1. Get Involved

Each of us affects the Chesapeake. Each of us can help save it. Our contributions may seem small, but they join with those of five million other Marylanders. Call the Chesapeake Bay Trust at 410-974-2941 to learn how your organization can qualify for a grant for a Bay improvement project. Here are nine more ways you can help clean up the Bay.

2. Save Water

Saving water will help the Bay by reducing the volume of water going through sewage treatment plants. A dripping faucet can waste 20 gallons of water a day and a leaking toilet 200 gallons. If your water meter dial moves when no water is running, you have a leak. Use water sparingly while brushing your teeth, washing dishes, or shaving. Install a water conservation shower head and take short showers instead of baths. A bath uses 30-50 gallons of water, a short shower only 10.

3. Dispose of Household Products Carefully

Many products under your kitchen sink or in the garage can harm the Bay. Never pour paints, preservatives, brush cleaners, and solvents down a drain. Sewers or septic tanks do not treat these materials, and they can enter the Bay untreated. Buy the product with the least amount of toxic material. Used turpentine and brush cleaners can be filtered and reused. Learn about your county's household hazardous waste disposal program.

4. Care For Your Lawn Cautiously

Lawns with trees and shrubs prevent erosion, soak up nutrients before they run off into the Bay, and improve your soil by adding organic material. Plant the right grass by testing your soil annually. Use the proper fertilizer, and do not over-fertilize. Improper fertilizing can lead to disease, poor root growth, or weed problems. Water your yard only when it's dry by soaking the soil to a depth of four to six inches. Make sure your lawn service is customized to your lawn's needs.

5. Practice Sensible Pest Control

Pesticides can eliminate all bugs. A better way to eliminate harmful garden bugs is to encourage helpful bugs and animals. Make sure wood piles which attract termites are away from your home. Remove old tires from water where mosquitoes like to breed. Follow pesticide directions carefully. Do not apply near water or bare ground, and do not apply if rain is forecast.

6. Control Run-Off From Your Yard

Ninety percent of the rain that falls in Maryland finds its way into the Bay. This run-off can carry the fertilizers and toxic chemicals you use on your yard. By retaining rainwater you improve the water quality of the Bay, reduce erosion, replenish the groundwater supply, and reduce the need for fertilizers. Trees, shrubs, and groundcover reduce run-off and soak up nutrients which help clean the water. They will be most effective if planted as a buffer around your yard or in a bare area. They also require less maintenance, fertilizer and herbicides than grass.

7. Control Soil Erosion

When rain falls on hard surfaces such as walkways, patios and driveways, it can go into a storm drain and be carried to the Bay. This water can't nourish the soil, and it deposits sediments and nutrients which overload the Bay. Rain soaks into soft ground and provides nourishment. Slow down run-off by reducing the amount of hard surfaces around your home. Wood decks with space between the boards allow water to drain into the ground. Brick or interlocking stone walkways also permit water to seep into the soil. Diverting rain from paved surfaces onto grass reduces run-off into storm drains.

8. Maintain Your Septic System

If a septic tank fails, its untreated sewage can seep into rivers and into the Bay. Your system is not working properly if drains and toilets drain slowly or if effluent seeps upward from the ground. Dispose of chemicals properly. Use your garbage disposal sparingly to reduce grease and solids in your septic system. Don't use your toilet as a garbage can. Know the location of your system, and keep heavy equipment off the drainage area. Plant trees and shrubs away from drain tiles so they do not clog the drain lines.

9. Use Car Care Products Wisely

Motor oil, anti-freeze, and battery acid harm the Bay if they flow into storm drains or off paved surfaces into a waterway. Contain these fluids when you change them. To dispose of these materials, check your local service station or call the Maryland Environmental Service, 1-800-473-2925. If you cannot dispose of these products, put them in a strong plastic bag with newspaper or other absorbent material. Wash you car on grass so that water and detergent is filtered through the grass before entering the Bay.

10. Contain Chemical Spills

If pesticides, oil, or similar products leak or spill onto the garage floor, driveway, or other hard surface, do not wash down the area. This will cause further contamination and may carry the material to storm drains or other water sources. Surround the contaminated area with dirt or sprinkle sawdust, kitty litter, or other absorbent material over the spill. Put the material into a strong plastic bag and put the bag in the trash.

The Chesapeake Bay Trust provides financial support grants to civic and community organizations, schools and volunteer groups for Chesapeake Bay restoration and education projects in Maryland. For more information contact the Chesapeake Bay Trust at http://www2.ari.net/home/cbt/.