Earlier than Susan Baur, 85, based Outdated Women Towards Underwater Rubbish (OLAUG), she was an creator of oceanography books turned psychologist. Years of solo night swims in Cape Cod’s ponds made her a fan of the native turtles; she determined to assist them by clearing out pond particles throughout her underwater dives. She began OLAUG and unintentionally gained nationwide media consideration and impressed numerous people to seek out their very own path to communing with nature.
OLAUG at present consists of 28 members. They clear round 50 ponds per 12 months and on common acquire 100 kilos of rubbish at every location. The one cost they ask for in return is sizzling drinks and cookies. Senior Planet talked to Susan about her motion and its rewards:
What impressed you to begin Outdated Women Towards Underwater Rubbish?
My first impression of the ponds in Cape Cod was that they have been horrible – they have been muddy, darkish and filled with water lilies the place something could possibly be hiding – particularly 50-pound snapping turtles. However over the course of about 18 years, as I swam alone within the night in these ponds – I got here to only love the turtles. I got here to acknowledge them. I spotted they have been people who didn’t all act the identical or look the identical.
I knew was that I used to be a nicer individual once I was underwater swimming with these turtles. I appreciated myself higher and I appreciated the world higher and I appreciated the longer term higher. Or you possibly can say I used to be obsessed!
So I went to completely different cities attempting to get individuals to place up indicators to guard the ponds and depart them for the turtles. That didn’t work. I attempted educating. I attempted lecturing. I attempted constructing low-cost underwater housing for turtles and never telling anybody about it. I attempted a complete bunch of issues, and it was failure, failure, failure.
What caught in my thoughts was that it was so great to be with turtles.
Sooner or later in 2018, I believed, “What the heck, a minimum of I can choose up the pond. If I see spent fireworks, I can try this.” So I acquired two individuals collectively and we cleaned up a pond. And that was form of the start of Outdated Women Towards Underwater Rubbish. However what actually caught in my thoughts was not, “Oh boy, let’s develop this,”
What caught in my thoughts was that it was so great to be with turtles. It was so great to really feel like I used to be in keeping with the planet. It was the good factor somebody might do. I wished to know the right way to get again to that second – name it an epiphany, name it wonderstruck, name it what you need, however there are these moments the place you’re precisely the place you’re speculated to be, doing precisely what you’re speculated to do – and nicely.
I didn’t know what I used to be beginning. I believed we have been simply cleansing ponds – after which the media consideration started. I spotted, they need what we acquired. OLAUG is a singular environmental service in that we’re motivated by pleasure. We’re motivated by the revitalization that every of us expertise.
It sounds such as you obtain a type of “circulation state.”
Precisely! I put these 28 ladies in a scenario the place they must get out of their heads. You need to be so centered if you end up 10 toes underwater, attempting to get a tire out of the mud, that you simply don’t consider your self. How typically do you get out of your personal head?
What know-how are you utilizing to prepare OLAUG?
Nothing a lot within the mission – masks, snorkels, kayaks. But it surely’s essential that we be in contact with one another. To take action we’ve got group emails – however attempt to hold them as few as potential.
The best underutilized energy in the US is ladies over 65.
Why do you suppose this work is taking off with different older adults?
The best underutilized energy in the US is ladies over 65. The zest, the gratitude. Look around the globe! When grandmothers get towards one thing, be careful! As a result of we’ve got nothing to lose.
Each lady over 65 has misplaced quite a bit. If she had kids, they’ve gone away, they’ve made errors, husbands have began dying, breasts are being surgically eliminated, knees have been changed. So to see a bunch of girls who say, “yeah, this can be our final act nevertheless it’s extra enjoyable, extra helpful and extra great in some ways than any chapter we’ve had in our life”… It’s sizzling stuff.
Any recommendation for somebody who desires to begin an environmental service group?
What you actually need is to get within the circulation. You wish to discover that have that makes you lose your self. It must be one thing very arduous that takes completely every thing you’ve acquired.
Awe is a sizzling subject of research proper now – however awe is unbiddable. So, whenever you come across a second of perfection, seize a complete bunch of individuals and pull them in. You stick your finger within the socket of the planet – whether or not that’s by means of artwork, music, nature, different individuals – and then you definitely go.
What does growing older with perspective imply to you?
Outdated women towards underwater rubbish! It means I’ll strive something I would like.
Picture Credit: Outdated Women Towards Underwater Rubbish.
Pam Hugi is Senior Planet’s Neighborhood and Advocacy Supervisor. Based mostly in Brooklyn, she is a contributing author for this web site.
