In the most ordinary of days, it’s likely that we all contribute some sort of contaminant into the natural environment. By washing, flushing, draining, eating, spilling, driving, and working we are involved in processes that inevitably release a variety of substances.

Our cars may leak some fluids, which then wash down to the bay with the rain. When we wash our clothes, we’re putting dirty water and probably some sort of detergent into the septic tank or the sanitary sewer. When we throw out our grocery bags, they’ll eventually work their way to a landfill. 

We can make choices, however, to reduce or eliminate our contribution of substances toxic to

plants and animals. We’re bombarded with ads for all sorts of solutions and chemicals that can make our clothes cleaner, our car run better, our grass grow greener, and generally make our lives “better”. Unfortunately, some of these substances can have harmful effects on our groundwater, marine environment, plants and animals; the very things that give us life and contribute to the great quality of life we enjoy in the islands.

We’re lucky that we don’t have extensive large industrial polluters here, but that also leaves us with the challenge to educate our community to watch what we use and how we use it, both at home and at work.

In this edition of Stewardship Connections there is some great information about what you can do and what others are doing to reduce the amount of toxins reaching the environment.

From Ordinary to Extraordinary

Not so Big a Leap!