunge into the southernmost tip of Lake Champlain in Whitehall, NY. Over the next month, Swain will swim the entire 125 mile (201 km) length of the Lake--all the way up into the province of Quebec--in support of clean water.
Through a comprehensive campaign of school visits, community outreach, and media events, Swain will build support for his goal of a pristine Lake Champlain--a lake that is swimmable and drinkable every single day of the year.
"We live across the street from Mallets Bay," says Swain. "And all too often my daughter's swimming lessons get cancelled because there is sewage in the water. That is just wrong. Lake Champlain is part of us, and we need to protect the Lake the way we would our own children."
In order to reach Canada, Swain will need to navigate through the rafts of raw sewage, contaminated stormwater, agricultural chemicals, heavy metals, and invasive plants that threaten the "sixth great lake."
If Swain succeeds, he will become the first person in history known to have swum the entire length of Lake Champlain.
Swain, who just completed a swim of the Hudson River's entire length, put it this way, "Lake Champlain is a contaminated beauty. But there was a time when Lake Champlain was drinkable. If everyone who loves this Lake works together, we can turn back the clock."
Background:
Christopher Swain
This is not Christopher Swain's first long swim for a cause. In 1996, Swain swam 210 miles of the lower Connecticut River in support of Universal Human Rights. In 2003, he became the first person in history to swim the entire 1,243 mile length of the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest, where he visited communities and schools in an effort gather support for a clean, free-flowing Columbia River. On July 28, 2004, Swain made history again, by completing a 315 mile swim of the Hudson River's entire length. The purpose of this swim was to put forward a new vision for the Hudson River: a river that would be drinkable to all the way to Troy, NY, and swimmable all the way to the Atlantic Ocean, every single day of the year.
Swain has received an International Earth Day Award at the United Nations, and an e-chievement award on National Public Radio's e-town. He and his family live in Vermont.
Sponsors
Christopher Swain's Hudson River Swim For Clean Water is presented by Organic Valley Family of Farms. Organized in 1988, the Organic Valley cooperative today is made up of 633 organic farmers in 16 states. It's the only national organic brand that is 100-percent farmer-owned and proudly the only independent national organic dairy in the U.S.
The Hudson River Swim For Clean Water is also supported by the generosity of the following companies: Patagonia, ProMotion Wetsuits, Wolverine Fabrication, Hudson Whitewater World, and Small Dog Electronics.
|
HUDSON RIVER SWIM FOR CLEAN WATER:
ARCHIVED PRESS ADVISORIES AND RELEASES--MOST RECENT FIRST
Press Release
For Immediate Release
Release date: 7/28/2004
VERMONT DAD BECOMES FIRST IN HISTORY TO SWIM HUDSON RIVER’S ENTIRE LENGTH
Christopher Swain’s 315 mile Swim For Clean Water ends at Verrazano-Narrows Bridge off New York City
NEW YORK, NY. The Hudson River Swim for Clean Water concluded this morning when clean water advocate Christopher Swain stroked underneath the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and became the first person in history to swim the Hudson River’s entire 315-mile length.
The goal of Swain’s swim is a pristine Hudson River, one that is drinkable all the way to Troy, and swimmable all the way to the Atlantic Ocean, every day of the year.
Swain, a father of two, said, “This was not an easy swim. But over the last eight weeks I learned how deeply the people of the Hudson Valley care about their river. In community after community, people from all walks of life came out to show their support for a pristine Hudson River. And their support kept me going.”
Swain’s Hudson River swim for Clean Water began on June 3rd in the Adirondack mountains at Lake Tear of the Clouds, the highest source of the Hudson River. Swain swam through everything from Class IV+ rapids to pesticides to raw sewage before stroking past Manhattan, and the Statue of Liberty, and finally out into the Atlantic Ocean this morning.
Along the way, Swain met with families, schoolchildren, community organizations, farmers, environmental groups, and community leaders.
CLEAN WATER BY 9 AM
Swain also developed a list of suggestions for local citizens looking to help the Hudson. “If we want clean water, we have to make it personal. If I don't want to swim through pesticides and herbicides in the Hudson, then I should be eating organic food for breakfast,” says Swain. “If I’m serious about cleaning up the river, I should walk or bike instead of taking my car to work. In the end, it will be the every day decisions that make the difference.” Swain’s suggestions are summarized in a plan entitled “
Clean Water By 9 AM”.
