It's beach season!
June 1 marked the official launch of Ontario's swimming season. This year, Lake Ontario Waterkeeper will be monitoring ninety-eight beaches in the Lake Ontario watershed. This is the largest beach reporting project we have ever undertaken.
Every day, Waterkeeper checks municipal and provincial beach hotlines and websites to see which beaches are open. We compile the information in monthly reports and publish one comprehensive annual report each year. Check out our 2007 Beach Report to see how your beach fared last season. This information helps Waterkeeper and local governments identify sources of pollution at our beaches and restore water quality. In Ontario, we strive to have every beach open 95% of the summer or better.
For more information about swimming in the Lake Ontario watershed, please visit our website at waterkeeper.ca/beaches. This page includes our reports, as well as links to all the beach hotlines and websites around Lake Ontario. The Lake Ontario watershed beach monitoring project now includes conservation areas, provincial parks, Trent River and Rice Lake beaches.
Listen to Living at the Barricades.
In honour of the swimming season start, Waterkeeper also featured beaches in our June 4 episode of Living At the Barricades. Many thanks to Great Lake Swimmers for their musical contribution to the show.
Background on Jack Johnson's 2008 tour
Musician Jack Johnson's 2008 tour is committed to energy conservation and waste reduction. Trucks and coaches will operate on biodiesel helping to reduce potential CO2 emissions by 78%. All festival merchandise will focus on sustainable materials, reuseables and renewables. Lake Ontario Waterkeeper will be participating in “The Village Green†located on the concert grounds. The Village Green will represent local groups and a few national organizations at booths and will be a place to learn about local and national environmental issues, how to take immediate personal steps, and help to create long-term solutions.
Check out Jack Johnson's All at Once Community at the website: www.allatonce.org
