We Swim Wild are Battling the Tide on Water Contamination
Hydro Flask are back with us for the second edition of Blue Earth Summit, aligning with our core values as well as continuing their global work around conservation and environmental protection. Laura Owen Sanderson is one of their ambassadors, committed to getting more people out into wild waters to ultimately ‘protect what they love’ through adventure days and corporate retreats.
Laura is also the founder of the non profit environmental organisation We Swim Wild which is focused on improving water quality across the UK through science, adventure and education. Leading the largest micro plastic citizen science campaign across the UK, Laura is passionate about adventure to raise awareness of issues. She recently swam a river in every UK National Park from source to sea to track micro plastic levels and pollution. She is also currently training for research in underground rock filtered waters in the U.K’s deepest caves.
I got into wild swimming through chance and illness. Burn out and my body shutting down led to a series of blood transfusions which led to Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue. I found swimming through winter healed my symptoms. After spending more time in these wild places I noticed the human impact on the water and wildlife.
Laura is proof that anyone, by chance or circumstance, can take action to protect their local wild spaces. She is also the manager of the North Wales Rivers Trust, working on the ground to improve water quality in Snowdonia, using nature based solutions to cool rivers, combat climate change and connect wildlife habitats.
Microplatics are an emergent contaminate, currently unregulated in UK waters. I worked as a local Surfers Against Sewage rep completing beach cleans locally but I wanted to do more and look at the science behind it. I teamed up with the science department at my local university to complete a series of adventurers to not only highlight issues but to test for invisible contaminants.
Hydro Flask are a key partner at Blue Earth Summit and will be activating in various ways over the three days in October. Catch Laura during the 3 days, on stage or most likely in the water!