SWIMMER SUPPORTS UNITED NATION’S INTERNATIONAL DECADE FOR ACTION, “WATER FOR LIFE” 2005-2015
Swain also pointed out that the United Nations has recognized the critical importance of clean water. “Proclaiming the period from 2005 to 2015 as the International Decade for Action, “Water for Life”, beginning on World Water Day, 22 March 2005 is a promising first step,” says Swain. “But if we truly hope to protect the world’s waterways, each of us needs to see clean water as a basic human right.”
ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY SHOWS SUPPORT
Alex Matthiessen of Riverkeeper, an environmental organization that works to protect the Hudson, said, “Christopher’s historic Hudson River Swim for Clean Water is a wonderful reminder that the river unites us all. It brings together rural and urban, farmer and office worker, old and young, past and present. It is also reminds us that while we have made enormous progress in reclaiming and restoring “America’s First River,” our work is not done. Only when we can swim its entire length safely and take and eat fish from the river as our grandparents once did, can we declare the Hudson fully restored.”
Also joining Christopher at the finish was Chris Bowser of CLEARWATER, the organization that folk singer Pete Seeger founded decades ago to help restore the Hudson River, and representatives from the Earth Society Foundation, the United Nations, and the New York State Comptrollers office.
Representing family farmers throughout the Hudson River watershed was Theresa Marquez, Public Affairs Director of Organic Valley, the nation’s leading cooperative of organic farmers and the presenting sponsor of Swain’s Hudson River Swim For Clean Water. Said Marquez, “The farmers of Organic Valley are proud to support the Swim for Clean Water. By using planet-friendly practices and avoiding the use of pesticides, herbicides and other polluting chemicals, we are working for the health of the Hudson and for all waterways. Clean water starts on the farm.”
Swain summarizes the effort this way, “The Hudson River is a contaminated beauty. But if everyone in the watershed works together, we can turn the Hudson River back into a diamond.”
Press Release--For Immediate Release
Release Date: 7/25/2004
Contacts: Nicole Bowmer (802) 318-6542, Christopher Swain, (802) 598-5000.
CLEAN WATER SWIMMER REACHES MANHATTAN
Just 15 miles from Verrazano-Narrows "Finish Line"
New York, NY. Paced by swimmers from as far away as California and Oregon, Christopher Swain, a father of two from Colchester VT, stroked under the George Washington Bridge, and passed the 300 mile mark on his swim of the Hudson River’s entire length.
The goal of the 36 year old Swain’s 315 mile swim is a pristine Hudson, a river that is drinkable all the way to Troy, and swimmable all the way to the Atlantic, every single day of the year.
“I was born on Manhattan,” said Swain. “And it's great to be back."
Swain recorded one of his shortest swims today, pulling out at the 79th Street Boat Basin, to greet his wife and two young daughters. "My mom used to take walks down here when she was pregnant with me," says Swain. "So it's a thrill to swim in to 79th street and greet my own children thirty six years later."
According to Swain, the Hudson River has come a long way in those thirty six years but a pristine river will require the efforts of everyone in the valley. To help folks get involved Swain has developed a plan that includes nine recommendations for individual action. “Clean Water By 9 AM” is centered on typical morning activities that directly affect the Hudson River.
"If all goes well," predicts Swain, "Thirty six years from now, I'll be back here, swimming in a pristine Hudson river with my grandchildren."
Press Release--For Immediate Release
Release Date: 7/18/2004
Contacts: Nicole Bowmer (802) 318-6542, Christopher Swain, (802) 598-5000.
HUDSON RIVER SWIMMER STROKES PAST 200 MILE MARK
115 miles remain in Activist-Dad’s Swim For Clean Water
Saugerties, NY. This morning, Christopher Swain, a father of two from Colchester VT, swam under the Rip Van Winkle Bridge, downstream of Athens, NY, reaching the 200 mile mark on his swim of the Hudson River’s entire length.
The goal of the 36 year old Swain’s 315 mile swim is a pristine Hudson, a river that is drinkable all the way to Troy, and swimmable all the way to the Atlantic, every single day of the year.
“We've done the easy part,” says Swain. “Most of the big polluters are now on their way to compliance. We need to remain vigilant, but we also need to start making choices in our own lives that will get this river closer to pristine."
Swain has developed a plan that includes recommendations for individual action. “Clean Water By 9 AM” is centered on typical morning activities that directly affect the Hudson River.
