Clean The Bay Day
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The 2019 Annual DoD Clean the Bay Day event
was held Friday, 31 May.2019 Results
To mark Clean the Bay Day, families, military installations, businesses, and residents gathered at sites throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed to pick up trash, litter, and debris. This year, 1,274 military service members and their families joined the community to show their commitment to a cleaner and healthier Bay. Volunteers cleaned 60 miles of shoreline and removed 24,506 pounds of trash and debris, approximately 12 tons! The usual culprits that made up floatable marine debris were well represented including cigarette butts, plastic bags and bottles, aluminum cans, and pieces of wood. Participants also recorded unusual items found during the cleanup including vampire teeth, fishing rods, 8-track player, nicotine vape pens, aluminum siding, and a cabin door. Thanks to all our DoD volunteers for stepping up and taking personal responsibility for the Bay’s health and for demonstrating why the DoD is such a valuable partner in Chesapeake Bay restoration!
See you in May 2020!
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You can continue to save the Bay throughout the year by becoming a better Bay steward at home and work.
- Use natural cleaners--use natural, non-toxic, phosphate-free cleaners for most cleaning tasks. You'll be reducing toxic chemicals in wastewater while saving money.
- Reduce fertilizer use--always get a soil test first to be sure what your lawn requires; use fertilizer sparingly, and only when necessary. Excessive fertilizers contribute to nitrogen and phosphorous overload in rivers and the Bay, which can lead to low oxygen levels and dead zones.
- Only rain in storm drains--allow only rain to go down the storm drain and use a broom nota hose or power blower, to clean debris from decks, patios and driveways. You'll save water, reduce emissions, and curb stormwater runoff.
- Practice Bay friendly car care--take your vehicle to a commercial car wash or wash your car on an unpaved surface with phosphate-free soap so water soaks into the ground, not into the storm drain.
- Reduce rainwater runoff--direct rainwater away from paved surfaces; direct gutter downspouts onto lawn or flower beds, or into a rain barrel.
To learn more, please visit the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Chesapeake Bay Program websites.