Eco Swimming is a trend that is on the rise in open water swimming as global warming starts to seriously effect the animals and areas in which open water swimmers frequent.  Eco Swims, both solo and large group events, are happening all over the globe. Besides the incredible endurance and training the sport takes, Eco Swims are effective because of the incredible human stories behind them and what people are willing to go through to raise awareness.  Eco Swim’s are no easy feat. In order to get their message across, eco swimmers put themselves through sometimes highly dangerous conditions.  Two particular stories have caught our attention.

Eco Swimmer Jen Schumacher in Spain after crossing the Strait of Gibraltar. She is wearing Eco Swim's Eco Classic polka dotted bikini.

Jen Schumacher is a Sport Psychology Consultant and swim teacher at California State University, Fullerton. She is an avid open water swimmer and began marathon swimming in 2009, when she crossed the Catalina Channel in a time of 9:02, the fastest female time of the season. Jen went on to compete and place 7^th overall and 4^th woman in the esteemed 28.5-mile Manhattan Island Marathon Swim in 2010. She completed a record-breaking 17.5-mlie crossing of the Kaulakahi Channel in Hawaii, between the islands of Kauai and Niihau.

Jen is now racing to become the first person to complete the Ocean’s Seven, a series of seven of the most challenging and iconic channel swims in the world. Jen’s training involves long coastal swims with her training partner (Uncle Dan) and alongside her mother, Barb, in a kayak. During training, Barb collects trash – mostly plastics – that the group encounters out in the ocean. Jen’s clean-up swims have instilled a sense of urgency to change the way we treat our environment and protect our oceans, motivating her to dedicate her swims to raising awareness for various marine conservancy organizations.

Lewis Pugh

Lewis Pugh is an environmental campaigner, a maritime lawyer and an endurance swimmer. He was the first person to complete a long distance swim in every ocean of the world. He frequently swims in vulnerable ecosystems to draw attention to their plight.

Lewis has witnessed the devastation to the environment in some of our most precious and important global areas first hand. Lewis traveled to the North Pole and swam in below freezing waters for 18 minutes, a dream he had had since he was a child. His story, which he told at a TED talk, is incredibly moving and unbelievable. His most recent swim was a 1km swim across a glacial lake on Mt Everest to draw attention to the melting of the Himalayan glaciers and its consequences.

This year the Eco Swim team ventured to Joshua Tree, California for the 2013 Eco Swim by Aqua Green Collection photo-shoot. We were stunned by the beautiful desert location and the surrounding landscapes filled with windmills.

Joshua Tree

Joshua Tree has a rich history of being a useful location for Native American Indians, and in the 1880′s for the explorers, cattlemen and miners. Homesteads were established in the early 1900s and now the desert serves as a National Park where many people come to visit the 800,000 acres for clear sky and fresh air.

Even though it may not look like much, desert life is various, complex and extremely fragile. Plants in a desert ecosystem adapt to survive, waiting to bloom during the moist periods.  A large productive plant such as the Joshua tree resembles a focal point for a complex community of wildlife. Birds nest in the tree, others feed on the residents of the tree, and it serves as a home for lizards and other animals.

But desert landscapes all over the world are changing due to climate change and human exploitation. Climate change is causing desert landscapes to become increasingly arid, making it harder and harder for life to flourish. Rarer species that can usually thrive in desert ecosystems are threatened by extinction. Professor Warren of the University College of London has witnessed the growing threats to deserts. In a 2006 article he says, “We risk losing not only astounding landscapes and ancient cultures, but also some amazing wild species, which, may hold some keys to our survival”. With 6 years passed since his warning, we have to wonder how much damage has been done that cannot be undone.

Wind Energy

One source of clean energy that can combat global warming and climate change is wind energy. Wind turbines all around the desert convert wind energy into electricity. Wind power, as an alternative to fossil fuels, is plentiful, renewable, widely distributed, clean, produces no greenhouse gas emissions during operation and can use little land. At the dawn of wind energy, California used to hold 1st place but the state has been replaced by Texas where one of the largest wind farms has been built in West Texas.

However, there is no perfect solution to climate change. We are still learning. Besides what some see as an eye-soar, a recent study found that wind farms are not allowing nighttime cool air to settle at large Texas wind farms. This is causing the local land to be warmer and can interrupt local farmers, their cattle and crops. According to the American Wind Energy Association, Texas wind farms produce more than 10,000 megawatts of electricity, more than double the capacity of the nearest state, Iowa, and enough to power three million average American homes. Even though this is a significant amount of clean energy, what the study proves is that we have to be careful with large scale environmental projects.

Eco Swim Photo Shoot

We hope to use the shoot and the 2013 photos to call attention to global warming and ways to understand reducing our carbon footprint. After all, whatever is effecting the deserts is also effecting our home, the oceans.

Not only is climate change going to be stopped by more creative solutions in clean energy but also in innovation in products and greater consumer awareness. Sooner or later, everyone is going to know the impact of every purchase they make.  thank you for making a difference with us.

Eco Swim by Aqua Green.   Reduce Your Carbon Footprint In the….Desert!

WHERE: Coleman Park to Mt. Baker Beach, Seattle, WA

WHEN: Saturday May 19th, 10am – 1pm

SIGN UP: To Volunteer at the Nordstrom Clean Up, Click here.

Up next in our ECO SWIM Clean Up Season we are partnering with Nordstrom in Seattle! Nordstrom, one of the bigger names in retail, is committed to providing sustainable clothing on their racks whenever possible. A huge supporter of organic cotton and other environmentally-friendly fibers like our recycled polyester, Nordstrom’s goal is to increase the amount of eco-friendly products on their floor.  Nordstrom offers a variety of eco friendly options to their customers such as ECO SWIM by AQUA GREEN so they can support responsible industries and foster healthy communities. As options like ECO SWIM hit the market, Nordstrom can be confident in offering their customers a new product because it looks, feels and fits like the older non eco-friendly brands so people can be attracted to the brands not only for their additional environmental benefits but for the fashion above all us.

Come and join local volunteers, Nordstrom employees, United by Blue and ECO SWIM at the clean up! Participate in our contests for weirdest trash and guessing the final trash weight! Volunteers will be provided snacks and supplies.

Follow us and learn more about our partners for environmental updates and special offers!

• Nordstrom http://shop.nordstrom.com/
• ECO SWIM by AQUA GREEN www.ecoswim.com
• United by Blue www.unitedbyblue.com

Some results of the global survey in the WHR are not surprising such as!) Richer people are happier than poorer people on average, but wealth is only one factor of happiness. Personal freedom, lack of corruption, and social networks also play a role. 2) Unemployment’s resulting loss in self esteem and social support creates more unhappiness than loss in income. 3) Things such as self-employment only lead to happiness in countries where it is a choice 4) Higher standards of living can lead to happiness to a point. In the US happiness levels have remained the same while living standards have increased over the past 50 years. 5) Mental health is the biggest contributing factor to happiness in all countries. 6) Married people across the world claim that they are happier than their single counterparts.

These findings among the others play an important role in the idea that human progress is about more than just growing the economy. Mark Williamson of the Guardian write:

“Proponents of sustainability would be wise to embrace this new focus on wellbeing too, for it brings something crucial that the environmental movement has long been lacking: a positive and hopeful vision. An economy focused on wellbeing will be inherently more sustainable and ecologically sound, but instead of calling for hair-shirt lifestyles, it comes with an aspirational vision of a better future. Curbing our excess consumption is no longer driven by a moralising demand to save the planet, but by a recognition that it doesn’t actually contribute to the growth in wellbeing that everyone wants.”

The main outcome of the event is to put happiness and wellbeing at the heart of global discussions of Sustainable Development at theUN’s Rio+20 conference this June and when the Millennium Development goals are re-written as new Sustainable Development goals in 2015.

