The Yellow Fish Road Program is run by Trout Unlimited Canada and is aimed at urban elementary-school aged kids to teach them about sustainability and the environment, but I think we can all learn a little something from these fishies! The idea here is that the Yellow Fish reminds everyone that anything entering the storm drains flows directly into the nearest waterbody.
In most cities water run-off from lawns, parking lots, driveways, roads and sidewalks, along with what-ever else people toss down these drains, does not go to sewage treatment plants. Instead, this water flows untreated into lakes, oceans and streams. While stormwater may appear to be relatively clean, a lot of this run-off (which includes litter, oil, gasoline, fertilizers and more) is harmful to aquatic life and pollutes our water.
In most cities water run-off from lawns, parking lots, driveways, roads and sidewalks, along with what-ever else people toss down these drains, does not go to sewage treatment plants. Instead, this water flows untreated into lakes, oceans and streams. While stormwater may appear to be relatively clean, a lot of this run-off (which includes litter, oil, gasoline, fertilizers and more) is harmful to aquatic life and pollutes our water.
I checked out Metro Vancouver's stormwater management and this is indeed the case here. The water flows untreated directly into the ocean. I suppose this makes sense, since Vancouver receives copious amounts of rain it would be impossible to treat this water, however, it is evident that humans are having an adverse affect on aquatic life.
Last summer I worked as a tour guide in BC, and one of my favorite parts was taking in a whale-watching tour in Telegraph Cove on the Island. It was on these tours that I learned that the magnificent Orcas (Killer Whales) rank among the world's most contaminated marine animals. Furthermore, I learned that the 80-odd "southern" BC resident Orcas are endangered. This southern population that resides near Vancouver/Victoria is significantly more contaminated than the population of about 200 Orcas that compose the "Northern Population" that live near the northern part of the Island. The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada lists the southern population as "endangered" and the northern population as "threatened." The difference in classifications is largely due to the fact the waters in the south near Vancouver/Victoria are more contaminated than the water further north, which results in contaminated plant life and fish/seals that the Orcas eat.
Last summer I worked as a tour guide in BC, and one of my favorite parts was taking in a whale-watching tour in Telegraph Cove on the Island. It was on these tours that I learned that the magnificent Orcas (Killer Whales) rank among the world's most contaminated marine animals. Furthermore, I learned that the 80-odd "southern" BC resident Orcas are endangered. This southern population that resides near Vancouver/Victoria is significantly more contaminated than the population of about 200 Orcas that compose the "Northern Population" that live near the northern part of the Island. The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada lists the southern population as "endangered" and the northern population as "threatened." The difference in classifications is largely due to the fact the waters in the south near Vancouver/Victoria are more contaminated than the water further north, which results in contaminated plant life and fish/seals that the Orcas eat.
One of the most startling facts that I learned on these tours was that an Orca's natural life expectancy used to be about 70-90 years. Now, a male Orca will live to be about 30 while a female Orca may live up to 60 or 70 years old. One of the main reasons behind this is due to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as DDT, PCB and Dioxins which dissolve into the animals fat and stay permanently in their system -except, when the female Orca gives birth. When a female Orca has a calf, she passes some of these pollutants on to her offspring thus reducing the stress on her own system. Males, however, can't get rid of the POPs in their system and die sooner from weakened immune systems and the stresses associated with these toxic chemicals.
These are some heavy issues, and you may be asking what can you possibly do? Or, perhaps, you are thinking that you don't live near the ocean so you don't need to worry about this. Unfortunately, everyone needs to worry about this, as it is not just oceans that are being polluted, but streams, lakes, wetlands and marshes as well!
So what can you do? Here are a few easy things that you can do to help alleviate the stresses we cause on the environment
-Be aware of what you might be washing down the storm drain!
-Use biodegradable soap when washing your car.
So what can you do? Here are a few easy things that you can do to help alleviate the stresses we cause on the environment
-Be aware of what you might be washing down the storm drain!
-Use biodegradable soap when washing your car.
-Keep your car well maintained so it doesn't leak oil or gas!
-Don't overfill your tank at the pump.
-Dispose of waste in a safe and conscientious manner -remember that anything dumped down the storm drain goes directly into the water that may become your drinking water!
- Contact Trout Unlimited Canada (see link below) to get the Yellow Fish Road Program started in your community and help educate our youth!
- Contact Trout Unlimited Canada (see link below) to get the Yellow Fish Road Program started in your community and help educate our youth!
A lot of those tips are car-related. Right now my car is "hibernating" at my parent's house in Alberta, but for those of you driving be sure to think about the tips listed above! As for me, we all know my obsession with bicycles and bicycles use grease and oil as well! So, I have switched to biodegradable chain-cleaner and I am careful with grease/oil.
What do you think? Thoughts? Suggestions?
Here are some of the webpages I looked at for today's post - they are worth a read!
http://www.yellowfishroad.org/
http://www.yellowfishroad.org/
We did the yellow fish road project here in Sylvan a couple years ago with the Brownies. I think we'll probably be doing it again soon.
ReplyDeleteWay to go girl with this website!! I check it out everyday and recommend it to my friends. Keep it up!!
Martinna