Whether you own a chihuahua or a Saint Bernard, you'll be doing our lakes,
rivers and streams a great service by cleaning up after your dog. Animal waste,
when left lying about your yard or a trail, is not just a hazard for passing
pedestrians! Bacteria and excess nutrients are swept untreated into storm
drains, swales or even water bodies like the lake your children swim in.
Whenever you walk your dog, carry a plastic bag, such as the wrapper from
your newspaper or a grocery bag, so you can stoop and scoop the poop. Close the
bag tightly and dispose of in a trash can. Alternately, you can flush unbagged
dog waste into your toilet. Highland Township provides dog waste receptacles
and baggies at our area parks for your use when you walk your dog there.
Another watershed-friendly tip is don't feed the geese and ducks. Feel free
to watch, but don't encourage them to hang about where they might become
dependent on humans for their meals, create a nuisance and "foul" our
waterways.
Find out what's happening in Farmington-Farmington Hillswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
For more information and tips on keeping our waterways clean, please visit
SEMCOG (Southeast Michigan Council of Government) at http://www.semcog.org/OurstoProtect.aspx.
Remember, its our water, our future, Ours to Protect.