Since plunging into Lake Tear-of-the-Clouds on June 3, Swain has stroked through Class IV rapids, pulp mill liquor, raw sewage, and PCBs. Swain plans to swim under the Verrazano-Narrows bridge and out into the Atlantic Ocean on July 28.
If successful, Swain, who was born in New York City, will be the first person in history to swim the entire length of the Hudson River.
Press Release--For Immediate Release
Release Date: 7/9/2004
Contacts: Nicole Bowmer (802) 318-6542, Christopher Swain, (802) 598-5000.
HUDSON RIVER SWIMMER PASSES HALFWAY MARK
154 miles remain in Vermont Dad’s Swim For Clean Water
Troy, NY. Earlier today, Christopher Swain, a 36 year old father of two from Colchester VT, passed the halfway mark on his swim of the Hudson River’s entire 315 mile length. The halfway point occurs upstream of the Troy Federal Lock & Dam, near Waterford, NY, at river mile 157.5.
The goal of Swain’s swim is a pristine Hudson, a river that is drinkable all the way to Troy, and swimmable all the way to the Atlantic, every single day of the year.
“For hundreds of years we have used the Hudson as a commercial highway and an industrial waste stream,” says Swain. “Now we have a chance to turn it back into a diamond.”
Over the past 35 days, Swain has stroked through Class IV rapids, pulp mill liquor, raw sewage, and PCBs. Swain plans to reach New York City in late July.
If successful, Swain, who was born in New York City, will be the first person in history to swim the entire length of the Hudson River.
"There are really three different Hudson rivers,” Swain explains. “The freshwater mountain stream, the canalized Hudson, and the 154 mile long tidal estuary that runs from below the Federal Lock and Dam in Troy to the Atlantic Ocean. All three need our protection.”
To help folks live in a more river-friendly way, Swain has developed a plan that includes recommendations for individual action, as well as teacher tools for K-12 educators. “Clean Water By 9 AM” is centered on typical morning activities that directly affect the Hudson River, like eating breakfast, turning on a light, writing a to-do list, and commuting to work.
Press Release--For Immediate Release
Release Date: 6/24/2004
Contacts: Nicole Bowmer (802) 318-6542, Christopher Swain, (802) 598-5000.
HUDSON RIVER SWIMMER REACHES 100 MILE MARK
215 miles remain in historic Swim For Clean Water
West of Glen Falls, NY. Earlier today, Christopher Swain, a 36 year old father of two, passed the 100 mile mark on his swim of the Hudson River’s entire length.
The goal of the swim is a pristine Hudson River. Over the past 21 days, Swain and his crew have braved Class IV rapids, black flies, sunburn, and raw sewage. They plan to reach New York City in late July.
If successful, Swain, who was born in New York City, will be the first person in history to swim the entire length of the Hudson River.
"The first 100 miles of swimming were inspiring and exhausting. The river has changed from a pristine mountain stream, to a harnessed and developed river. But in every community along the way, folks are joining our quest to make the Hudson drinkable all the way to Troy, and swimmable all the way to the Atlantic.”
Clean Water By 9 AM
Swain suggests that the Hudson is polluted by a combination of industrial discharges, commercial and residential activities, agricultural and urban runoff, leachate from contaminated sites, and dirty air. But since the Clean Water Act passed in 1972, Swain says the Hudson has come a long way. “If we want to turn the Hudson into a jewel,” he says, “We need to see the Hudson not just as part of the view , but as a reflection on us.”
To help folks live in a more river-friendly way, Swain has developed a plan he calls "Clean Water By 9 AM.” The plan includes recommendations for individual action, as well as teacher tools for K-12 educators (and is available at http://www.swimforcleanwater.org/.) The plan is centered on typical morning activities that directly affect the Hudson River, things like eating breakfast, turning on a light, writing a to-do list, and commuting to work or school.
Swain is chronicling his journey in an online journal.
BACKGROUND
Christopher Swain
This is not Christopher Swain's first long swim for a cause. In 1996, Swain swam 210 miles of the lower Connecticut River in support of Universal Human Rights.
In 2003, he became the first person in history to swim the entire 1,243 mile length of the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest, where he visited communities and schools in an effort gather support for a clean, free-flowing Columbia River.
Swain has received an International Earth Day Award at the United Nations, and an e-chievement award on National Public Radio's e-town. He lives in Vermont with his wife and two daughters.
