Celebrate the power of crowdsourcing pollution prevention by doing small acts for clean water: Fix car leaks, bag and put pet waste in the trash, use a commercial car wash, avoid pesticides in your yard and garden, and keep plastics out of Puget Sound. You have the super power to help clean up Puget Sound. Small changes can make a big difference!
Pollution from stormwater runoff is the No. 1 threat to clean water in our urban areas, and the largest source of pollution to Puget Sound – the second-largest estuary in the nation. Clean water gives life to the tremendous array of plants and animals that live in and around Puget Sound, including orcas, sea lions, salmon, porpoises and more. And clean water supports the health and wellbeing of the 4.5 million people who live in the 12 counties that call the Puget Sound region home.
Washington State Governor Jay Inslee has proclaimed May as Puget Sound Starts Here Month, recognizing that a clean Puget Sound and its waterways support healthy and thriving communities.
Our daily actions add up to millions of pounds of toxic pollutants washing into Puget Sound waters every year. Rainwater flows over hard surfaces like roofs, parking lots, driveways and streets, picking up bacteria from dog poop, and harsh chemicals from pesticides, fertilizers, motor oil and other car leaks. The polluted water runs into storm drains that aren’t designed to clean pollution, but to quickly drain rainfall into local streams. The result: pollution in Puget Sound.
Join us in using your small clean water action super power in May, and help keep our waters clean:
- Be a better gardener. Fun, free workshops on pests, pollinators and plants and tips on lawncare, watering and building great soil are at www.NaturalYardCare.org.
- Maintain your car. Get car maintenance tips from Dr. Drip on the basics of finding a reliable mechanic or sign up for a free leak check workshop at www.fixcarleaks.org.
- Pick up and properly dispose of pet waste every time. Play the Dog Doogity tune to get you in the mood to scoop the poop www.scooppoop.org (don’t forget the big finish: getting the bag in the trash!).
- Use less plastic. Reduce, reuse and rethink plastics that are ending up in our food chain. A recent plastics summit offers background: http://zerowastewashington.org/index.php/campaigns/plastics.
