Adopt-A-Drain
With spring snow thaw and spring rains comes a lot of water flowing through our lands. But where does it go? If you live in the city/suburbs, much of the water that flows on paved surfaces will flow towards a storm drain. Often these storm drains go right to waterways, not into wastewater treatment streams.
What does this mean for Make a Difference Monday? It means that we all have responsibilities when it comes to the health of our waterways. Litter and pollutants that can wash across a road, driveway or parking lot all have the potential to make it to a stream or river. And from there, think of how those waterways connect to other larger lakes, rivers and ecosystems.
What can you do?
Keep an eye out for trash that is on the ground and make an effort to pick it up. (Then wash your hands or use a garbage-picker-upper-thing!)
Adopt-a-Drain: If you have a storm drain near your house/work/on your daily walk, keep an eye on it. Bring along a garbage bag and clear out debris and garbage from around the drain. This will save it from getting into our waterways.
If you’re really interested in this, look for “Adopt-A-Drain” programs in your community or county and sign up to keep an eye on one+ drains!
Think about what you wash off outdoors at home. Your yard is connected to the groundwater, which makes its way into our waterways.
Tell others! When we all work together, we make a difference.