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What is a rain garden? | It's a landscaped, strategically placed, depressed area that is planted with native vegetation to soak up rain water.
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How do I build a rain garden? | Here is a great manual with everything you need to know. We are also hosting rain garden workshops to provide you with hands-on tips and specific design ideas for your site |
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What is natural yard care? | Natural yard care involves five main components: - 1) Building healthy soil
- 2) Planting right for your site
- 3) Practicing smart watering
- 4) Using little to no synthetic fertilizers and pesticides
- 5) Practicing natural lawn care
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Why use a public car wash? | Washing your car at home sends pollutants from your car (oil, grease, fuel, heavy metals, nutrients, etc.) into our storm drains and directly into our rivers, lakes and wetlands. Also, according to the City of Bothell Municipal Code Chapter 18.04.260, it
is illegal to discharge any pollutants into the public drainage
system. These pollutants include the soap and chemicals that are used
to clean your car. For more information on vehicle washing and a list
of commercial car washing locations, visit the Documents links at the top of this page. |
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What can I do to keep my car wash fund raising event from polluting our water? | Car washes can be a popular way to raise money for local organizations, but if not managed properly they can allow harmful pollutants (oil, heavy metals, fuel, nutrients, soap, etc.) to enter our streams via the storm drains. Try these alternatives instead: - Host your event at a public car wash facility- most facilities will rent a stall at a discount to local charity organizations
- Sell discounted car washing tickets-organizations like the Puget Sound Car Wash Association will sell the tickets to you at a substantial discount which you can sell for any amount you wish
- Use waterless car washing products-you can purchase kits that will clean up to 400 cars and use little to no water
- Divert your wash water to a permeable surface- if you would still like to host a car washing event on pavement then divert the wash water to soil or gravel, or receive permission and discharge the water to the sanitary sewer system
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Why should I scoop my pet waste? | You have to think of pet waste as raw sewage, because that's exactly what it is. Pet waste contains very harmful organisms such as Roundworms, Giardia, and E. coli which can be transmitted directly to humans. These organisms can remain on your lawn for as long as four years threatening the safety of your pets and children. The only way to remove the danger is to pick up your pet waste and place it in the trash.
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What is LID? | LID stands for low impact development techniques. These are techniques that can be used in building, construction, and development to reduce the impacts to ourselves and our environment.
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Why should I maintain my vehicle? | Maintaining your vehicle is a good idea for many reasons: 1) Your vehicle will run more efficiently which will save you money. 2) Your vehicle will have a longer life which will save you even more money. 3) Improperly managed vehicles often leak oil, fluids, harmful emissions and heavy metals which pollute our air, land and water. The Department of Ecology currently estimates that Puget Sound receives about 52 million pounds of toxic chemicals every year, such as oil, and petroleum products, PCB's, and phthalates. Of this total, about 1 million pounds a year are toxic heavy metals such copper, lead, and zinc. Petroleum products mixed in surface runoff make up about 95 percent of the total loading. -Nov 2008 WA State Department of Ecology
Most of these pollutants come from vehicle use and are often the result of
leaks and improper use which could have been avoided with proper vehicle maintenance.
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