March Global Debates - Water Service Projects

Here are some possible action projects for you and your team to take on.

Remember, once you've completed your service project, send us a blog with photos or video, and you'll earn 1000 points! 

• Have a clean-up day. Get a group together and pick up trash along a waterway or on a beach. You'll make it a safer and more pleasant environment for people and animals!
• Stencil storm drains. Do you know where all that water goes when it flows down the driveway or street into the drain? It doesn't get treated, and it ends up in a lake, a river, or the wetlands. Use stencils to paint "Do Not Dump! Drains to Lake" (or stream, river, wetland - depending on your area) next to storm drains. Tell the neighborhood what you're up to and let them know why you're doing it!
• Compost! Help a neighborhood or even your school learn how to compost leaves and grass clippings properly. Not only does this provide free fertilizer for gardens, but it also protects lakes and rivers from being polluted by the phosphorus that comes from decomposing plant material.
• Get greener. When you have a rooftop garden, it helps absorb rainfall and slows down the amount of runoff that ends up in the drains. Or you could plant trees in an area to help prevent erosion!
• Monitor water quality. Find out which public agency in your area deals with water quality and see if you can volunteer to help with a monitoring project!
• Check out the soil. A lot of people fertilize their lawns and garden with phosphorus, even though the soil may have plenty. That extra phosphorus runs off into the drains and pollutes water. Find out the nutrient content of soil in an area and let people know what you discover and how they can avoid excess fertilization.
• Educate people! Protecting natural bodies of water can be a matter of just a few simple actions, but most people may not know that. Think of a way you can educate the public on how hey can help reduce water pollution.
• Got another idea? These are just a few possible action projects, but there are many more out there! Let us know if you have another project idea you'd like to do by sending us an email at info@thepeoplespeak.org.

For more information about earning points for the March Global Debates, click here.