It’s hard to be a perfect eco swimmer, but we can all make a difference
What would a true eco swimmer look like? I imagine someone who almost exclusively swims locally, at places they can reach on foot or by bicycle. They’d have deep knowledge of their local environment, how it changes through the year, and the warning signs that might signal it was in trouble.
I expect the perfect eco swimmer would eschew most modern swimming paraphernalia. They’d make do with what they already had, perhaps stitching some old towels together for a changing robe, and they’d carry everything in a cherished but much-repaired canvas backpack. Their swimming costume would be old and will only be replaced when it becomes inappropriate to wear.
They’d always bring their own food to swims, wrapped in reusable wrappers. Vegan, of course. They’d drink tap water from a battered canteen. Their clothes would have been carefully selected from second-hand shops, and their wardrobe choice would be limited.
I suppose this person to be deeply content and wise. They’d read dog-eared paperbacks from the local library. If they had a phone, it would be low-spec and ancient. If they had to travel, it would be by public transport. They’d take their time and are never rushed.
The reality
I’m far from being this person! When I started thinking about this topic, I felt guilty and hypocritical. For example, I’ve recently returned from a swimming trip to the Maldives. Swimming-related travel is part of my job, and the carbon footprint is big.
Not only that, but because I help out with our gear testing at Outdoor Swimmer, I have far more kit than any swimmer needs. Now and then I give some away, but it still piles up. Even though I try to return swim hats to event organisers, I have a box full of old ones. I drive a car too – it’s sometimes the only way to get myself to some of the places publishing a magazine takes me to.
What swimming changes
But one thing swimming has given me – and I suspect it’s shared by most outdoor swimmers – is a sense of stewardship for the environment. As swimmers, we notice things – pollution, litter, environmental degradation – and this encourages us to take action.
For example, at Outdoor Swimmer, we print on carbon-balanced paper and we switched to recyclable paper envelopes a long time ago. We run a partnership with Climategames to help convert swimmers’ activities into tree planting and removing plastic from the ocean.
On a personal level, I haven’t eaten meat for 40 years, partly for environmental reasons. This could save around a tonne of CO2 emissions per year, compared to the typical diet in the UK. It’s something, but to put this in perspective, Atmosfair calculate that a return flight to the Maldives emits around 4 tonnes of CO2 per person. The charge to offset this is €116. I haven’t paid this, and it nags at my conscience. On the other hand, I believe there are wider societal benefits to travelling.
I also use the platform that running Outdoor Swimmer gives me to raise awareness of environmental issues, particularly water pollution. While swimmers may benefit more than most from clean water, it’s good for everyone.
Finding a balance
The perfect eco swimmer might be out there, but I’ve never met them. I do, however, meet a lot of environmentally aware swimmers who notice and care. They recognise the conflicts between pursuing their swimming passion and caring for the planet – and they take steps to reduce the harm they do.
Rather than being judgmental about our actions, and how they compare with other people’s, perhaps the best we can do is to be aware of the trade-offs we make, and nudge them in eco-friendly directions where we can.
In a way, this links to the entire Renaissance Swimmer concept. We can’t be perfect swimmers, but we can make thoughtful choices about where we want swimming to take us.
