Education
News clip Curtesy of Fox 29
Litter Free School Zones
The “Litter-Free School Zone” program gives fifth grade students the training and special education they need to understand the importance of keeping their school (and the perimeter around their school) litter-free, their role in achieving that, and the skills to take control of their own environment.
Participating schools that maintain their litter-free commitment for a period of six months will be officially declared a “Litter-Free School Zone” with the posting of a sign at their school location during a special ceremony.
“Litter-Free School Zone” Program Elements
- 30-45 minute “Litter-Free Begins with Me” school assembly presented by the Keep Philadelphia Beautiful Representative
- Distribution of educational literature and litter clean-up supplies
- Distribution of disposable cameras to teacher volunteer(s) to document litter clean-up activity to submit to the Keep Philadelphia Beautiful
- Visits by representatives to assess program progress
- Official “Litter-Free School Zone” sign posting ceremonies at the end of the project term
Supplemental Elements
- Field trips to local waste-related facilities
- Clean-up opportunities in the natural environment
- On-site recycling
LITTER AND WATER POLLUTION
Water Pollution
What is pollution/Main pollutants Water pollution is a result of harmful substances that don't belong, called pollutants, getting into water. The three main classes of pollutants are natural, chemical, and litter. Natural pollutants are things like grass, leaves, animal waste, and soil. Examples of chemical pollutants are oil, soap or laundry detergent, fertilizers, and pesticides. Cigarette butts, food wrappers, bottles, and plastic bags are all types of litter pollutants.
Storm water pollution is caused when harmful substances go into a storm drain. These substances are either washed into the drain by rain or by runoff, which is the water that comes from washing a car or watering the grass.
Why is pollution a problem?
Pollution makes water unsafe for everyone, including plants and animals. Animals wouldn't be able to drink the water without getting sick, and plants wouldn't be able to thrive as much.
Fighting this kind of contamination, often called non-point pollution, demands new strategies. And it's one of the reasons why the Philadelphia Water Department operates the Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center, the Delaware Basin’s Premier Watershed Education Center, and has formed the Office of Watersheds, which is working to transform our urban waterways and the land that surrounds and defines them into vibrant, green communities where people want to live and work.
Visitors to the Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center find out that all human activity - whether it's making steel or fertilizing the grass - shows up in the health of our rivers. They learn that rivers tell the truth about our stewardship of the environment.
To learn more about how the small actions of many individuals will add up to a big effect on non-point pollution. To learn more, click on the following link. http://www.fairmountwaterworks.org