Love Your Lakes

Everyone loves the lakes and right now they need our help…

The bewitching beauty of the English Lake District makes the area a magical place to live and visit, but did you know the lakes are being damaged by the washing products we choose to use? Too much phosphate from washing machine and dishwasher detergents is getting into Lake Windermere leading to the growth of blue-green algae. Not only are these “algal blooms” unsightly but they are toxic and harmful to wildlife, people and pets.  Writes Amy McLauchlin

In 2010, the area witnessed the devastating impact blue-green algae which led to the cancellation of Britain’s most popular swimming event, the Great North Swim. Sadly blue-green algae can lead to closure of the lake and this means visitors and local people alike are temporarily unable to use the lake for recreation. The lakes are of course a precious tourism resource and Lake Windermere alone attracts around 5 million visitors each year, bringing more than £200 million to the local economy.

Phosphates entering the lake come from a very large catchment area and everyone who lives, works and visits the area could be contributing to the issue and have a role to play in the solution. Phosphates can be found in some laundry detergents and cleaning products. Wide-spread use of these products has a cumulative impact and is unwittingly upsetting the delicate balance of the lakes eco-systems.

But we can do something about it!

Nurture Lakeland’s ‘Love Your Lakes’ is a dynamic campaign within the Windermere catchment area, aimed at improving lakes’ water quality and helping local businesses, residents and visitors do their bit to reduce environmental impact. This area in the heart of the English Lake District is the most visited tourist destination in the National Park and needs a little tender loving care.

Last year, internationally recognised sustainable tourism charity Nurture Lakeland delivered Love Your Lakes for the Bassenthwaite catchment, to the north of the Lake District National Park. During this time they gave free sustainable tourism advisory visits to hundreds of tourism operators, raising awareness of how they could reduce their environmental impact on the lake and providing free resources to facilitate this. Resources included laundry cards to invite guests to have their towels changed less often and fact sheets on how to maintain their own septic tanks.

Love Your Lakes Bassenthwaite also worked with thousands upon thousands of local residents and visitors to the area to engage them with lake-friendly washing. Most importantly, the campaign played an important role in reducing phosphates in Bassenthwaite Lake by 60%.
 
Over the next year, the Love Your Lakes campaign will be encouraging people to do their bit to help improve local water quality. Every measure taken, no matter how small, will support the campaign and make a positive difference. Here are some easy green cleaning tips to help get you on your way.

Consider switching to phosphate free – there are now loads of alternative products that don’t cost the earth in more ways than one and have the same great cleaning results

Use less product –Cumbria is a soft water area and you will get the same results when washing your laundry with less product

Wash on full loads – reduce the frequency of washing by only using your washing machine or dishwashers on full loads

For a list of phosphate-free detergents, or more information, visit www.loveyourlakes.org  

If you are a tourism business and would download our useful responsible tourism Love Your Lakes materials free of charge, visit: http://www.nurturelakeland.org/love-your-lakes/informationforbusinesses.html

Love Your Lakes is Windermere Reflections project, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and delivered by Nurture Lakeland. Nurture Lakeland is a unique, award-winning organisation, inspiring people to care for Cumbria’s natural environment through responsible tourism. We are a registered charity, no. 1130453 Amy McLoughlin, Sustainable Tourism Adviser
 

Sustainable Tourism Report Suite 2011 Special Offers HERE