BALTIMORE, MD
Baltimore, MD
Local Sustainability Matching Fund Proposal
Fall 2012
Project Title: Clean Water Schools and Communities
Purpose of Grant:
To make Baltimore’s Harbor and streams cleaner by changing behavior upstream in neighborhoods and schools.
Brief description of project goals, strategy, and key activities:
The goals of the Clean Water Schools and Communities project are:
· Increased awareness of the connection between neighborhood trash disposal behavior and the cleanliness and health of local waterways;
· Litter free storm drains near target schools and surrounding blocks;
· Litter free target schools; and
· Litter free blocks surrounding the target schools.
Our strategy is to engage residents in 5 neighborhoods and students in 5 schools in these neighborhoods in activities to clean stormwater entering their local storm drains. Our project is driven by a number of beliefs: (a) to reduce trash in local waterways and the Bay, we must reduce trash in upstream neighborhoods; (b) to change trash behavior in neighborhoods and schools, residents and students must hear from their peers; and (c) information and activities must be reinforced by visual cues and messages.
Key activities include: train green team students to talk to their peers and caregivers about trash/ litter behavior and clean water; develop outreach and action plans for schools; host school litter assemblies; paint storm drains; connect school Green Teams to community teams to focus on trash behavior and storm drains in areas around schools; secure signed pledges from students and caregivers for desired behavior change; provide technical support to implement priority projects; implement school- and community-based messaging focused on desired behavior change; and conduct pre- and post trash audits and surveys to evaluate impact of strategies.
Primary Contact Person
Name: Beth Strommen
Title: Director, Baltimore Office of Sustainability
Organization: Baltimore City Department of Planning
Mailing address: 417 E. Fayette Street, 8th floor
City: Baltimore State: Maryland Zip: 21202
Email:
Telephone: (410) 396-8360
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