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Homeowner
The Greens
Massanutten Gov. S.-Newcomer
3/31/2008
Pollution in the Chesapeake Bay is a serious problem
that affects not only the people and
animals living in and around the bay, but also people
hundreds of miles away. Many things
including farmers, factories, businesses and homeowners
cause pollution in the bay. There
are many things homeowners can do to help prevent
further pollution, and reduce the
pollution to the Chesapeake Bay. Without much change to
their daily lives homeowners can
make a difference by using different methods for
treating their lawn, conserving water,
and energy conservation.Fertilizers are used by many
homeowners to make their lawns and
gardens lush, green, and healthy. However, fertilizers
too often run off yards and
gardens with rain and watering and add excess nutrients
to the bay. These nutrients
encourage algae growth which in turn causes
eutrophication, the quickened growth of
aquatic plants that occurs when fertilizers containing
phosphorus and nitrogen run off into
lakes and ponds. This then increases the plant death
rate and the bacterial decomposition
from that uses up oxygen in the water, then causing fish
and other organisms to suffocate.
Planting native vegetation creates less reliance upon
fertilizers, which reduces the amount
of pollution and ultimately, benefits our health. Water
conservation is also very important
for homeowners to do. Some ways that water can be
conserved in the home are using
water saving showerheads, faucets, toilets, and washing
machines. Another way to save
water, as disgusting as it may be, is to not flush the
toilet after every use. And even
another easy alternative would be to turn the tap off
when washing your hands, as well as
brushing your teeth. If watering your lawn is a
necessity to you, it is most efficient to do
this either in the late evening or early morning;
however it is best to eliminate this
completely, saving a vast amount of water. Water
conservation is an easy way for
homeowners to improve the health of the bay.Finally,
homeowners can conserve energy to
help improve the health of the bay. There are hundreds
of ways to conserve energy, and
some are just a flick of the switch away. Using
energy-saving materials such as fluorescent
light bulbs, low energy ceiling-fans, and energy star
approved appliances not only conserves
energy but conserves your money. Saving energy by using
things such as fluorescent light
bulbs, energy star approved appliances, and even turning
off the lights when they’re not
necessary helps to improve the health of the bay because
fewer things need to be replaced
less frequently and therefore less energy is being put
into the production of these products
and there would be less industrial pollution.It is
important for homeowners to do all they
can to help improve the bay. Even their smallest
efforts, such as fertilizing less or
correctly, switching to fluorescent bulbs, and water
conserving appliances will make a
difference. The health of the Chesapeake Bay is very
important to not only your health and
mine, but most importantly to future generations.
Ask a Thoughtful Question or Respond
Thoughtful
Questions
From:
fishies - CB_Ecosystem - MHS
Ask
4/8/2008
what are the different ways to clean up the bay?
From:
Home Jackets - homeowner - MHS
Statement
4/8/2008
I totally agree with your examples and ideas on how to
conserve energy and at the
same time reduce the pollutants that could flow into the
water systems.
From:
Muffins - developer - JHS
Statement
4/10/2008
I agree!!
From:
Anti-Wilderness Progressive Movement - developer -
JWHS(T)
Statement
4/11/2008
very good i thought you covered everything that was
important in this
From:
Chicken Kickers'' 101 - farmer - MHS
Ask
4/11/2008
You said there were many ways to prevent pollution, but
the main thing you kept mentioning
was about saving energy. What else can you do?
Response
The Greens - homeowner - MRGS
4/23/2008
Homeowners can also help the bay by recycling and
installing rain barrels under
gutter drains. You could then use the water for plants
on dry days, instead of
using s sprinkler system. Other ways to help would be to
use very small amounts
of fertilizers, if any, on your yard once a year if it
is necessary. Then make sure
you spread it on a day when it is not calling for rain.
From:
Chicken Kickers'' 101 - farmer - MHS
Ask
4/11/2008
What is a water saving showerhead?
Response
The Greens - homeowner - MRGS
4/21/2008
Chicken Kicker,
A water saving showerhead, is in fact, a shower
head that saves water.
From:
fishies - CB_Ecosystem - MHS
Ask
4/11/2008
how can the bay problems affect people?
From:
Yellow Lemons - recreation - JWHS(T)
Ask
4/17/2008
Thats a great idea, but i dont really see what you are
actually doing. You Asked a bunch
of questions, but gave no results. I think if you would
come up with some solutions it
would be a better help to us all.
Response
The Greens - homeowner - MRGS
4/23/2008
In our paper we mentioned treating your lawn
differently. This would be
fertilizing less or not at all, and using different
watering methods, such as
watering in the early morning, or not at all. We also
brought up water
conservation by using water saving shower heads,
faucets, toilets, and washing
machines. In addition to this, not flushing the toilet
after every use, and turning
off the tap when washing your hands, and brushing your
teeth. We also
mentioned conserving energy such as using energy-saving
materials (see paper),
and turning off the lights as much as possible. Along
with that we included
particular products you could use in your home that
would save energy, such as
energy star appliances. These are all things that
people can do to help better the
bay.
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