WATERSHED CLEANUP - A SUCCESS!
On July 21st, CORE staff members hit the streets to raise watershed awareness and to raise funds for our ongoing education outreach programs! We collected 15 bags of litter and debris along Essex Ave in West Gloucester, inlcuding a bike and a kid's wading pool!
Left, Assistant Director of CORE, Deanna Leonard, fishes a bicycle out of the water!
Right, the team from CORE that dedicated their day to cleaning up the watershed. Many thanks to (from left to right) Jess Taylor, Deanna Leonard, Jerilyn Krug and Trish Stantham. Good work!
What is a Watershed?
Every water body has a land area from which water drains. This is known as a watershed. Rain that falls on land will eventually drain into streams and rivers that lead to the ocean. Pollution that comes from land use within a watershed is known as non-point source pollution. This includes everything from lawn fertilizer in homes to oil and debris from roads and parking lots. This type of pollution is a growing concern and is difficult to regulate since it originates from many sources.
How does it relate to me?
Everyone creates non-point source pollution every day: through use of cars; fertilizing our lawns; by not cleaning up after pets; leaving litter and debris in streets and public use areas; and many other things in everyday life. Land activities directly impact our coastal areas whether we live on beach-side property or 1000 miles inland. Runoff from streets into sewers carries with it all the pollution and trash that we leave behind.
What Can You Do To Help?
Here are some simple tips that make it easy to protect our oceans and the rest of our environment! Whether you're at home, at work, thinking about your community or even joining CORE, there are many valuable ways you can help your planet!
AT HOME:
Bag That Trash!Plastics can make their way into our oceans where fish, turtles and other marine animals can mistake them for food. Many sea creatures ingest these plastics and can starve or even suffocate as a result. For the same reason, we do not want to release balloons.
Properly dispose used motor oil, acid from car batteries, household grease & other potentially toxic substances. Don't pour them down the drain and don't allow them to run off into storm drains.
Carefully read the labels on lawn products and other chemicals and use them sparingly. Use phosphate-free laundry detergent. Eco-friendly alternatives are readily available at your grocery store and garden center.
Conserve water by not running it when it's not needed. For instance, when you're shaving, brushing your teeth or washing dishes. Replace your old, water-guzzling toilet with a newer model that uses far less water per flush. Install a spray head on your garden hose and use that to water the garden or wash your car instead of letting the water run the entire time!
Recycle, recycle, recycle. Most cities and towns have curb-side pick up of paper, cans, and many plastics. Take advantage of the ease with which you could help our planet by simply recycling - you'll be amazed at how much less garbage you have!
Use recycled or renewable products. Many are readily available at local stores, and most times they're only pennies more.
Start them young! Educate your family, get the kids started with recycling early on, and it will become a good habit for the rest of their lives.
WITH CORE:
Become a member! CORE is dedicated to promoting the conservation of marine mammals and their habitat.
Sponsor a whale! Our whale adoption program is an excellent opportunity to learn about a whale in our population and support research at the same time.
Join CORE on an extended research trip. CLICK HERE to learn more...
Give CORE your time, your paper, your computer programming skills...We can always use gifts in kind. Visit our wish list to see if you have anything to donate!
IN THE COMMUNITY AND AT WORK
Report abandoned cargo and fishing nets to the local Coast Guard or Harbormaster's office. The Coast Guard can be reached on your VHF radio, channel 16. If you cannot us the marine radio, we will contact them for you! CORE's number is 978-768-4560, and we stand by channels 78 and 18 on the marine radio.
Spread the word! Educate your friends and co-workers about eco-friendly choices. Many people are willing to help protect whales and the environment, but are not aware of the choices available.
Support eco-friendly businesses. Many companies reduce their impact on the environment by utilizing recycled paper for their letterhead, envelopes and brochures, and simply by recycling. Start a recycling program at your place of business or ask your employer to do so.
Abide by the federal whale watching guidelines if you're out on a private boat. Make sure your boat-owner friends also know about the importance of these guidelines. Keep the whales safe. CLICK HERE to see the guidelines.
If you see an entangled whale, call the Center for Coastal Studies Hotline at (800) 900-3622. They are on alert every day and are the only people licensed in our area to attempt a disentanglement.