What You Can Do to Protect Our Resources

Great Ideas for Protecting our Natural Resources

Water pollution affects your well water and living things around your home that rely on clean water to survive. You can take simple steps around the house that will help protect the water resources for you and your community.

Plant a Rain Garden

Directing downspouts and sump pump discharges to areas planted with water-loving plants, called rain gardens, helps water filter through the soil and recharges groundwater. University of Maine Cooperative Extension has a very good fact sheet online about installing rain gardens; click here to view it.

Mow High

Mowing your lawn higher than 3 inches will produce a lush turf that holds water, is weed-resistant, and requires less fertilizer.

Minimize Erosion

Maintain lush native plant growth in areas with steep slopes to hold soil in place. When you seed areas, use straw mulch to minimize erosion.

Manage Stormwater Runoff

Slope driveways and patios to direct rainwater and snow melt to vegetated areas that recharge groundwater. When planning for additions or renovations, be sure to leave plenty of room to direct stormwater.

Landscape with Native Plants

Planting native plants reduces need for chemical pesticides and fertilizers because these plants are well suited for the environment of New Hampshire. Furthermore, native plants provide food and habitat for many wildlife species. Hardy native plants include white pine, arrowwood viburnum, and winterberry.

Minimize Impervious Surfaces

Build the smallest buildings, patios, and driveways possible and use water-permeable materials when you can.

Reduce Fertilizer Use

Grow and maintain plants that require no fertilization. Reduce lawn area and use only slow release fertilizers.

Maintain Your Septic System

The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services recommends that septic systems be inspected annually and pumped every three to five years. Never send grease, toxic chemicals, pharmaceuticals, or nonbiodegradable materials down the drain. These materials cause can thousands of dollars worth of damage.

Maintain Healthy Buffers to Wetlands

Maintaining 100 feet of lush, vegetated areas adjacent to wetlands will filter stormwater runoff, reduce erosion, lessen impacts of flooding, and provide adequate habitat for many wildlife species.

How to Go Green and Save

Drink tap water instead of bottled.

Ditch the paper towels – they are a big source of waste. Use kitchen towels or a sponge instead.

Cut down on packaging waste. Use cleaners that offer "ultra" or concentrated detergent and buy economical refills for bottles.

Do your part outdoors by "grasscycling": Leave lawn clippings on the ground rather than bagging them after mowing. They act as a natural fertilizer, plus, no need for plastic bags!

Small Steps, Big Impact

  • Recycle your Sunday paper every week you will keep alive four trees per year AND increase earth's oxygen.*
  • Cut one 20-mile car trip each week by completing errands at once rather than making separate trips. You will prevent more than 1200 pounds of greenhouse gas from being emitted and adding to global warming.*
  • Recycle a six-pack of aluminum cans every week and you will save enough energy to power a television for 936 hours.*
  • Cut 5 minutes from your daily shower and save up to 9,00 gallons of water per year.*

 *Sources Environmental Defense Fund, US Environmental Protection Agency, National Recycling Coalition