How to be More Environmentally Responsible Than a Three Year Old

By Kenny Eiford, Environmental Engineer, NAS Sigonella, NAVFAC EURAFCENT

Yesterday, something strange happened. My wife and I were debating whether to clean up after dinner or to just give up, ignore our children, and re-watch season 2 of “Chuck.” Now, this debate is not particularly strange, although sometimes we consider trying new shows instead of just re-watching underrated classics.

No, the strange part was that we realized the house was uncharacteristically and alarmingly silent. Being the parents of two young children, this immediately triggered suspicion, fear, and a cascade of questions. What were they doing? Weren’t you supposed to be watching them? Should we give that “Shadow & Bone” show a shot? I hear it’s good.

We found our children in the bathroom making what my son called a “magic potion.” It was a bowl filled with water, some dirt from a nearby potted plant, finger paint, laundry detergent, and my iPhone.

Why do I bring this up? Well, because I couldn’t help but notice my children had created the perfect diorama to represent stormwater pollution, which lead me to write this article. Our children truly are our greatest inspiration.

What is stormwater? Excellent question! Stormwater is water that does not quickly absorb into the ground. Often, it travels over roofs, down streets, and sometimes into storm drains, collecting contaminants along the way that can pollute nearby bodies of water.

Back to my children: none of their magic potion ingredients should mix with stormwater. Dirt, paint, detergents? No. No. No. Cell phones? Technically also not allowed. This is because stormwater systems are designed to prevent flooding and typically offer no filtration or treatment. Therefore, anything that is washed in ends up in the home of a nearby adorable duckling or dolphin.

Fortunately, not many people other than my children are deliberately mixing water with weird stuff for fun. So how are these harmful stormwater “potions” created and how do we prevent them? Let me give you some examples.

Problem: Dirt and other contaminants from a construction site flows into a storm drain and clogs the piping.

Solution: Construction sites should have sediment dams or silt fences to contain runoff. Stockpiles should be covered or contained. Contact Environmental if you see otherwise, and I will politely discuss solutions with them.

Problem: Paint washed from brushes or pressurewashed off walls carries harmful compounds into the storm system.

Solution: Stop and coordinate with Environmental Department for proper disposal of paint waste.

Problem: Oil drip from vehicles and aircrafts are washed into storm drains when it rains.

Solution: Use drip pans and empty them regularly to appropriate containers. Do not leave full drip pans lying around.

Problem: Overflowing trash bins, metal scraps, or old fridges lying outside are happy to mix with rainwater to make a super gross and sometimes toxic cocktail perfect for killing fish.

Solution: Coordinate disposal of bulky waste quickly through proper methods. If you don’t know how, contact Environmental for guidance instead of letting it pile up.

Problem: Detergents for cars and aircrafts contain harmful chemicals.

Solution: Use designated wash racks. Pressure-wash with water only.

You may have noticed that many solutions involve contacting Environmental. So please call me if you have any questions about stormwater, other environmental issues, or good TV show recommendations. 624-9601.