January 2019   |   Issue No. 16
Plan Now for Environmentally Friendly Snow and Ice Removal
   
As we dream of playing in the snow, it is important to remember that this also means you'll have snow to shovel and ice to remove from your sidewalks and driveways. It's natural to look for ways to make this job easier by applying deicers like salt. Many deicers, along with sodium chloride, contain cyanide and other chemicals. On warmer days, when the snow melts, these chemicals flow into our storm drains, which lead directly to our creeks and streams and endanger aquatic life. Here are a few tips you can use to reduce pollution this winter.
  1. Try an alternative: Calcium magnesium acetate (CMA) was developed as a deicing alternative because it has fewer adverse environmental impacts than salt and doesn't cause corrosion.
  2. Reduce your use: Only use a deicer on sidewalks and driveways when it is absolutely necessary.
  3. Base your use on the winter conditions: Before applying deicer, consider the temperature, potential for sun exposure and how much you will need. Remember to use the product sparingly and to read the label directions carefully.
  4. Cleanup unused deicing material: After the danger of ice and snow has passed, use a broom and pan to clean up any leftover material so it does not negatively affect the vegetation around your home or the aquatic life in our streams.
  5. Know your product and equipment: If the application of chemicals is necessary to protect life and property, ensure that you or your staff is well trained on how and when to best apply the chemical and that your equipment is well maintained and calibrated. Check equipment periodically throughout the application process to ensure your equipment is functioning properly.
Tips for Surfaces: It's important to remove as much ice as possible before applying a deicer. Break up the ice before you add another layer of deicer. Adding more without removing what has already melted can result in over application. Consider limiting access to your home to one entrance; this way you will not need to remove as much snow and ice, and it will reduce the amount of deicer needed.
A Resolution for 2019

At the beginning of each new year, we often look for ways to better ourselves. For some of us that means better eating habits, a more active lifestyle or doing something we've always dreamed of doing. 

We hope you will consider a resolution centered on positively impacting our local creeks and streams in the city of Tulsa. Consider implementing LID (low impact development) elements - like a rain garden, rain barrel, green roof, pervious pavement, pervious pavers or bioswale - to your home. With spring right around the corner, now is the perfect time to prepare for the rainy season. 

You can find more information about Stormwater Quality online. 
Education Spotlight

As we continue our efforts to reach the citizens of Tulsa through education and outreach, we are always looking for new opportunities to connect with an expanded audience. Our fall schedule included events such as Monarchs on The Mountain, the Tulsa State Fair, Howl-O-Ween, Food Truck Wednesdays at the Guthrie Green, Build My Future and classroom education at Grissom Elementary.

A new event we participated in was Fiesta de Halloween. This event was held at the Supermercados Morelos at Pine and Harvard and was a fun day to engage with the Tulsa community, distribute educational information and watch children enjoy festive activities. The owner of the store created the event to help the Hispanic community engage with different City of Tulsa departments and learn about opportunities for families.
Species Spotlight: 
Caddisflies


Caddisflies, a group of insects belonging to the order Trichoptera, are widely distributed in freshwater habitats throughout the world. Fossilized caddisflies have been found in rocks dating back to the Triassic Period.

Nearly all adult caddisflies are terrestrial, but their larvae and pupae are aquatic, a characteristic they share with dragonflies, mayflies and stoneflies. Like these other insects, caddisflies are an indicator of good water quality, meaning they are sensitive to water pollution. Caddisfly larvae are part of the widely used EPT index (Ephemeroptera-Plecoptera-Trichoptera), which is used to measure water quality conditions.

It is well known that caddisflies are an important part of the diet of fish such as trout; for that reason, artificial flies that imitate caddisflies are popular among fishermen. Caddisflies are vulnerable to trout through much of their life cycle.

 
HPCF Special Collection Event

On Saturday, March 30, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Household Pollutant Collection Facility will host a special collection day! This special event is open to City of Tulsa residents as well as surrounding community members who wish to dispose of tires, small electronic waste, medications and ammunition. No appointments are necessary, and citizens are welcome to dispose of special items on a first come, first served basis. The disposal of special items will be free with two exceptions: televisions will incur a $21 fee and monitors will incur a $10 fee.

Normally accepted items - automotive fluids, lawn and garden materials, household cleaners, cooking grease, aerosols, pool chemicals, fluorescent bulbs, and batteries - will be allowed. To avoid waiting in long lines to dispose of these normally accepted items, make an appointment during the facility's normal operating hours on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The disposal of household items will be open to citizens outside of the City of Tulsa, but a fee will be applied. Vouchers that cover the cost of the first 60 pounds discarded will be available to MET community members.
Items never accepted at the HPCF include commercially generated waste, latex paints, needles and sharps, and radioactive materials. 
More information can be found online.

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