Clean Virginia Waterways Archives - Keep Virginia Beautiful

Clean Virginia Waterways

January 23 2023

What’s SUP?

Beckey Watson Uncategorized Clean Virginia Waterways, Longwood University, Marine Debris, Plastic Pollution, recycle, single use plastic, SUP, Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program

So, what’s SUP? It’s the acronym for “Single-Use Plastic” and the source of much of the litter in our landscape. A 2020 nationwide litter study conducted by Keep America Beautiful determined that plastic is the most littered item by material group. It includes plastic water bottles, plastic produce bags and store shopping bags, straws, plastic utensils, sandwich baggies and many, many others.

In 2022 OpinionWorks, in collaboration with the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program and Clean Virginia Waterways of Longwood University, conducted a representative statewide sampling of 901 Virginia registered voters March 8-13, 2022. It concludes that 55% of those surveyed believe “Plastic floating in the ocean” was second on the list of top concerns, and 24% believe that “Trash and litter in your community” is a “very serious concern.” The study also showed broad support among voters for laws that would decrease litter and marine debris. You can read more about this Virginia Voter survey: 2022 Public Perception Survey Plastic Pollution

SUP is a huge problem. Single-use plastics are items that are made primarily from fossil fuel–based chemicals (petrochemicals). They become discardable almost immediately, once the candy is popped in your mouth, the fork for your take-out food is being used, the wrapper on a pack of almost anything you buy. SUP is unsightly on the side of the road, it clogs storm drains, it pollutes waterways, and it’s harmful to wildlife.

But there is much we can do to help.

Although many plastic items are technically recyclable, there are fewer opportunities to recycle with some businesses being unwilling or unable to offer to collect and sort used plastic, and some residents can’t locate facilities that accept all forms of plastic. If you are on a litter cleanup, it’s often necessary to dispose of items that can’t be recycled — such as a bottle that has been run over by a car or has been lying in the mud for a year — because it is no longer a viable product to be recycled.

The best plan of action is to stop using SUP when possible. Arm yourself with a few items daily, and you’ll be prepared to say “No thanks” to SUP throughout the day. Get yourself a refillable water bottle – with your favorite color, sports team, nonprofit cause, pooch, or alma mater; a metal or silicone straw you keep in your purse or pocket; a bamboo or metal spoon and fork will help you avoid plastic utensils at lunch time when you dine out, as will reusable Stasher bags eliminate the need for SUP sandwich baggies if you like to brown bag it.

So know what’s SUP in your life that can be replaced with reusable items. Besides not adding to the SUP problem, you’ll most likely be saving money! It’s good for the environment, and it’s good for you.

June 19 2012

The Rave About the Rain Barrel

Beckey Watson Beautification, Education, Featured, Recycling Clean Virginia Waterways, rain barrels, Water Conservation

Kali Newlen is a rising Junior at James Madison University. She is majoring in Media Arts and Design. Madison is a very “green” campus, and she uses it to follow one of her passions, photography.

An easy way to be “green” and not bust your budget.

Reduce, reuse, and recycle. It’s a simple concept, and key to our mission to Keep Virginia Beautiful. But there is another “R” word that can make an impact and we rarely hear enough about it. “Rain Barrel.” Rain barrels are the next big item in the “green” realm and something that you should really consider for your own backyard.

So what’s so great about these rain barrels? Primarily they are an ideal way to conserve water. In the typical Virginia summer, most days there is a chance of thunderstorms and we sure get our fair share of afternoon showers. You can channel this rainfall into something beneficial by using your rain barrel to collect the 50 to 100 gallons of free water that drains from your rooftop. You can then use this water to quench the thirst of your lawn, garden, or even your indoor plants. You can get even more creative and use it for things like washing your car.

Installing a rain barrel near your downspout or gutter allows you to let Mother Nature do some work for you. You can pay her back by using this free, natural water with no added chemicals or pollutants to beautify your landscape. Rain barrels are perfect for those who want to do something green but are budget conscious. Going green doesn’t always have to cost a lot of money.

You can purchase a rain barrel for about $100. For those “do it yourself” folks, you can buy some materials and create your own. Natural Rainwater has some basic instructions that make it easy to build your own. You can also attend a workshop. Clean Virginia Waterways holds them all over Central Virginia. They are a great advocate and educate the public about the importance of water conservation, but they also teach you how to build, install, and maintain your very own rain barrel.

Rain barrels are important because they prevent runoff that pollutes our environment. The more rainwater that we collect and reuse, the fewer chemicals end up getting washed into our streams and rivers. As if this weren’t enough, installing a rain barrel can save you money! Yes, you heard correctly: A rain barrel can eventually pay for itself. The average American uses approximately 100 gallons per day. That’s right, One Hundred Gallons Per Day. Multiply that by the 300+ billion residents of the United States. That’s a lot of water. In many parts of the country, over half of that water is used outdoors. Rain barrels not only decrease the amount of water that we need, they will also decrease your water bill.

Most localities offer you a perk if you use green products or reduce your impact. For example, the City of Richmond offers a credit through the Department of Public Utilities if you use rain harvesting methods or otherwise reduce your storm water impact. If you couple a rain barrel with other conservation efforts like a rain garden or porous pavers you can earn up to a 50% credit on that portion of your bill. If that’s not a great incentive then I don’t know what is.

Can you imagine how much water we could conserve if we all installed rain barrels in our own backyards? We should spread the word. Tell your friends, your family, and your neighbors about this very simple and practical idea. We could turn the Big Three into a Big Four – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Rain Barrel. Together, we can Keep Virginia Beautiful, one rain barrel at a time.