ClearWater Conservancy and its Centred Outdoors program is directly connected to the goals of
Clean Water and Sanitation
,
Climate Action, Life Below Water
,
Life on Land
, and of course
Partnerships for the Goals
. Yet we also contribute to our community’s progress on goals such as
Good Health and Well-Being
by connecting individuals with the health benefits of spending time outside,
Quality Education
by supporting the Connections Program that makes field trips to Millbrook Marsh Nature Center more possible for schools,
Decent Work and Economic Growth
when supporting efforts that strengthen the region’s ecotourism economy,
Reduced Inequalities
by offering educational programs that are open to everyone at little or no cost, and
Sustainable Cities and Communities
when we work alongside local companies and organizations who share our dedication to conserving the natural places around us and the vital natural resources they provide us.
In fact, there are countless examples of ways local communities are collectively making progress on every Sustainable Development Goal. Key investments into renewable energy sources, such as Penn State’s solar array on Orchard Rd., are easily recognizable, landscape-level, initiatives. More hidden though, are efforts like to maintain water quality in our streams such as the MS4 Partnership between State College Borough, College Township, Ferguson Township, Harris Township, Patton Township and Penn State. These partners have a stormwater management plan to reduce the contamination stormwater runoff which is essential for keeping streams and their fish healthy and our drinking water clean.
Another example of our region’s commitment to sustainability includes community recycling programs led mostly by the Centre County Recycling and Refuse Authority (CCRRA). CCRRA provides a great deal of community education on recycling and composting in the region and partners with ClearWater and other organizations every year for Watershed CleanUp Day. During this event, hundreds of volunteers split up into teams to clean up trash and litter from areas near local waterways and CCRRA donates time and resources to process the waste and recycling produced from the event. The event has been taking place since 1996, and in 2019 alone over 13,000 pounds of trash was collected by volunteers.
