Download P O Box 889, Midway, GA 31320 Column # 500 for the week of May

P O Box 889, Midway, GA 31320
Column # 500 for the week of May 22, 2016
Keep Rain Pure. Stop the ‘Additives’
Contact information: Keep Liberty Beautiful
Sara Ann Swida, Director
880-4888 [email protected]
Rain like we are having this week is a good thing. Rain is always a friend to folks,
like us, that live on dirt roads. I hate dust! Rain also makes the flowers grow and
grass lush and green and plants produce great stuff to eat. I love rain.
Unfortunately, the ‘additives’ that we humans add to our rain water can create
major problems for our waterways. These ‘additives’ that I am referring to are the
ones that we create every day by the choices we make---litter, oil leaks, phosphate
cleaners, poor septic systems, improperly handled yard waste, etc. etc. The
Environmental Protection Agency calls this nonpoint source pollution. Point
sources mean that the pollution is generated from identifiable, specific locations,
like industrial, commercial, and municipal facilities. Unfortunately, the most
significant danger to our local waterways--- "nonpoint sources” (NPS) --- are
actually far harder to control.
What are nonpoint sources of pollution? Nonpoint pollution develops mainly in
our own homes and yards as well as our workplaces and roads particularly in more
heavily populated areas. NPS pollution is activated by rainfall or irrigation moving
over and through the ground. As the water runoff moves, it picks up and carries
away natural and human-made pollutants (our ‘additives’), finally depositing them
into creeks, lakes, rivers, wetlands, coastal waters, and even our underground
sources of drinking water. It is often referred to as stormwater pollution because
those little downpours of rain wash the pollution and debris into our groundwater
and our waterways.
According to the EPA, nonpoint source pollution is the leading cause of water
quality problems. Nonpoint pollution is known to have harmful effects on drinking
water, wildlife and -- as we are now learning -- our water sports and seafood
fisheries. As urbanization continues, the effects of nonpoint pollution will only
worsen.
Because we humans create these ‘nonpoint’ problems, we all need to participate in
efforts to reduce or prevent this pollution. Here are ten ways that each of us can
minimize the problems created by nonpoint source pollution:
1. Use lawn and garden chemicals sparingly or use organic alternatives. Whatever
you put on your lawn could find its way to a stream.
2. Choose low-maintenance, native plants that require fewer chemicals and less
watering. There are plenty of fantastic indigenous plants and trees that look
beautiful in this region.
3. Don't dump anything into storm drains. Most lead directly into area waterways.
Litter, cigarette butts, and any type of debris will end up in our waterways.
4. Wash your car on the lawn or gravel, which filter the dirt and soap out of the
water. Use soaps without phosphates, which remove oxygen from the water. Or
go to a car wash that recycles wash water.
5. Fix that oil leak in your car and recycle oil and other car fluids. Please don’t just
pour them into the ground or even worse down a storm drain!
6. Clean up after your pet and dispose of the waste in the garbage or flush it down
the toilet. Your pet would do it himself if he could, so help him out.
7. Use phosphate-free household cleaners.
8. Keep your septic system maintained to prevent leaks. Have it checked or
serviced every three to five years.
9. Sweep driveways and sidewalks instead of hosing them off.
10. Reduce the amount of impervious surfaces around your home. Alternatives
such as paving blocks, gravel, cobbles, brick and natural stone can replace
asphalt and concrete in driveways, parking lots and walkways. Rainwater, etc.,
can then drain down slowly through these surfaces rather than gushing off hard
surfaces and taking all the debris with it.
Let’s face it. We are nonpoint source pollution when we make choices that create
these serious water quality problems. We are also the ones who can stop this threat
to our waterways.
One last reminder: Keep Liberty Beautiful is hosting our Annual Volunteer
Appreciation this week on Thursday May 26th from 5 pm until 7 pm at the
LaQuinta Inn on East Oglethorpe Hwy with our Business After Hours partner,
Navy Federal Credit Union and, of course, the Liberty County Chamber of
Commerce. The event is simply a time for us to say thank you to our volunteers
who are able to attend and to celebrate the very best of our community.
If you would like to attend our volunteer appreciation event, simply contact
Keep Liberty Beautiful at 880 4888 or [email protected] by
Monday May 23th to register. Also be sure to find KLB on Facebook or check out
our website www.keeplibertybeautiful.org .