Intrepid Travelers Highlight Green Issues
And now we take a break for a moment from our customary gloom and doom to bring you a little inspiration — two tales of travel and eco-activism. First we have Chris Swain, who yesterday finished his eight-week, 315-mile swim down the Hudson River, during which he developed a rash and frequently gargled hydrogen peroxide to ameliorate the distasteful effects of swimming through foamy, sewage-borne pollutants. Why did he do it? He hopes to inspire more people to get involved in Hudson cleanup efforts. “We’re looking for a pristine river,” he said, “drinkable all the way to Troy and swimmable all the way to the Atlantic, every day of the year.” Next up is Shaun Murphy, Australian explorer and TV host, who last week finished a 16,000-mile journey around the U.S. during which he piloted a dizzying 28 different vehicles, every one powered by alternative-energy sources, from the sun to cooking oil to cow pies. No fossil fuels were burned in the making of his “eco-trek.” Cheers to Chris and Shaun!
