Summary of Documentary “Swim for the River”

This documentary on Chris Swain’s swim from the source of the Hudson River in upstate New York to its end in NYC harbor not only provides informationon the river itself but also brings awareness to how polluted this water system is. This 315 mile long river actually begins as small streams and pools of water. The problems and pollution of the river that Swain ran into along the way are indescribable. One small town along the river was fighting against putting in a trash incinerator where trash from NYC and other areas in the state would be sent. This facility would be placed along the river and have the possibility of polluting that area of the waterway. One representative claimed that this possible pollution was a “tradeoff for economic benefits.” This line represents the attitude of our nation. We need the environment for survival and yet its protection and importance never seem to come first.

The problem in Glenns Falls, NY is even more mind-boggling. An old paper company that allowed the city to prosper in the past is also the reason why the river is closed off to the public and highly polluted. After finding ways to go around the barriers around the river set up by the paper mill plant, Swain was shocked to find four or five pipes dumping toxins from the paper mill directly into the river. This “out of sight, out of mind” attitude, as Swain refers to it, is another reason why the public is so unaware of the real problems of the Hudson River. Pollutants such as PCB’s are causing cancers and deaths in the state of NY. These pollutants cause commercial fishing to be banned and put all of the citizens at risk and are caused by the dumping of chemicals such as these into the waterways. Although many of these PCB hot spots were ordered to be dredged, these hot spots still remain in many parts of the river due to lack of action.

Sewage treatment plants along the river also cause major pollution to the river. When it rains, these plants overflow directly into the river, making the river very unhealthy to swim in. Additionally, these plants, other factories, and dams cause the temperature of the river to increase, causing many other ecological problems including the destruction of plankton, a main producer in the river. One shocking element of this documentary was how many times the police were called and Swain got in trouble for swimming in areas of the river. Some areas were so polluted that he was legally not allowed to swim in the water due to health risks. There are so many things that the public is unaware of due to the lack of information and lack of knowledge about the state of the river at this time. Chris Swain’s efforts in making the public more aware are remarkable and inspiring. The importance of this issue is growing and Swain defiantly gets this point across by his extraordinary journey.