Partners
Christopher Swain's Hudson River Swim For Clean Water is presented by Organic Valley Family of Farms. When Christopher went looking for a corporate partner intent on cleaning up local waterrways, he forged a partnership with Organic Valley Family of Farms (www.organicvalley.coop), a cooperative of over 600 organic family farmers committed to sustainable agriculture. It was the perfect match. In Swain’s words, “If you are looking to get pesticides out of your river, you’d better be eating organic food for breakfast.”
The Hudson River Swim For Clean Water is also supported by the generosity of the following companies: Patagonia, ProMotion Wetsuits, Wolverine Fabrication, and Small Dog Electronics.
Press Release--For Immediate Release
Release Date: 6/4/2004
NEW YORK NATIVE BEGINS SWIM OF ENTIRE HUDSON RIVER
Goal of 315 mile swim is a pristine Hudson River
Yesterday morning, at 9:15 a.m., Christopher Swain, a 36 year old father of two, dove into Lake Tear of Clouds, the highest source of the Hudson River. Swain and his crew climbed 4293 feet up Mt. Marcy, through rain and hail storms to reach the source. Over the next eight weeks Swain will swim the entire 315 mile length of the Hudson River, in support of clean water.
Swain, who was born in New York City, will swim through everything from Class IV+ rapids to pesticides to raw sewage before stroking past Manhattan and out into the Atlantic Ocean in late July. If successful, Swain will be the first person in history to swim the entire length of the Hudson River. But the purpose of his swim is not an athletic one. Swain's goal is nothing less than a pristine Hudson River.
"Since the Clean Water Act passed in 1972, the Hudson has come a long way. But if we ever want to see the Hudson become a pristine stream, we need to be willing to put ourselves on the line. Each of us needs to find the courage to make a few river-friendly choices every day. And if we do, we have a chance to turn the Hudson River into a diamond."
A Plan For Clean Water
The Hudson is polluted by a combination of industrial discharges, commercial and residential activities, agricultural and urban runoff, leachate from contaminated sites, and dirty air. While the industrial and agricultural impacts on the Hudson are well-known, the collective impact of individual choices is less so—and it has a large effect on the Hudson.
In response, Swain has developed a plan he calls "Clean Water By 9 AM.” The plan includes recommendations for individual action, as well as teacher tools for K-12 educators (and is available at http://www.swimforcleanwater.org/.)
The plan is centered on typical morning activities that directly affect the Hudson River, things like eating breakfast, turning on a light, writing a to-do list, and commuting to work or school. By paying attention to the impact of these activities on the Hudson River, says Swain, "Each of us can go a long way toward cleaning it up before we even get to work in the morning."
Swain suggests that when an individual makes a river-friendly choice, it creates an economic incentive for manufacturers to do the right thing. "When school districts purchase tree-free, totally chlorine-free paper, they create a market for paper that can be produced without discharging any cancer-causing chemicals into the Hudson. Everybody wins."
Swain knows his swim won’t be an easy one. “If we want the Hudson to be drinkable to Troy and swimmable all the way down to the Atlantic, we’ll need to ask that not only of our government and our large corporations, but of ourselves. We’ll need to find the courage to live in a river-friendly way.”
+++
Press Release--For Immediate Release
Release Date: 5/25/2004
NEW YORK NATIVE TO SWIM HUDSON RIVER'S ENTIRE LENGTH
Goal of 315 mile swim is a pristine Hudson River
On June third, Christopher Swain will climb 4293 feet up Mt. Marcy, New York state's highest peak, before diving into Lake Tear of Clouds, the highest source of the Hudson River. Over the next eight weeks the 36 year old Vermont resident and father of two plans to swim the entire 315 mile length of the Hudson River.
Swain, who was born in New York City, will swim through everything from Class IV rapids to pesticides to raw sewage before stroking past Manhattan and out into the Atlantic Ocean in late July.
If successful, Swain will be the first person in history to swim the entire length of the Hudson River. But the purpose of his swim is not an athletic one. Swain's goal is nothing less than a pristine Hudson River.
"Since the Clean Water Act passed in 1972, the Hudson has come a long way. But if we ever want to see the Hudson become a pristine stream, everyone in the watershed will need to make a few river-friendly choices each day."
Clean Water By 9 AM
Swain says the Hudson is polluted by a combination of industrial discharges, commercial and residential activities, agricultural and urban runoff, leachate from contaminated sites, and dirty air.
