Hudson River Swim: UN Patron of Oceans Lewis Pugh, in Collaboration with 'Count Us In', Launches 'Rivers Are Life'

UNEP Patron of the Oceans Lewis Pugh, who has pioneered swims in the most challenging environments on earth, including the Antarctic, the North Pole, the Red Sea and the Himalayas, is pleased to announce that he is collaborating with global non-profit Count Us In to launch the 'Rivers are Life' campaign to raise awareness of everyday steps individuals can take to help protect local rivers and overall global health. 

Mr. Pugh, 53, launched an historic, 315-mile Hudson River Swim on Sunday, September 13 at the River's source high in the Adirondack Mountains. The swim is scheduled to conclude in Manhattan on September 13, just prior to a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly.  

"Lewis Pugh's epic Hudson River swim is a powerful way to call on world leaders meeting at the UN this September to make our rivers drinkable, fishable and swimmable again," said Count Us In co-founder Eric Levine. "We can all make a huge difference by taking action and backing Lewis's letter for world governments at iheartrivers.com." 

The 315-mile / 507-km swim, among the most challenging ever attempted by Mr. Pugh, would mark the first time anyone has swum the full length of the Hudson River unassisted.* Mr. Pugh will feature the campaign's "I Heart Rivers" logo along his Hudson River journey. The campaign also asks people to back Mr. Pugh's call for world leaders to prioritize healthy rivers as part of the drive to protect 30% of land and oceans by 2030. 

"I am so pleased to be collaborating with Count Us In on the 'Rivers are Life' campaign throughout the Hudson River Swim," Mr. Pugh said. "Clean rivers are essential to the fight for global sustainability. Fortunately, they're accessible to most people, and we know what it takes to get them healthy. I specifically chose the Hudson for this swim because of the environmental progress that's been made on the iconic waterway in recent years, thanks to a number of wonderful environmental organizations here in New York. Much work is still required, but tangible improvements have been made, setting an example for restoring rivers around the world." 

More information on The Hudson River Swim is available at: https://www.lewispughfoundation.org/ and www.lewispugh.com.

*An unassisted swim means the swimmer only wears a Speedo, cap and goggles (also known as 'skins') as compared to an assisted swim where swimmers choose to use equipment to assist them, for example: a wetsuit, snorkel, gloves, flippers, hand paddles, a craft when going down rapids, etc.