What Can I Do?
Everyone in the Chesapeake Bay watershed has an impact on the health of the Bay, and there are things that you can do to reduce yours:
- Drive less – emissions from your car contribute nitrogen to the atmosphere and this atmospheric nitrogen accounts for 1/3 of the nitrogen that enters the bay. There are many strategies you can try, from riding a bike to consolidating your trips to make driving time more efficient.
- Change your landscaping – lawns require large amounts of fertilizer, which runs off of your property and eventually into the bay. Try alternative landscaping techniques such as using native plants or installing a rain garden. For more information, visit the Virginia Department of Conservation & Recreation website.
- Reduce your water use by increasing the water efficiency of your home and yard.
- Reduce your use of toxic chemicals and dispose of those you do use properly.
- Volunteer in restoration efforts like planting tree buffers, restoring oyster populations, or planting sea grass.
These recommendations are adapted from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation website. For more information on how you can help improve the health of the bay, visit http://www.cbf.org/Page.aspx?pid=285.
One final reason to protect the health of the Chesapeake Bay, from the Chesapeake Club: