On the River

Next week, a British woman named Lizzie Carr will be journeying the length of the Hudson River on a stand-up paddle board to raise awareness about plastic pollution.

Earlier this year, Carr created a charity called Plastic Patrol to encourage people to clean up Britain's waterways. According to Carr, "Eighty percent of marine debris starts from inland sources before it eventually flows out to the ocean." She decided to take her mission to the United States because we are one of the world's largest consumers of single-use plastic, with 80 percent of plastic being discarded after just one use. "I want my journey along the Hudson to motivate people to take action, so together, we can make a real difference to resolve the global problem of plastics choking out seas," says Carr.

As she paddles down the Hudson, Carr will be collecting and documenting plastic waste she encounters and also gathering water samples that will then be analyzed by the Hudson River Park Trust.

Carr will begin her journey on the Hudson in Albany on Thursday, September 6. It is expected to take eight days, ending in New York City on Friday, September 14. There is no indication of exactly when she will be passing Hudson, but it can be estimated based on beach clean-up events scheduled for locations farther down the river:

• In Poughkeepsie, on Sunday, September 9, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., at Kaal Rock Park
• In Croton-on-Hudson, on Wednesday, September 12, from 5:30 to 7:30, at Croton Point Park
• In New York City, on Friday, September 14, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., at Pier 26, Hudson River Park

To learn more about Lizzie Carr and Plastic Patrol, read this article which appeared today on BBC News: "London plastic campaigner to paddle the Hudson River," or visit her website, LizzieOutside. The website features a live tracker that will allow you to follow her journey down the Hudson once it gets underway on Thursday.

COPYRIGHT 2018 CAROLE OSTERINK

Thanks to Jane Trombley for bringing this to our attention