Share

Updated August 10, 2010

Our waterways are being assaulted.  Their waters are no longer fit for drinking and bathing. They are losing the ability to support life within their ecosystems.  This poses a grave situation for the environment and for human health as many salt and fresh water bodies of water are contaminated by toxins, fertilisers, prescription drugs and sewage.Great deal of responsibility for the destruction of the waterways lies with big businesses and governments and there are important implications for lawmakers and politicians.  But at the same time, actions by citizens and users affect our waterways.  Therefore, individuals can do their part in preserving the vital bodies of water both large and small.

1. Dealing with Storm Water

One reason for the degradation of streams is uncontrolled storm water runoff. Water ends up on driveways and roads where they pick up chemicals and pollutants en route to streams.  Unlike sewers (where the water is channelled off into treatment plants), storm water goes straight into the waterways.  With all the runoff, banks can become unstable, the habitat may be lost, and the streams can erode.

What can you do? You can try capturing storm water with rain barrels or rain gardens.  Another option is to plant plants that will absorb a lot of the water so there is not a lot of runoff when it rains.

For further information on stormwater, The EPA has a page.

2. Cleaning up pet waste

One dog’s waste may seem trivial but think of the numbers.  It’s estimated that there are over 55 million pet dogs just in the US producing over 15 billion pounds of dog waste each year.  While many cities and towns have laws requiring pet owners to clean up after their dog, enforcement differs.  Pet waste that is left behind on pavements and lawns can wash into rivers and streams.  This increases levels of potentially dangerous bacteria in bodies of water.  Pets and people – especially children – are exposed to hazards such as salmonella and parasitic worms that result from improperly disposed pet waste.

Throw away the waste from your pet in the toilet or in a trash can.  Alternatively, you can buy dog waste disposal units for the garden.  If you prefer to get rid of the waste, there are companies that will take away dog waste for composting for a small fee.  Another option is to have a worm farm that can utilise pet waste.

3. Disposing oil, refuse and household chemicals properly

Just a small amount of oil can contaminate a couple million gallons of our water.  Trash can clog up and waterways and household chemicals can be sources of serious contamination.

• Never flush things down the storm water drains
• Do not pour chemicals down the sink or down the toilet unless you are certain it is safe to do so
• You can solidify some liquid wastes using an absorbent material (sawdust, kitty litter, paper towels, rags) to soak up the liquid.  Place the material into a plastic bag, then dispose with other household garbage

Do not dispose leftover medication down the toilet.  You can: a)  Mix the leftover medicine with unpleasant garbage – such as cat litter or coffee grounds – and throw away with solid household garbage; b) Take advantage of local return/takeback programs if they exist in your area; c) Present unused prescription drugs to a local pharmacy for proper disposal.

If you have chemicals that cannot be disposed of at home, take them to a designated place for recycling or safe disposal.  Try to not buy more than you need and reuse where possible.  Read the product label for warnings and instructions on disposal.  If you are in any doubt about safe disposal of objects and chemicals, contact your municipality/local government for instructions.

4. Look after your vehicle

There are things you can do to ensure your vehicle use don’t harm the environment or people’s health.

Washing the car

If you wash your car at your home – water containing soap and detergent, residues from exhaust fumes, brake pads, gasoline and motor oil – washes off the cars, flows off the pavement and into nearby storm drains. Even biodegradable soaps and detergents can interfere with and harm aquatic life and disturb the balance of eco-systems.  A better alternative is to go to a commercial carwash where the water used is diverted into sewage treatment and not down a storm drain.

If you are leaking fluids and motor oil, you can also pollute the waterways.  Vehicle exhaust is also a significant contributor to water pollution.  Keep your car serviced regularly to avoid any leaks that can be dangerous to waterways.

5. Stop Using So Much Fertiliser

Many keen gardeners are using too much fertiliser which ends up going into the waterways.  If you use too much fertiliser or apply it at the wrong time, it can wash off your lawn or garden into storm drains and into lakes and streams.  Like it does on land, fertiliser in lakes and streams makes plants grow.  This means algae and aquatic plant growth. If you are going to use fertiliser, do so when it is cold.  You can purchase a kit to test the soil as well to see if you really need to do any fertilising at all.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

8 Responses to “Protecting our rivers, lakes and oceans – things you can do”