E-M:/ Press Advisory: Sierra Club Stencils Storm Drains in Rochester Hills

["Melissa Damaschke" <melissa.damaschke@sierraclub.org>]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                                                                                                   CONTACT:

Friday, September 28, 2007                                     Melissa Damaschke, Sierra Club Organizer

                                                                                                                                      Office (248) 549-6213

                                                                                                                                          Cell (248) 990-1688

 

Sierra Club Stencils Storm Drains

 

Rochester Hills, MI – Watch out for groups of over forty kids and adults roaming the streets of Rochester Hills with cans of spray paint on Saturday, September 29 at 11am.  No, they are not graffiti artists.  They are volunteers for Sierra Club’s storm drain stenciling project.  Volunteers participating in this project will mark street curbs near storm drains with a permanent message stating, “Dump No Waste, Drains to River” in an effort to educate residents about storm water pollution.  The storm drain stenciling project is one of many Sierra Club activities aimed at preventing pesticides, fertilizers, trash, pet waste, and household chemicals from entering into the Clinton River.

 

Rain washes down streets and parking lots, driveways, and sidewalks, roofs and yards, carrying water and everything it picks up into storm drains.  Storm drains are the entry point into a storm sewer system and this system eventually discharges storm water directly to local streams without treatment!  Through storm drain stenciling, Sierra Club hopes to increase residents’ awareness about the connection between the street and their yards, storm drains, and the storm sewer system. 

 

It’s important that we reduce the amount of trash, debris, pet wastes, and chemicals carried by storm water. The most basic way to help is to never dump anything you wouldn’t drink or swim in down a storm drain.  Other ways to help include picking up pet wastes, replacing pesticides with natural alternatives, properly disposing of household chemicals such as paints and cleaning supplies, sweeping driveways and sidewalks instead of hosing them, and washing cars at car wash facilities or on lawns rather than in driveways.  Another fun way to help is participate in the storm drain stenciling project on Saturday, September 29.  For more information on storm drain stenciling, contact Melissa Damaschke at 248-549-6213 or melissa.damaschke@sierraclub.org.

 

WHAT:          Storm Drain Stenciling Project

WHO:           Melissa Damaschke, Sierra Club Organizer

WHEN:         Saturday, September 29 at 11am

WHERE:        Meet at the east side of the Rochester Municipal Park (look for a blue tent with a Sierra Club banner)

WEBSITE:      http://www.sierraclub.org/community/oakland/get_involved.asp

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Melissa Damaschke

Sierra Club Conservation Organizer

1723 West Fourteen Mile Road

Royal Oak, MI 48073

Phone:  (248) 549-6213

Website:  www.sierraclub.org/community/oakland

 

Together, we will keep the Great Lakes GREAT!