Tacoma, Pierce County activities aim to protect Puget Sound

Pierce County and the City of Tacoma are teaming up with hundreds of organizations across Puget Sound to challenge residents to commit to at least one Sound-healthy action during May’s Puget Sound Starts Here Month, which aims to raise awareness for protecting Puget Sound by empowering residents to make a difference through simple actions and local volunteer opportunities.

“In Pierce County, we have many scenic vistas of mountains and Puget Sound reflected in our public waters,” said Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy. “We can all work together to protect these amazing resources for future generations by together taking small actions that make a big impact.”

Some simple Sound-healthy actions you can take include fixing auto leaks right away and taking any used fluids to a recycling center; picking up pet waste and placing it in the trash; using natural yard products like compost and mulch (if you use chemical pesticides and fertilizers, follow the directions and use them sparingly); never dumping anything – liquid or solid – into a storm drain or drainage ditch; and volunteering to help with local habitat restoration projects.

Several events have been planned in Tacoma and Pierce County to celebrate Puget Sound Starts Here Month:

The City of Tacoma EnviroHouse, located at 3510 S. Mullen St., will host weekend workshops on composting, worm bins, rain barrels, and rain gardens. Visit cityoftacoma.org/envirohouse for more information and to pre-register.
The Puget Creek Restoration Society will host a Stormwater Symposium at 5 p.m. on Tues., May 12, at the Center for Urban Waters, located at 326 E. D St.
Foss Waterway Seaport will host Puget Sound Starts Here Family Fun Day between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Sat., May 30. The event includes a day of free family fun and learning centered around clean water and a healthy Puget Sound. Environmental educators from around Pierce County will guide activities and family fun. There will be free healthy snacks, entertainment, hands-on activities, live creatures, prizes, and more. No registration necessary. Parking is free. Foss Waterway Seaport is located at 705 Dock St. in downtown Tacoma.
The Tacoma Rainiers will celebrate Puget Sound Starts Here Month during a baseball game at 1:35 p.m. on Sun., May 31, at Cheney Stadium, located at 2502 S. Tyler St.

Additionally, local residents are encouraged to apply for a Make A Splash Grant for a reimbursement of up to $4,000 to complete a project to help prevent stormwater pollution (applications are due Fri., May 22); visit the EnviroHouse, complete the Puget Sound scavenger hunt, and take home a Puget Sound Starts Here themed prize; and choose to use a professional car wash or wash your car on grass or gravel to keep suds off the streets and keep oil, heavy metals, and toxic chemicals out of Puget Sound (visit pscarwash.org for more tips).

A complete list of Puget Sound Starts Here Month activities is available online at pugetsoundstartshere.org/events-list.

Puget Sound Starts Here is supported by a consortium of more than 750 organizations across Puget Sound’s 12 counties, including state agencies, local governments, tribes, and non-governmental organizations working to clean up and protect Puget Sound and our region’s local waterways. Puget Sound Starts Here Month is available online at pugetsoundstartshere.org.

To read the Tacoma Daily Index‘s complete and comprehensive coverage of Puget Sound Starts Here Month, click on the following links: