Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, America’s Flagship Environmental OrganizationHudson River Sloop Clearwater, Inc. is a 501(c)3 tax exempt nonprofit, member-supported corporation whose mission is to preserve and protect the Hudson River, its tributaries and related bodies of water. Clearwater conducts innovative environmental programs, advocacy and celebrations in order to inspire and energize the next generation of environmental leaders. Clearwater was founded in 1969 by music legend and environmental activist Pete Seeger. The organization began with the launch of sloop Clearwater—a majestic replica of the sloops that sailed the Hudson in the 18th and 19th centuries. The Since the launch of the Clearwater, more than half a million young people and hundreds of thousands of adults have experienced their first real look at an estuary’s ecosystem aboard the sloop. The Clearwater has become America’s Environmental Flagship, and was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004 for its role in the environmental movement. Today, Clearwater is partnering with schools and community leaders to raise the bar of environmental education again. This time the health of the Hudson River must go hand and hand with a sustainable world of green jobs in a green economy. Each summer, Clearwater re-connects Hudson Valley residents with their cultural heritage and traditions by bringing them down to the river for the Great Hudson River Revival, the country’s oldest music and environmental festival. The organization and its local sloop clubs also sponsor smaller local riverfront festivals throughout the year. Clearwater’s forward-thinking programs and outreach strategies has made the Clearwater a recognized symbol of grassroots action through hands-on learning, music and celebration. |
