Have you ever passed by a waterway that has trash strewn about on its banks or floating in its water? I know I’ve seen that way too many times. Sometimes my first thought when I see a sight like that is, “Why does this neighborhood throw litter in its waterways? Don’t they care about their neighborhood?” But then I remind myself that the majority of litter and pollution in the water originates from somewhere else. Since all the storm drains in Hampton Roads lead to a waterway, a cigarette butt or other piece of litter that is dropped on the street will soon enough find its way to our beautiful waterways.
See, each street contains hundreds of storm drains. A storm drain’s purpose is to provide an escape route for rainwater so it doesn’t flood the street, causing hazardous conditions for drivers and pedestrians. Now imagine this: Someone drops a plastic bag on the sidewalk. The next time it rains, the rain water (or stormwater as it’s commonly called) washes the plastic bag and anything else on the ground into the street and then into the storm drain. We’ve all seen how hard it can rain here, so it’s very easy to imagine litter being swept away into the storm drain and then into our waterways.
That’s exactly what happens in the Hague neighborhood of Norfolk. There has been media attention about the trash that piles up there. Bob Milan’s company has adopted the Hague through Norfolk’s Adopt-A-Spot Program, and they get out four times a year to clean it. But some folks, like Bob, go out and clean up trash on their own accord because, as he said, “I don’t mind giving up my lunch hour for something like this.”
What can you do to help?
Stop litter in its tracks! Remember the trash you drop could be the trash you swim with next time at the beach – yuck!
Adopt-A-Spot. Contact your local Recycling and Litter Prevention Representative by clicking here and then choosing “Recycling and Reusing.”
Keep storm drains clear of debris, not just litter! Don’t rake or blow grass clippings, leaves or branches into the street either.