With a number of initiatives underway working to improve the quality of the Schuylkill River, East and West Fairmount Park and surrounding communities, the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta (HOSR) is building upon its success in 2015 and partnering once again with the Philadelphia Water Department (PW) to bring reusable water bottles and water refill stations (the big, blue Water Monsters) to the HOSR regatta, reduc
ing the amount of single-use water bottles and inevitable litter and solid waste volume associated.
Year round, the Schuylkill Navy River Stewards Committee and PW continue to further this cause with river and bank clean-ups, discouraging the use of single-use water bottles on boathouse docks, the installation of permanent refillable water bottle stations in four locations along Kelly Drive, use of green wire trash receptacles during events, and education and advocacy within the rowing and greater community. The permanent water stations were a great success since they were installed! These combined efforts are making a visible impact and reaching far beyond the rowing community.
This year HOSR and PW will provide reusable water bottles and water stations at multiple locations along Kelly Drive. In planning the HOSR’s Refillable Water Bottle/Litter-free Schuylkill initiative, we wanted to develop a visible and catchy logo that will remind you to REuse and REfill whenever you see it! The above icon will be used frequently across all mediums …and we hope you will identify with this initiative and respect and actively support its message.
Our goals for 2016 are t
o get very close to full reliance by rowers, coaches, officials, volunteers and spectators on refillable water bottles, greatly reduce solid waste volume and approach becoming a litter-free regatta. Water bottle distribution tables and water refill stations will be located at the Festival Tent, the Finish Line, St. Joe’s Boathouse and University Barge Club, with an additional permanent water kiosk located at the Grandstands. The HOSR also encourages teams to utilize large 3-5 gallon jugs for refill at the water stations.
Join us in pioneering this path to sustainability…changing the culture, one regatta at a time, one event at a time, within the City of Philadelphia, throughout the region, and hey, maybe even across the country!