Toxic Avenger

An Oregon man swam the full length of the Columbia River -- 1,243 miles -- to raise awareness about its pollution. Christopher Swain, 35, began his journey in Columbia Lake on June 4, 2002 and reached the Pacific Ocean July 1, 2003. Described in 1805 by Lewis and Clark as a pristine blue river teeming with salmon, the Columbia is now plagued by toxic wastes, rampant bacteria, dying salmon and even contaminants from the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. Swain swam an average of 10 miles per leg, sometimes in extreme conditions -- freezing temperatures, 8-foot waves and 50-mph winds. "The river needed a champion," said Swain. He received the International Earth Day Award earlier this year for his feat.