| If you're trying to figure out how to help water | | | | prescription or over the counter, down your toilet. |
| quality, it's easy to become overwhelmed. Water | | | | Medications should be disposed of at a hazardous |
| pollution may seem to be an insurmountable problem. | | | | waste collection site. If you can't take them to a |
| However, there are ways you can help, taking an | | | | collection site, remove them from their containers |
| active role in not only caring for a precious resource, | | | | and mix them with coffee grounds. Then place this |
| but also protecting your own health. Read on for four | | | | mixture in a plain container and put the whole thing in |
| tips on how to help water quality: | | | | the trash. Make sure the container is impermeable. |
| | | | Sealable bags work well for this, as do empty cans. |
| 1. Start now. Too often, people wait for lawmakers | | | | 4. Make helpful drinking water choices. When faced |
| to make big changes. While major changes may be | | | | with water pollution issues, many people turn to |
| needed to keep water systems safe, a single person | | | | bottled water as an easy solution. Unfortunately, |
| can help to make a difference as well. To do your | | | | bottled water contributes to environmental problems, |
| part, be careful what you put on the ground. Avoid | | | | as natural resources are consumed in the production |
| chemical herbicides and pesticides, and be sure to | | | | of plastic bottles. These bottles end up in streams, |
| dispose of oil and chemicals responsibly. After your | | | | rivers, and other bodies of water as well as in landfills |
| pet eliminates outdoors, scoop it up right away. If | | | | when people forget to recycle. Additionally, fresh |
| you leave it there, the next rain could mix with it and | | | | water is wasted in the process of making and |
| lead to polluted storm water | | | | shipping plastic water bottles. To help, get your safe |
| 2. Don't flush or rinse away potential hazards. | | | | drinking water from a home water purifier. An |
| Hazardous waste should be taken to a hazardous | | | | at-home water purifier is better on the environment |
| waste collection site. If you wash oil, drain cleaners, | | | | and helps to protect your health as well. In fact, a |
| lawn chemicals, herbicides and oil based paints down | | | | quality water filter can keep you from consuming |
| your drain, you are only contributing to the problem. | | | | cancer-causing chemicals and contribute to your |
| Be a part of the solution instead by reducing your | | | | longevity. In the long run, purchasing a water filter is |
| use of these products and disposing of them | | | | much cheaper than buying bottle after bottle of |
| properly. | | | | drinking water. |
| 3. Don't flush. Never flush medication, whether | | | | |