We are usually awash in May with Puget Sound Starts Here Month, but like all of us, we are adapting to the changes COVID-19 made to our lives. We moved our celebration to September to prevent taking attention from public health guidance at the start of the pandemic.
September is here, and we want to share different ways you can celebrate Puget Sound Starts Here Month with us! Whether you’re commuting to work, dedicating most of your time at home or getting outdoors (while maintaining social distancing, of course), there are ways you can help keep our waters clean.
Doing activities outdoors is still limited, but there are plenty of ways to help reduce pollution in the waters of the Sound. A few ideas:
- Scoop it, bag it, trash it. Whenever your pet does their business outside, be sure to pick up after them and dispose of the waste in the trash. Saves a bazillion bacteria, viruses and zoonotic diseases (sicknesses that can pass between animals – or to humans!).
- When you need to clean your car, take it to your local carwash. Commercial carwashes reuse water that gets treated at treatment facilities and keeps cleaning supplies chemicals from getting into storm drains. Or wash your car on your lawn where the water can soak in.
- Build a rain garden. Being stuck at home can mean new hobbies and we have great native plants to add to your yard or build a rain garden.
Check out our Take Action page for tips and more ideas.
Our Classroom Tools page has educational materials that both parents and teachers can use at home or in the classroom. Students can learn how stormwater runoff impacts their communities and what they can do to reduce water pollution from the Drain Rangers packets and Stormwater Runoff Education Resource Guides. There are resources for K-5 and 6-12 grades. There are also translated short readings for Spanish speaking students. You can find other environmental education centers too. Keep your student busy by learning about the environment!
There is much more to come for Puget Sound Starts Here Month and we hope you can join us by making big differences through all our small actions.
Be sure to check out our Facebook or Instagram for stories all month long.