Fall Storms, Falling Leaves
Leaf litter and grass clippings can clog storm sewers and contribute to combined sewer overflows and runoff pollution that taints the Great Lakes. In Wisconsin, for example, runoff is a leading source of water quality problems, according to the state Department of Natural Resources. The agency points to runoff as a problem degrading or threatening 40 percent of the streams and 90 percent of the state’s inland lakes. Every year, raw sewage mixed with stormwater is released into the Great Lakes from combined sewers in 20 cities, according to the Alliance for the Great Lakes “Healthy Beaches Action Guide.”
Viewer Tip: Composting leaves this fall makes nice mulch for garden beds next spring and cuts down on the volume of leaves that must be hauled away. “Leaf-cycling” puts carbon back into the soil and avoids burning leaves, which releases carbon dioxide and other pollutants into the air.
Related Video: Download broadcast-quality video and a script on leaf-cycling at http://www.earthgauge.net/resources/public-video#12.
This information is provided by the Alliance for the Great Lakes. Learn more at www.greatlakes.org.
Season: Fall
(Sources: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/water/greatlakes/priorities/runoff.html; Alliance for the Great Lakes “Healthy Beaches Action Guide.”)