Whether you want to work alone or in a group, there are a number of ways you can choose to show you CARE.  Several ways to participate are outlined here, and they are categorized by these goals to help us meet our mission.

We are the greatest threat to our water, soil, and air environments.  They are delicate resources and must be taken CARE of to sustain a continued use by future generations.  We must use the resources with great care to minimize our impacts and to restore their condition.  Nature itself is a great healer, but our careless use will overcome natural methods of a healthy recovery. We cannot continue careless ways and must help nature restore the environment. The following actions provide ways to CARE:

CARE as a Citizen

Get involved – As an individual around your home, here are a few things you can do.

• Reduce pesticides and herbicides in your landscape.  These products are toxic and a potential source of contamination. Use them sparingly in strict accordance with label. Seek non-toxic alternatives whenever possible and pull weeds by hand.
• Use chemical fertilizers sparingly.  Don’t overuse fertilizers especially near ponds or streams.  Rain and water washes fertilizers into waterways and water bodies, contributing to algae blooms, which kill fish.
• Use or dispose of grass clippings. Leave grass-clippings on your lawn as natural compost. If you bag your clippings, throw them away with the garbage. Don’t dump them in the street where they clog inlets and storm drains.
• Plant instead of pave. Ground cover minimizes surface runoff.  Consider replacing turf adjacent to water and water bodies with vegetative buffers that will slow storm water and reduce nutrients entering the water.
• Redirect runoff from roofs, patios and driveways.  Stormwater runoff that flows directly into channels and storm drains goes right into the Bay, carrying pollutants with it.  Minimize runoff by disconnecting downspouts over areas. Redirecting runoff to landscaped areas will slow and filter stormwater before it goes to the drain. Better yet, use collector barrels and catch the rainfall from your roof and release it slowly later.
• Don’t water your driveway. Washing driveways and sidewalks wastes water and pushes pollutants into storm drains. Wash vehicles on lawn areas to help filter pollutants and use biodegradable detergents with little or no phosphates.

Educate – As an individual, go to the library or the Internet and find out more about watershed management.  Go to the section - Where can I get further information?

Promote – As an individual, tell your friends and neighbors if you see them not CAREing. Talk about possible programs within your organization that can show we CARE.  Lastly, let us know what you have done, and we will tell others.

CARE as a member of an organization:

Get involved - As a member, get your organization involved in a program such as Adopt A Stream, Adopt a Street, Stream clean-up, litter cleanup.

Educate – Get speakers from local environmental groups, or your City public works or utilities departments.  Your local water plant and wastewater plant staff would most likely be happy to talk about their operations or even provide a tour. Private waste management companies often have an environmental program that can be presented.

Promote – Your organization can provide mini-grants to the school system coordinator for material, assist in science fairs, purchase litter bags to be given away at festivals and events and buy education material to hand out to your membership.  Post educational material on your bulleting board.

CARE as a Business Person:

Get involved – Within your business, look for ways to reduce pollution.  See if you can find a pollution prevention plan on the Internet for your type of business.  There are several located on this Web Site under the “By Practicing Pollution Prevention” page. Consider writing a plan. Make sure there are places for people to dispose of trash and cigarette butts at your place of business. Appoint a recycle coordinator.

Educate – Consider employee training on pollution prevention at your workplace.  Have “brown bag” lunches with people speaking on environmental matters along with typical safety, health, and routine matters.

Promote – Provide training in pollution prevention and remember it needs to be repeated because o staff changes.

Provide incentives for best ideas in litter control and preventing pollution and reducing discharge of waste into stormwater runoff.