If we want to make a difference, it has to start within ourselves! We all have a responsibility to protect and conserve the Great Lakes, not for a single interest, but for our families, for wildlife, and for the future.

We can all take steps now to help keep the Lakes healthy forever.
 
 

Ten Simple Steps for Living Better with the Lakes

Consider making one or more of these simple steps a part of your Great Lakes lifestyle:

1. Don’t buy bottled water. When heading out on the Lakes, into the woods, or just around town – don’t buy bottled water. Americans drink more than two billion gallons of bottled water each year – spending more than 900 times more than we do on tap water!* When you fill your own reusable water bottle, or use a tap-filter at home, you’ll save money and discourage corporations from profiting off of our precious groundwater resources.
   
   Bottled water vs. tap water
   "There is no assurance that just because water comes out of a bottle it is any cleaner or safer than water from the tap. And in fact, an estimated 25 percent or more of bottled water is really just tap water in a bottle -- sometimes further treated, sometimes not."
   
   
2. Get your lawn off drugs. Avoid using costly and dangerous chemical fertilizers and pesticides in your yard and garden. These chemicals, which are often over-used, are carried in run-off from rain and sprinkler water into local storm drains which may pour into local lakes, rivers, streams and wetlands. These household pollutants encourage algae growth, contaminate our fish, and may cause health problems for our families and pets.
   
   Yard Care & the Environment
   A series of information-packed brochures, including "Rethinking Lawn Care," "Lawn & Garden Pesticides," "Lawn Weed Control" and "Lawn & Garden Fertilizer."
   
   PANNA: Pesticide Advisor
   Dealing safely with pests in the home, in your yard and on your pets.
   
   
3. Direct home downspouts toward the lawn or a rain barrel, not the pavement. Not only is rainwater free, it is not chlorinated and therefore a great choice for plants. Rain barrels have become more popular in recent years, come in a variety of sizes with lids to prevent mosquitoes, and are easy to use.
   
   Make Your Own Rain Barrel
   Step-by-step directions for creating your own easy, low-cost rain barrel.
   
   
4. Professional car washes protect our waters. When you wash your car or truck in your driveway or on the street, the soaps and chemical cleaners you use drain into your soils or city’s storm water system and may end up contaminating local lakes, streams, wetlands and the Great Lakes. Many car wash businesses are connected to their city waste water treatment system - pollutants are removed from the water making it safer to recycle.
   
   Can Cars Cause Water Pollution?
   Other steps drivers can take to protect the Great Lakes from pollution.
   
   
5. Conserve energy in the home. Believe it or not, protecting the Great Lakes can be profitable. By installing “Energy Star” energy-efficient appliances, replacing ordinary light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs, and adjusting your thermostat just a few degrees, you could save hundreds of dollars and reduce power plant emissions that contribute to water pollution and fish contamination in the Great Lakes and other regions.
   
   Energy Star: Home Improvement
   Solutions to common household problems (including high energy bills and cold floors) and remodeling tips that save you money and protect the environment! Look in the kitchen and bathroom remodeling sections to find specifics on "Energy Star" appliances and light fixtures.
   
   
6. Buy organic and locally-grown produce. Fruits and vegetables that taste great and keep your money in your community – what a deal! When you buy locally-grown produce, you’re not only supporting your local economy, you’re reducing the transportation-related pollution and costs carried by products from the west coast, Florida, and other distant farmlands. Organically-grown foods are a great choice for your family because they taste great and don’t rely on dangerous chemicals that may contribute to health problems and pollution in the Great Lakes region.
   
   Food Routes: Buy Locally Grown
   More on the values of buying local and organic, plus resources for helping you find local/organic grocers.
   
   
7. Recycle and Precycle. If you’re already helping to reduce waste in the Great Lakes by recycling your cans, bottles, and papers every week, we salute you! If you’re committed to saving money and reducing your ecological footprint (what’s this?), then consider pre-cycling. Precycling is the act of making sound choices about packaging waste before you buy. You can precycle, conserve energy and help reduce waste by using your own bags at the grocery store, replacing household paper napkin and towel use with cloth, and cutting down disposable products from razors to plastic utensils.
   
   
8. Load up before you run. When you run partial loads of dishes in your dishwasher or clothes in your washing machine, you’re paying for it in unnecessary costs and pollution. Save yourself some money and time, try to wait until you have full load of dishes or laundry to run the machine. And don’t forget, you’ll save money and energy-related pollution when you line dry those clothes and air dry those dishes (they’ll dry right in the machine if you leave the door ajar for a few hours.)
   
   
9. Landscape with native plants and trees. The Great Lakes region is home to an endless supply of beautiful native plants, flowers and trees. You’ll save yourself money and trouble when you choose native plants for your lawn and garden. Native plants are accustomed to our local soil types, weather patterns, pests and diseases. Not only are they beautiful to look out, they support our natural wildlife and they take less work to maintain. Talk to your local extension agent or nursery for recommendations.
   
   Green Landscaping: Wild Ones Handbook
   A great resource from Wild Ones. Perfect if you want to learn about the native Midwestern landscape and creating native landscape in your backyard and community.
   
   US EPA: Green Landscaping Resources
   A plethora of resources, including a Great Lakes native plants slideshow, landscaping fact sheets and brochures and state-specific native plant sources.
   
   
10. Get involved in your community. Nothing helps the environment more than a group of concerned citizens getting together to help the environment. You can help the Great Lakes by sharing your concern for the Lakes with your friends, neighbors and co-workers. Take fifteen minutes to write a letter to the editor or your favorite politician – let them know that you want to keep the Great Lakes great!