The silence of the pond (池塘) was broken by the first cry: "Found something!" A swimmer ducked (扎入) into the water with a lifeline connected to a boat. Soon, she appeared, holding a bright blue glass bottle. It was passed to another, then into the boat.
On a fine Sunday morning in May, a team of 10 women over 65 years old, known as the Old Women Against Underwater Rubbish (OWAUR), looked for rubbish across Nova Pond in Scotia.
When the team returned, they joked about the trip. "We didn't even know what it was," one swimmer said with a laugh, showing an electronic lighter they had found. "We had to ask a young person."
Part protection organization, part social club, OWAUR only accepted old women as its members. To improve the conditions of the ponds, the group made it its mission to take rubbish away from them. The idea of this group was from a moment of Sandy, a retired (退休的) reporter. As a lifelong nature lover, she liked swimming in ponds. However, the world of the pond, which was a little polluted, made her anxious. Then she came up with a slogan (标语):
"OVER 65, IF YOU'RE HEALTHY ENOUGH, IS THE AGE OF ACTION."
Soon many people joined her. They found a sense of wonder at the pond cleanup moments. And their team could do a lot more than people might think.
When many people thanked OWAUR for what they had done, some questioned why they called themselves "old women". "You should call yourselves the Mermaids (美人鱼) Against Underwater Rubbish," they said.
