Currents May 2015

April 22^nd was the 45^th Earth Day for our nation and all April long, many people celebrated Earth Month. Now that it is May, we cannot forget to keep taking care of our planet’s resources. PCS has just the right things to help you keep your eco-friendly habits up and even start new ones.

You can Adopt-a-Fishing Line Recycling Bin and monitor the line that is kept out of our rivers. You can borrow gloves, bags and other cleanup supplies and then clean up a “trashy” site on your own time with our Clean Your Streams 365. As summer starts up, you can join us for Get the Lead Out by cleaning the lead and line left from anglers in the Maumee River between Perrysburg and Maumee. Or grab a group of friends and do Storm Drain Marking in your neighborhood and reduce pollution going down the drains into the rivers unfiltered. Simple tips and new habits to work into your your daily life (at work and home) can be found with our Give Water a Hand Campaign. Or ask us how else you can get involved in protecting our rivers and building a community.

Agencies and enforcements are not able to crack down on each individual and their small actions such as wasting water, throwing cigarette butts out the car window or even (sometimes) illegal dumping. So if we want clean, clear and safe waterways and environments, we need to individually take responsible steps to protect our waterways and sometimes even remind each other, every day, not just on Earth Day. There are dozens of ways to help improve our environment and it starts with you. 

Partners for Clean Streams is dedicated to the waterways of the greater Toledo area, but we depend on your support. So we started a challenge to everyone who enjoys our local rivers. We want to know – Can your group, business, or family bring and create the most change for clean water?

Every year, hundreds of Partners for Clean Streams volunteers take to the waters and remove the garbage that doesn’t belong there. In 2014 alone, volunteers removed almost 17,000 pounds of trash on Clean Your Streams Day. That was just on one day! Believe it or not, we are starting to plan for this year’s 19^th Annual Clean Your Streams on September 19^th 2015. (So save the Date!) But we need your help for this year and years to come.

We challenge each group that participates in this year’s Clean Your Streams event to pool dimes, nickels, quarters and pennies. Search under sofa cushions! Raid piggy banks! Empty car cupholders! Set out a jar in the office! Start collecting change now!

Bring your Change with you to the Appreciation Picnic AFTER the Clean Your Streams cleanup. Each group’s collective Change for Change will be weighed and recorded. The group with the heaviest Change wins the Challenge and will receive a Mystery Award!

To get the Change collection started, tape our half sheet to a jar and set it in your office, break room or counter or pass it around at scout or church meetings. Get started with your Change for Change Flyer. Your loose change can add up to make a lot of Change for our local rivers! Stay tuned for more Clean Your Streams details.

PCS has partnered with Kroger and AmazonSmile to earn rewards when customers choose PCS to receive a portion of the profits upon purchasing items. Set up your Kroger Community Rewards membership with your Kroger Card and use AmazonSmile instead of the normal Amazon site with PCS as your chosen organization. AmazonSmile is the same store as Amazon, just going through the AmazonSmile “door” to get there. The money we receive from Kroger and AmazonSmile is put to use in conserving our local rivers. It costs you nothing and signing up takes less time than pumping gas!

Every year in April and May, Kroger requires members to renew their Community Rewards membership. Please renew and support us so we can continue putting those dollars into our rivers and streams. To renew your membership, just sign into your Kroger account and select Partners for Clean Streams to receive a portion of Kroger’s profits. If you are not already earning rewards for us with the Kroger Community Rewards program, then it only takes a few steps to link your Rewards Card to PCS. For further instructions and to learn how you can earn rewards for local rivers, check out instructions here.

If Amazon is your "go-to" for purchasing anything thing online, next time try Amazon/Smile. When you designate Partner for Clean Streams as the organization of your choice, a percentage of every purchase you make will go to protecting your local rivers. Head over to www.smile.amazon.com, sign in, and select Partners for Clean Streams. AmazonSmile still has all the great deals and stores to shop from online. Replace your current Amazon bookmark with AmazonSmile, and you’ll be on your way to improving your local rivers! Both of these programs cost you nothing. They are quick, easy, and a seamless way to make a real difference. In advance, thank you for making our rivers a priority.