The following originally aired on KCBS.
By Anna Pieri and Megan Maerz
Our San Francisco Bay is known across the globe for its iconic beauty, but it may not be so for long. Bay monitoring shows that contaminants are slowly increasing.
The first time I volunteered at the annual Coastal Cleanup, I was shocked by the amount of trash that ends up in our bay. Combing through the grass, we found plastic bags, bottle caps, and beer cans as far as 10 feet off the road.
I wondered how anyone could be thoughtless enough to litter and put marine animals in danger. I found out that even in “green” Marin, water pollutants can be found everywhere.
Fertilizers cause algae blooms that suffocate fish. Shampoo and other cleaning products can contain neurotoxic ingredients. Dumping car oil down the sewer can cause the same kind of problems as an oil tanker spill, since a single gallon of oil can spread to contaminate a million gallons of water.
But oil isn’t the only thing that spreads – since finding out about these pollution problems, my friends and I have been spreading the word about our everyday impact on the Bay.
Here are ten tips worth sharing about how to reduce water pollution in the bay.
1. Use household products that are all-natural and non-toxic.
2. Don’t overuse pesticides and fertilizers on your lawn or garden. Plain apple vinegar can be used as an effective weed killer in your home garden!
3. Check your car regularly for oil or antifreeze leaks.
4. Dispose of motor oil properly. The Jiffy Lube in San Rafael recycles used motor oil into lubricating oil!
5. Don’t litter.
6. Participate in the annual Coastal Cleanup at Rodeo Beach to pick up litter before it harms ocean wildlife.
7. Wash your car at commercial car washes. They use less water than is typically used at home, and the soapy water is treated.
8. Dispose of hazardous waste like paint and appliances correctly.
9. Do not overwater lawns and gardens. Overwatering can flush large quantities of pesticides and fertilizer directly into storm drains.
10. Compost garden and kitchen waste. Compost can be used as a fertilizer, reducing nitrate runoff from artificial fertilizers.
Previously:
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