Register for Blazing Paddles Paddlefest for a chance at winning two free tickets for “The Erie Situation” at Cleveland International Film Festival
/When we look at algae blooms happening with such frequency in the western Lake Erie basin that an annual forecast is warranted, we think back to five decades ago when a polluted Cuyahoga River served as a pipeline for industrial pollution. Common sense environmental regulations, large investments in stormwater infrastructure, enhanced environmental stewardship by the river’s industrial stakeholders, and public pressure by environmental and recreational activists created the conditions for the Cuyahoga River Valley’s comeback, becoming a place where people want to work, live, and play in. In other words, clean water is an economic driver for a region!
“The Erie Situation” “explores the confluence of science, public sentiment, politics, and the powerful farming lobby as Ohio wrestles with how to confront the drivers of toxic algae in one of the Great Lakes.” The film is a reminder of the challenges Lake Erie faces that our partner, Lake Erie Waterkeeper has been working hard to address via its efforts to ensure fishable, swimmable, and drinkable water for the Lake Erie watershed.
We will be releasing an interview we shot recently with “The Erie Situation” director, David Ruck, later this week.
Share the River will select two Blazing Paddles Paddlefest registrants at 9 am on Saturday morning, April 2, 2022 to receive two sets of tickets to “The Erie Situation”. at the Cleveland International Film Festival. at Playhouse Square. Winners can choose to attend either the world debut of “The Erie Situation” on Sunday, April 3, 2022 at 7:25 p.m. or the second showing on Monday, April 4, 2022 at 4:50 p.m. Tickets will be e-mailed to the winners.
The ticket value is $32 which is almost all of your recreational paddle entry fee ($35) so it pays to get registered for Blazing Paddles NOW! If you have already registered for Blazing Paddles, you are already entered in the drawing! Good luck!
Register for Dave Vasarhelyi Recreational Paddle (via Race Roster)
Register for one of three Blazing Paddles Paddlefest races (via PaddleGuru)
How A Global Issue Is Impacting A Local Community
As climate, politics, and agricultural interests collide, the health of Lake Erie – and that of humans and wildlife – hang in the balance.
In 2014, the citizens of Toledo, Ohio had to go without running water for three days when a bloom of highly toxic algae entered the drinking water plant from Lake Erie. This should have been a wake up call for politicians, big agriculture, and citizens everywhere that freshwater resources are at risk of becoming toxic.
The Erie Situation explores the confluence of science, public sentiment, politics, and the powerful farming lobby as Ohio wrestles with how to confront the drivers of toxic algae in one of the Great Lakes.
What's at stake? Who's at risk? And will volunteer measures be enough to confront this growing crisis, both in Ohio and beyond?