Williamson also writes about the benefits of happiness: “We learnt that happiness – as well as being a fundamental human goal – also contributes to greater productivity, better health, faster recovery from adversity, less risky lifestyle choices and more pro-social behaviour.”

Just another reason to run your business by the motto: “People, Planet, Profit”.

While the conference and corresponding report is illuminating, the UN should not forget that the model country in which Gross National Happiness is used also expelled about one fifth of it’s population. Hopefully this bitter fact will not be overlooked at Rio+20.

To read more: The Serious Business of Creating A Happier World

Easton, PA (PRWEB) March 31, 2012

ECO SWIM BY AQUA GREEN is a leader in a new wave of businesses that are changing the world. The swimwear company thinks about the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profit every step of the way.

“There are plenty of companies out there making things. There are plenty of companies that make swimsuits. But few companies make swimwear in a way that changes the way the game is played,” says Alex Waldman.

ECO SWIM BY AQUA GREEN bathing suits are made from recycled polyester, nylon, and cotton. But more significantly, they’re made from recycled plastic bottles, recycled fishing nets, and other items that tend to wash out to sea. “When we recover items that would otherwise wind up on beaches and waterways around the world and turn them into stylish swimwear, not only do we keep those beaches clean but we also raise awareness about the environmental issues,” says Waldman.

Over 14 billion pounds of waste enter ocean and waterways every year. Much of it winds up on the coasts of faraway beaches and in one of the 5 major ocean garbage patches. “Many people don’t know that the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is only one of 5 masses of floating plastic soup out in the ocean,” says Waldman.

“The power for real change resides with the consumer, after all,” says Waldman. “As consumers learn about the issues affecting oceans and waterways, they also learn that their purchases have the power to affect real change.”

ECO SWIM BY AQUA GREEN is at the forefront of responsibly-made and innovative products, and is both responding to and driving consumer demand for more products that look great and are also great for the planet. “We hope that in a decade, other swimwear companies will look back on what we’re doing now and realize that our model is the best one for both our companies and for local and global communities,” says Waldman.

By using recycled materials instead of virgin fibers, ECO SWIM BY AQUA GREEN is also reducing the amount of raw materials that are typically sourced from the earth. “Whenever possible, we avoid using virgin materials. That way we can keep the resources our planet has to offer intact for future generations,” says Waldman.

What really separates ECO SWIM BY AQUA GREEN isn’t just a commitment to using less but is also a commitment to doing more. A sustainable supply chain is only one part of the equation. ECO SWIM BY AQUA GREEN participates in several ocean and waterway cleanups with environmental partner United By Blue. “Giving back is ingrained in the company culture. All of our employees get out and volunteer their time to clean up local waterways,” says Waldman.

So far, the company has removed over 3,000 pounds of trash from oceans and waterways. The next cleanup will be hosted in celebration of Earth Day on April 21 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina with ECO SWIM BY AQUA GREEN retailer Belk.

“Our motto is to reduce our carbon footprint in the sand. And with everything we do, we’re leading the way for cleaner sands of tomorrow,” says Waldman.

Khaki and nude colors are in and black never goes out of style! ECO SWIM by AQUA GREEN’s khaki and black swimdress is so flirty and cute! The silhouette is flattering on every body type, has full coverage in the front and a playful side on the back! The suit is so versatile you can wear it around the pool, in the sea or for a walk down the beach. With an adjustable halter it allows you to stay super secure as well. I never thought a swimsuit with so much material could feel so good on, look so romantic, and also be better for the environment! As our best selling suit, it’s clear we’ve hit a home-run with this suit!

xo Caroline @EcoistaGirl

Location: Myrtle Beach, SC

Date: April 21, 2012

Three amazing companies are coming together to make change on Earth Day. Eco Swim by Aqua Green is committed to excellence in swimwear and the environment. We are excited to see that the message of providing great service, and products for the health of our community resonates with so many of our retail partners.

