Community Clean-ups for Water Quality

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1 Community Clean-ups for Water Quality A Toolkit for Fighting Water Pollution in the Streets Near Your Home Prepared by the Freshwater Society in partnership with Friends of the Minnesota Valley

2 Acknowledgments and thanks The program, Community Clean-Ups for Water Quality, was originated by the Friends of the Minnesota Valley. Working with the Friends, hundreds of volunteers adults and children have removed leaves, grass clippings and other organic matter from streets and entrances to storm sewers in their communities. By collecting and composting that phosphorusrich material since 2003, those volunteers have kept an estimated 8 million pounds of nuisance algae from growing in the Minnesota River Watershed. Through the efforts of those volunteers and the organizations that brought them together, we now are able to bring Community Clean-Ups for Water Quality to all of Minnesota. i Communit y Clean- Ups for Water Qualit y Toolkit

3 Congratulations! You have taken the first step in improving the lakes, rivers and streams in your community by sponsoring or organizing a Community Clean-Up for Water Quality. Community Clean-Ups are cost-effective and simple ways for community residents to make a difference in the water quality and ecological health of their local lakes, rivers and streams. Community Clean-Ups for Water Quality are unique pollution prevention projects that are locally led and can significantly and measurably reduce pollution levels in our lakes, rivers and streams. In Minnesota, we know that about 40% of our waters are polluted and that pollution threatens fishing and swimming. Certain land use practices, combined with wastewater and stormwater, have led to this crisis in Minnesota. Nutrients in leaves and grass clippings such as phosphorus and nitrogen, along with high rates of soil erosion from yards and construction sites, have contributed to the polluted state of our lakes, rivers and streams. The high levels of nutrients such as phosphorus create and fuel aquatic plant and algae growth to the detriment of native plants and wildlife. A dedicated group of volunteers will start the process today and will hopefully continue it annually to reduce the water pollution coming from your community. We have assembled a toolkit to help you implement a Community Clean-Up for Water Quality in your area. Your organization will be able to prevent thousands of pounds of algae growth in the lakes, rivers and streams near your home. For every five bags (100 pounds) of leaves and other organic material you collect, one pound of phosphorus is prevented from entering a local water body. Each pound of phosphorus can cause up to 1,000 pounds of algae. Community Clean-Ups for Water Quality has been a successful program of the Friends of Minnesota Valley since To date, citizens just like you have prevented over 8,400 pounds of phosphorus from entering the Minnesota River, the equivalent of preventing over 8,000,000 pounds of harmful algae. Thank you for taking the time to care about your community and considering a Community Clean-Up for Water Quality. We hope you will choose to become part of a growing network of citizens working to improve the natural resources of our state. Gene Merriam Lori Nelson President Executive Director Freshwater Society Friends of Minnesota Valley Co m m u n i t y C l e a n - U p s f o r Wat e r Q ua l i t y To o l k i t ii

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5 Table of CONTENTS INTRODUCTION LET TER...ii Why Communit y Clean-Ups for Water Qualit y are Important...1 Communit y Clean-Ups for Water Qualit y Q & A...2 Tips, Tools and Resources for Communit Y CLEAN-UPS...4 The Basic Steps...5 Step 1. Select the area for Clean-Up...6 Step 2. Contact your community or city maintenance office...6 Step 3. Choose a date and time...7 Step 4. Recruit volunteers...7 Step 5. Engage civic or community leaders...7 Step 6. Publicize the Clean-Up...7 Step 7. Seek sponsors...8 Step 8. Prepare for the Clean-Up Day...9 Step 9. Clean-Up Day...9 Step 10. Host Clean-Up party...10 Step 11. Publicize your success...10 Step 12. Schedule an Annual Clean-Up for Water Quality...10 Step 13. Report your success...10 samples AND TEMPLATES Pre-Event Publicity Samples Press Release...13 Volunteer Recruitment Flyer...14 Volunteer Sign-up Sheet...15 Community Flyer (Level 1 - No Residential Pickup)...16 Community Flyer (Levels 2,3,4 - Residential Pickup)...17 Newspaper Article (Level 1 - No Residential Pickup)...18 Newspaper Article (Levels 2,3,4 - Residential Pickup)...19 Newspaper Ad (Level 1)...20 Newspaper Ad (Levels 2,3,4)...21 Door Hanger...22 City Proclamation...23 Community Brochure...24 Utility Bill Stuffer...25 Post-Event Publicity Samples Letter to the Editor...26 Newspaper Article...27 Newspaper Article...28 Co m m u n i t y C l e a n - U p s f o r Wat e r Q ua l i t y To o l k i t iv