Delaware River Basin's
Ed. Web

Voluntary Minimal Lawn Chemicals Campaign (VMLCC)

The VMLCC project was designed to accomplish two things: educational outreach and stormwater sampling. The educational outreach described how the use of lawn chemicals is a cause of nonpoint source pollution and, therefore, how homeowners can help with pollution prevention by choosing alternative practices.

Water Pollution Problems

Discharge from industries and waste water treatment plants is regulated by federal and state agencies.
Nonpoint source pollution comes from rain through polluted air and rain running off land on which chemicals were applied, spilled or leaked.
People who have yards often buy products or hire lawn care crews who apply lawn chemicals that are harmful to your watershed, i.e. nitrogen fertilizers, weed killers (herbicides), grub and insect killers (pesticides), or a combination of "weed and feed" products.
Reducing lawn chemical use will improve water quality problems and aquatic life habitat.
Reducing lawn chemical use will prevent some health problems suffered by some children, pets and chemically sensitive people.

A series of educational newsletters, called The Wise Yardeners™, was mailed to 1,000 suburban households along three tributaries of the Wissahickon Creek. Repeated, clear messages over time attempted to motivate household readers to choose best lawn care practices. Twenty best lawn care practices were described as alternatives to using chemicals to achieve an attractive yard.

Additional community education occurred through a special shelf at the public library (books and videos), a workshop, presentations, native plant sales, booths at events, and finally, through a website and dissemination of CD packets. Alternative community education might include newspaper columns, radio talk shows, local cable TV programming, classroom and club presentations, and door hangers. A storm sewer labeling project was conducted separately during the project in the vicinity of the VMLCC.

This project was conducted by the Alliance for a Sustainable Future, in cooperation with the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association, Temple University, and the Philadelphia Water Department. Funding was provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the Growing Greener grant program.

2003-2003 Project Evaluation:

Surveys were mailed to 1,000 households involved in the project. Nearly 300 pre-surveys, and just over 100 post-surveys, were returned. Fifty-seven of the post surveys had sent in pre-surveys. Findings are detailed in a survey report.
Focus groups were an added component near the end of the project to explore how future campaigns might be enhanced.
Stormwater Sampling At the time of the project application, there was virtually no base level data on stormwater sampling. Two-bottle storm water samplers, purchased from Global Water, were installed at seven storm sewer pipe outfalls in an attempt to verify if the chemical loading of rainwater runoff from the target neighborhoods changed over the course of the project. Our pre-campaign sampling in early spring followed a particularly wet year which included a hundred-year storm (Floyd). The analysis of the initial samples did not evidence a chemical concentration that was significant enough to be able to draw any conclusions about later changes. Nevertheless, the stormwater data constitutes a base level for other studies and the stormwater final report provides further knowledge about how storm water samplers can be useful in measuring nonpoint source pollution. Link to the stormwater data page on the Temple University's web site.

A free packet of information is available on how to conduct a local educational outreach campaign to reduce lawn chemical use in your watershed:

The packet contains:

A "How To" outline covering staff needed, sample budget, and funding sources;
Nine printed newsletters used during 2001-2002 in the Wissahickon Watershed;
A CD rom with sample articles that can easily be customized for publication in your area; and
Useful brochures available from other sources and a bibliography of books, videos and websites.

The packet summarizes the steps, resources and potential outcomes to consider in designing your own local campaign. Suggested options and variations are included.

Intended users of the packet include:

Watershed groups
Riverkeepers
Environmental Advisory Councils
Environmental Advisory Councils
County conservation district offices
Regional water resources groups
DEP grantees
Municipal water, sewer, and storm water managers
High school environmental clubs
Conservation groups
Lawn Care Service Providers

To obtain your free packet, please contact Susan Curry at (215) 591-1551 or by email at suscurry@erols.com.

(This information was provided to the DRBC by the Alliance for a Sustainable Future.)

Delaware River Basin Commission
P.O. Box 7360, West Trenton, NJ 08628-0360
Voice (609) 883 - 9500 ext. 260 FAX (609) 883 - 9522

crupert@drbc.state.nj.us

Delaware River Basin's Ed. Web

Delaware River Basin's
Ed. Web