To kick off our clean up season, UBB and Eco Swim will team with Belk as part of their in store sustainability initiative. Belk is asking customers and community partners alike to come together to clean up the 9th Avenue Beach in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Volunteers will receive breakfast, lunch and supplies for the Clean Up!

Last summer, Eco Swim by Aqua Green and the UBB team removed over 3,166 pounds of trash from the Delaware River in Penslyvannia.  With even more volunteers from the local Belk store including shoppers and employees, we can’t even imagine how much we will be able to accomplish! Our hope is to make this our biggest clean up yet!

To Learn more and to participate in the clean up visit UBB’s Clean Up Page.

Henry Belk opened the doors to his first store in 1888 in Monroe, NC. Today, 300 Belk stores can be found across 16 contiguous Southern states. Belk delivers top brands to the modern Southern family, everything from bedding to blazers. Belk is a company with a rich history of providing its customers with the fashion they desire and the value they deserve.

United By Blue is a brand of ocean-friendly apparel brand that, for every product sold, removes one pound of trash from oceans and waterways through company organized cleanups. The company is based in Philadelphia and has hosted over 40 cleanups in the region and around the country since it was founded in May 2010. United By Blue is dedicated to using business to enact real change in the world.

The London Eye, England

Abu Dhabi

Maybe the most shocking thing to go green is the Chicago River! For fifty years, the river in downtown Chicago has been dyed green by the Rowan and Butler families. Thousands of people line up every year to see and cheer on the tradition. In a FOX News interview , family members said that years of practice go in to getting the river to an even color. But what makes the river such a brilliant green and, is it environmentally friendly? They said a lot of it has to do with the sun but, they wouldn’t say exactly what made the river go green. The dye is apparently a family secret. The only information they would give out is that the powder they use is actually orange before it hits the water.

I’m sure the river wouldn’t be dyed with anything toxic but, I wonder what natural orange substance changes the water so drastically?

They also said that they can’t remember the last time St. Patrick’s Day was so warm. I guess in this case, the changing weather patterns in the US from increased CO2 in the atmosphere comes as an Irish blessing this year and, the river will be extra bright! Watch the interview here:

Rowan Family Celebrates 50 Years of Dyeing Chicago River Green: MyFoxCHICAGO.com

As we know they had no idea what they started. Miss America has been around ever since, and the contest has evolved into a very complex pageant of beauty, skill, poise, and intelligence. The billion dollar pageant industry serves as a vehicle for platforms, raising awareness, creating connections with nonprofits and standing up for women’s issues, rights and confidence. Along with how huge televised pageants have become, there has been a recent rise in reality TV shows about pageants such as Little Miss Perfect, Toddlers and Tiara and Pageant Place. It’s no secret that some people find them bizarre and controversial but it’s for sure that we all find them fascinating and their expanding influence can be used for a lot of good.

The top four international beauty contests are Miss World, Miss Universe, Miss International and Miss Earth. Miss Earth is particularly interesting to us because the contestants have to be using their voice for the environment. Since it’s inception in 2001, 80 to 90 contestants from countries around the world compete in beauty and knowledge of environmental issues. Their website states that it is a “beauty event whose raison d’etre is to have its candidates and winners actively promote and get involved in the preservation of the environment and the protection of Mother Earth”. The winner serves as an ambassador to the environment in beauty campaigns worldwide. Miss Earth also has a foundation that has partnered with the United Nations. Together they support education and environmental issues.

Luckily for us beauty pageants for women have almost always had an element of swimsuit competition! Finally it’s a competition that we can get behind. We are proud to say that Eco Swim by Aqua Green is a responsible sponsor of the Ireland and UK portion of Miss Earth 2012. Finals will be held at the end of August and at the beginning of September. Those finalists will head to the Miss Earth Finals held in Asia. Our common goals of beauty and responsibility bring us together.

To learn more about the Miss Earth Pageant and the finals see the homepage.