In response, Swain has developed a plan he calls "Clean Water By 9 AM.” The plan includes recommendations for individual action, as well as teacher tools for K-12 educators.
The plan is centered on nine typical morning activities that directly affect the Hudson River, things like eating breakfast, turning on a light, showering, writing a to-do list, and commuting to work or school.
By paying attention to the impact of these activities on the Hudson River, says Swain, "Each of us can go a long way toward cleaning it up."
Swain explains it this way, "If I don't want to swim through pesticides and herbicides in the Hudson, then I shouldn't buy or eat food that is produced using these chemicals. If I am serious about cleaning up the river, I should be eating organic cereal with organic milk for breakfast."
Swain also suggests that when an individual makes a river-friendly choice, it creates an economic incentive for manufacturers to do the right thing. "If you start writing your morning to-do lists on tree-free, totally chlorine-free paper, you create a market for paper that can be produced without discharging any cancer-causing chemicals into the Hudson."
Swain suggests that if each of us made five river-friendly choices every morning, the Hudson River would be nearly pristine. But he knows this won't be easy. "People don't like change. I know I don't. But if we start seeing that the Hudson River is not just part of the view, but part of us, we'll be able to make those changes. And if we do, we can turn the Hudson into a jewel, a diamond among rivers."
Background:
Christopher Swain
This is not Christopher Swain's first long swim for a cause. In 1996, Swain swam 210 miles of the lower Connecticut River in support of Universal Human Rights. In 2003, he became the first person in history to swim the entire 1,243 mile length of the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest, where he visited communities and schools in an effort gather support for a clean, free-flowing Columbia River.
Swain has received an International Earth Day Award at the United Nations, and an e-chievement award on National Public Radio's e-town. He lives in Vermont with his wife and two daughters.
Sponsors
Christopher Swain's Hudson River Swim For Clean Water is presented by Organic Valley Family of Farms. Organized in 1988, the Organic Valley cooperative today is made up of 633 organic farmers in 16 states. It's the only national organic brand that is 100-percent farmer-owned and proudly the only independent national organic dairy in the U.S. In 2003, sales totaled $156 million, a 25 percent jump over 2002. The cooperative sells more than 130 organic products in leading natural foods, groceries and cooperatives nationwide.
The Hudson River Swim For Clean Water is also supported by the generosity of the following companies: Patagonia, ProMotion Wetsuits, Wolverine Fabrication, Hudson Whitewater World, and Small Dog Electronics.
+++
***MEDIA ADVISORY***
Issued: 5-19-2004
NY NATIVE TO SWIM ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE HUDSON RIVER
Goal of 315 Mile Swim is a Pristine River
WHAT: Christopher Swain, an award-winning clean water advocate and father of two, will swim into the 79th Street Boat Basin and announce his plan to swim the entire 315 mile length of the Hudson River. After making his announcement, Swain will introduce selected stakeholders and educators, and answer questions.
WHY: The goal of Swain's historic swim is a pristine river. Swain will gather support for this goal by educating the public about the challenges facing the Hudson River, highlighting promising solutions, and offering online Hudson River education tools to K-12 educators through the official swim website at (the education areas of the site go live on 5/24/2004).
WHEN: 10:30 A.M., Tuesday, May 25, 2004.
WHERE: West 79th Street Boat Basin, Manhattan.
PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES: Swain swimming into the 79th Street Boat Basin. Swain answering questions in his dripping wetsuit. Local teachers, schoolchildren, and other stakeholders. Hudson River vistas, George Washington Bridge, Riverside Park, lower Manhattan and New Jersey shorelines.
INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES: Christopher Swain, Swimmer (Christopher Swain is available for advance interviews, see contact information below), Travis Forgues, Organic Farmer; K-12 educators and schoolchildren from the Hudson River watershed.
BACKGROUND: Christopher Swain will begin his swim on June 3, 2004, at Lake Tear of the Clouds, the highest source of the Hudson River, a shallow two-acre lake on the shoulder of Mt. Marcy, N.Y.’s highest peak. Swain will conclude his swim by stroking underneath the Verrazano Narrows Bridge and into the Atlantic Ocean eight weeks later.
DIRECTIONS: Take Riverside Drive to the 79th St. (Boat Basin) exit. Follow the ramp down, around, and finally underneath Riverside Drive.
PARKING: Park in Temporary Parking under the Rotunda at 79th St.
CONTACT: Christopher Swain, Swim For Clean Water, 802-598-5000.
|
|
|