The best of the week at EcoSalon, hand-picked for your clicking pleasure.

Think river towns are on the wane? You could be right – but only in the popular media. With their new competition and partnership with American Rivers, Outside magazine wants to remind people that river towns haven’t gone anywhere, and they’re just as charming (and environmentally conscious) as ever.

Mark Twain is credited as saying golf is “a good walk spoiled.” In fact he probably didn’t say it at all, but for critics of the sport, it has remained a rallying cry. How many of them have the environmental cost uppermost in their minds? As Allison Ford discovers, golf remains a water-guzzling monster, and it’s getting thirstier each year…

Anyone who is anyone has an embarrassing pair of flares in the closet, kept for sentimental value but utterly unsuitable for the light of day. But lo! Are they due for a comeback, as this history of flared pants gently suggests? Should I jump the fashion gun and strut proudly down the street in those tan bell-bottoms that lurk in my wardrobe? Will I? Not a chance.

Lazy, warm evenings are upon us, complete with the tantalizing smells coming from next door’s barbecue. So fight back! Practice your July 4th outdoor entertaining skills with these 11 essentials for a bash to drive your neighbours crazy.

Finally, know the name Natalie Coughlin? Yes, she was the swimmer decorated so handsomely with medals at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics. What you might not know is that’s she’s a keen urban farmer – check out our interview with her on the subject.

The post The Friday 5: Out & About Edition appeared first on EcoSalon.

Take me to the river.

For my first twenty-one years of life, I did not live in a river town—the result of a decision, on my parents’ part, that now seems almost criminally negligent. Now that I’ve lived in a river town for a few years, it’s hard to go back to being landlocked. No cooling breezes during the summer. No easily accessible beaches to walk your dog and dip your toes. No bridges on which to stand and watch sailboats pass underneath.

Blackfoot River, Montana

Perhaps river towns aren’t the vital transportation hubs that they used to be. Trains and planes have taken the place of the river barge and steamship. But they are still uniquely enchanting places, where a complex and fragile riverside ecology provides limitless recreational opportunities, that in turn fuel a bustling local economy.

Boise River, Idaho

American River, California

That’s why Outside magazine has partnered with American Rivers, the nation’s leading river-conservation organization, to launch the “Best River Town” contest. American Rivers helped Outside magazine select towns on the basis of three criteria: Whether the town met quality-of-life standards; whether the town used its river recreationally; and, most importantly, whether or not the town has taken action to preserve its waterway.

Animas River, Colorado

“It’s important for us to celebrate good news and success stories, since so often we’re sounding the alarm about threats. We hope this contest draws attention to the value of healthy rivers in our lives, and the value of rivers to our economy, health, and quality of life. We hope it inspires people to get out and enjoy a river, wherever they live.” said Amy Kober, a spokesperson for American Rivers.

Taughannock Creek, Ithaca, New York

Milwaukee River, Wisconsin

After evaluating river towns all over the country, Outside and American Rivers narrowed the list to ten towns: Hood River, Oregon; Nevada City, California; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Asheville, North Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee; Boise, Idaho; Missoula, Montana; Durango, Colorado; Ithaca, New York and Richmond, Virginia. After coming up with the finalists, Outside called upon the public to make the final decision.

James River, Virginia

To participate in the contest, which is sponsored by Good N’ Natural, sign into your Facebook account and visit Outside’s Facebook page. You vote by clicking the link of your favorite town. A panel of Outside editors will select the winner, both by counting the number of votes and by judging the creative content of the pictures, videos and comments on the Facebook page.

Cumberland River, Tennessee

The winning town will be on the cover of Outside’s October 2012 issue. And every voter in the contest will have a chance to win a five-day trip to one of the top ten towns. The contest will remain open through July 10, 2012.

If, in the meantime, you’d like to take direct action towards helping preserve America’s rivers, Kober has some other suggestions. Following American Rivers on Facebook or Twitter is a great way to track the projects that they’re working on, either the various political campaigns—for example, cutting water infrastructure spending in the upcoming House Interior Appropriations Bill, or local river restoration campaigns. Otherwise, Kober adds, “Summer is a great time to organize a river cleanup!”

French Broad River, North Carolina

Top image: Hood River, Oregon

Images: MrTopher, Bitterroot, The Knowles Gallery, uvw916a, Musebrarian, Squash713, Atelier Teee, trepelu, SeeMidTN.com, BillRhodesPhoto

The post Outside Magazine Focuses on the Best River Towns appeared first on EcoSalon.