Author: Marian Miller, MyRWA’s Education Program Manager
As watershed educator, I am in the position to hear young people’s questions and comments about issues facing our watershed. It is one of my professional benefits. Youth often have perspectives and ways of seeing things and ideas that adults don’t. After every education program I almost always have new questions or information to consider—and sometimes I get to share with my colleagues. But what youth are thinking in our watershed should get you thinking, too.
What they are thinking about stormwater pollution – the biggest source of water pollution in our watershed? Here’s just a small sample of what they ask:
“Can air pollution become water pollution?” (*see answer below!)
“Why don’t they make the holes smaller on storm drains to keep trash out?”
“Why don’t they fix the system so there isn’t pollution?”
“If there was a filter on the end of the pipe that empties into the river, it could reduce pollution.”
“How does sediment get there?”
“Who picks up the trash in the river?”
“Does water pollution hurt animals?
“Is stormwater pollution connected to climate change?”
“What does ‘Don’t Dump - Drains to River’ mean?”
Student designed messaging for storm drains.
Students in classrooms today are our future problem solvers and stewards. If young people are empowered to keep thinking about our local environmental problems, our future is in good hands. I am very happy to have the opportunity to know a lot of interesting and thoughtful young people though our education work. Want to think about our local environment in a new way? Ask a young person.
Find out more about stormwater pollution and what young people are saying. Join us for a youth focused webinar April 9 at 4:00 pm for STORMS AND WATER POLLUTION- HOW ARE THEY CONNECTED? as part of the Cambridge Science Festival. Register here!
Find out more about our education programs here.
*Question: Can air pollution become water pollution?
Answer: Yes! One classic example is acid rain. Power plant emissions (before Clean Air Act controls in the US, anyway) allowed production of SOx and NOx compounds that are gases (or particles?) that when they hit water create sulfuric and nitric acid, changing the ph of the water. Rain picks up these compounds from the high atmosphere where the smokestacks put them and brings them down as acid rain. The EPA says the place you see the biggest effect of this kind of air pollution is exactly in aquatic environments.
Air pollution turning exactly into water pollution!
