Dos and Don’ts

In the Garden

In The Garden

Do

  • Sweep the gutters and driveways regularly and place the sweepings in the garden, compost, or in the bin
  • Prevent soil or mulch from being washed or blown off the garden
  • Rake up leaves or lawn clippings and use them as mulch in the garden or place them in the compost
  • Grass or re-plant areas of disturbed soil
  • Consider natural alternatives to pest control chemicals
  • Plant more plants! Plants can help the Chesapeake Bay’s health.

Don’t

  • Don’t hose dirt off hard surfaces (roads, paths, driveways) into gutters
  • Don’t hose leaves and grass clippings into gutters
  • Don’t pile sand and soil on areas where it can wash into the stormwater system
  • Don’t overuse chemicals (pesticides and herbicides) that could be washed into stormwater from the garden or yard
  • Don’t use too much fertilizer

In the Street

In The Street

Do

  • Pick up litter in the park or on the street
  • Clean up pet droppings and dispose of them in the garden, trash bins, or in the toilet

Don’t

  • Don’t drop packaging or cigarette butts on
the ground
  • Don’t leave trash in bins that are already full

With the Car

With The Car

Do

  • Maintain the car. Make sure there are no leaks and that fuel is burnt ‘cleanly’ by keeping your car tuned
  • Use the minimum amount of detergent for cleaning outside and wash your car on the grass or on gravel. A better option is to take your car to a car wash, where the water is recycled

Don’t

  • Don’t work on your car (including oil changing) in a place where oil and grease may wash into gutters
  • Don’t wash the car in the street using detergent

Renovating

Renovating

Do

  • Wash brushes and rollers over a sand filter on the lawn
  • Keep paint, tarps, and solvents clear of gutters or drains
  • Reuse tarps once the paint has settled
  • Allow unused paint to dry out and then put it in the bin

Don’t

  • Don’t wash out cement mixers or barrows so that the waste flows into street drain
  • Don’t hose sand, gravel, or cement into the gutter
  • Don’t leave piles of sand or gravel uncovered where it could wash or blow into the gutter