Celebrate Puget Sound Starts Here Month this September by learning more about this unique natural resource & while you’re at it, take our quiz to test your knowledge & receive a free 12-month subscription to Chinook Book!
Puget Sound is an area we all call home. Did you know that it’s both a region and a body of water? It’s true! Puget Sound is part of the Salish Sea and connects our region to the Pacific Ocean. This water adjacent to our cities is called a “sound”, a narrow and deep waterway. It is an estuary, where salt water and fresh water meet. Lakes, rivers, streams, and creeks all feed into Puget Sound. We rely on this water; it supports our livelihood as well as the wildlife and aquatic environment that makes the Pacific Northwest a unique place to live.
In Puget Sound, water and the land are connected. When it rains, all that water needs to go someplace to keep our streets and homes safe from flooding. It flows into the storm drain inlets in your neighborhood. As it rolls off hard surfaces like sidewalks, roads, parking lots and buildings, it picks up pollution. This polluted stormwater runoff eventually makes its way to lakes, rivers, streams, and Puget Sound. What we do at home, work, and through our recreation makes a difference. The good news is that you can help prevent pollution and SPU is here to help.
In honor of September being Puget Sound Starts Here month, we have some actions you can take:
- When washing your car, it to a tunnel or coin operated car wash. These facilities end up using less water than if you washed at home and they don’t empty into storm drains the way it would if you washed your car in the street. If you do choose to wash your car at home, choose a location where that soapy water can soak into the ground (like on grass or gravel), so it does not enter a storm drain.
- Use natural gardening techniques to reduce use of pesticides and fertilizers.
- Maintain your vehicle to prevent oil from leaking onto the pavement.
- Drive less and carpool, ride the bus or a bike.
- Take our quiz to test your water wits & salmon savvy! Find out more below.
Test your Puget Sound knowledge and receive a free 12-month subscription to the Chinook Book App.
This 5-minute quiz features fun facts about Puget Sound providing a great opportunity to test your knowledge of this resource as well as a chance to learn more. Participants will receive a free 12-month subscription to the Chinook Book, a mobile app that provides discounts and coupons to some of the best local and sustainable businesses in the Seattle & Puget Sound area.
Take Our Quiz & Get Your Free Chinook Book Here – https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SoundOffQuiz
Puget Sound is a truly wonderful place to live, work, and play and with your help, we can continue to protect and preserve this resource for many many years to come. If you’re looking for more information on ways you can help, check out any of these resources: