Watershed Texas

As 2012 has come to a close many of us are contemplating the promise of 2013 and what the new blank slate might hold.  This is a great time to reflect on our everyday decisions and how we can make small changes to help the world around us.

In this vein, I ask you to consider a couple questions…

1. Do I make decisions in my everyday life that help improve water quality?
2. Do my actions inadvertently harm the bayou?
3. Do I set a positive example for my friends and neighbors?  

Maybe we should all consider making one (or all) of these small resolutions for 2013 to help improve water quality in our communities:

1. Dispose of cooking grease and leftovers in the garbage and not down the sink, even if you use a garbage disposal. (Grease washed down the drain will coagulate and cause broken sewer pipes and accidental sewage discharges that end up in our bayous.)
2. Wash your car on the grass or at a car wash so dirt and detergents don’t run into the storm drain.
3. Test the soil in your yard, garden and flower beds before you add fertilizer.  (here is one option for a testing lab: soiltesting.tamu.edu) Use these test results to fertilize strategically and add only the nutrients your lawn needs.
4. Pick up after your dog.  It keeps the waste from washing into the bayou, and it keeps it off your shoe.
5. Spread the word.  Take a minute to share your resolution on Facebook or Twitter; email an interesting article to a friend or share a post from Watershed Texas.  Let the people around you know that you are committed to improving water quality and that they should be too.

Here’s to cleaner water in 2013!