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Sponsor an Event!Show your support for our areas waterways at one of our events. |
Community PartnershipPartner your organization with us in creating clean, healthier and safer rivers in Northwest Ohio |
Did you know that the Great Lakes are the biggest freshwater source in the world? Lake Erie is the most productive for fishing of all the Great Lakes. Your support helps make our streams clean, clear and healthy so they can support this complex ecosystem. By donating to PCS, you help us reach our goals of restoring rivers that lead to Lake Erie beaches that promote fishable and swimmable conditions for generations. |
As consumers who care about the environment, PCS wants to emphasize the three R’s: reduce, reuse, and recycle. The universal symbol for recycling has three green arrows that represent this message. The first arrow reminds us to reduce our consumption. Less really is more and we often purchase unnecessary things that quickly become waste. The second arrow encourages us to reuse what we already have! Too often in our society, our consumption is dictated by convenience. It’s easier to buy another item than reuse what is already there. Even something as simple as plastic sandwich bags can be washed, dried, and reused. Clothing, working electronics, furniture, and more can be donated to a re-sell shop that will give your old things new life. The last arrow represents recycling, which should be the final option after you have already reduced and reused. Not everything can be recycled, which is why the first two R’s are so important to limiting what goes to the landfill. However, recycling can be variable and confusing, so read on to find out some information about proper recycling procedures.
Last month, PCS was invited to participate in the Western Ohio Girl Scout’s Enviro-Olympics! We led the girls in a hands-on environmental educational activity focusing on the right way to recycle. There are lots of rules when it comes to recycling, and we are here to help you recycle right. Many cities have convenient curb-side recycling programs that don’t require sorting. However, these bins are often contaminated by materials that are non-recyclable. This means, even the items that can be recycled end up getting thrown out at the recycling facility. It is critical to make sure your bins aren’t inadvertently contaminated, so our recycling rates continue to climb. Before you fill up your bin this week, make sure you check out your municipalities list for what they accept. Each location has different recycling regulations – some accept all plastics, some won’t accept caps or lids on containers, etc. Here’s a list of general do’s and don’ts for recycling:
Make a commitment for your family to recycle the right way and reduce the amount of items you use that end up in the landfill. Materials like aluminum, glass, and plastic take thousands of years to breakdown. Most Americans throws away over 4 pounds of trash each day! This trash can unintentionally end up in our waterways, threatening wildlife and damaging the aesthetic condition of our local streams, rivers, and Lake Erie. We are facing a plastic pollution crisis and by recycling the right way, we can prevent making this problem worse.
There are plenty of opportunities for paddling the Maumee River this summer! Our partners at Toledo Metroparks and Wood County Parks are hosting events where you can explore all that the Mighty Maumee has to offer:
Don’t miss two of our most popular annual programs this summer!
Our Clean Your Streams 365 program is heating up this summer! PCS has facilitated six cleanups so far and are looking for more volunteers who want to make an impact on our waterways! Our groups have had some very impressive trash totals – UT Ultimate Frisbee Club with 175 pounds, Cardinal Stritch Catholic High School with 550 pounds, St. John’s Jesuit High School with 610 pounds, Perrysburg Great American Cleanup with 180 pounds, Troop 11574 with 90 pounds, and the Toledo Zoo Teens with 220 pounds! We are at almost 2,000 pounds of marine debris removed from our Maumee River and tributaries! But, unfortunately, there’s more trash where that came from. Do you have a group that needs service hours or is looking for a program to benefit the community? Sign up for our CYS 365 program and compete in our cleanup competition! “Trash” talk is encouraged!
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Bob Neubert
President of the Board
Lucas Co. Engineers
Andrew Curran
Vice President
Assistant Scout Executive,
Boy Scouts of America
Joan King
Treasurer
First Solar
Kyle Spicer
Secretary
Private Citizen
Denise Fonner
Board Member
Private Citizen
Jeff Gibbs
Board Member
Private Citizen
Chris Smalley
Board Member
Park Services Supervisor
Metroparks of the Toledo Area
Bob Neubert
Board Member
Lucas Co. Engineers
Bill Hoefflin
Board Member
Private Citizen
Partners for Clean Streams Inc. is striving for abundant open space and a high quality natural environment; adequate floodwater storage capacities and flourishing wildlife; stakeholders who take local ownership in their resources; and rivers, streams and lakes that are clean, clear and safe