New Castle County is giving away money to schools whose students pledge to adopt environmentally-friendly practices. (Pexels)
Thirty New Castle County schools will split $15,000 in cash prizes as part of an environmentally-friendly initiative.
Wednesday, county executive Matt Meyer announced the return of the “Great Schools, Clean Streams” campaign, in which participants assign their pledge to the school of their choice in the county.
The five pledges are:
- Scoop the poop – Picking up after a pet is a simple way to keep pollution out of waterways while keeping parks, neighborhoods and yards clean.
- Garden for water and life – Gardening with native plants – plants that originated in the area – supports both water and wildlife. These plants thrive in Delaware’s climate and are easy to grow and care for without using extra water or chemicals.
- Only rain down the drain – Only let rainwater go storm drains since they runoff to Delaware’s streams and rivers.
- Reduce household chemicals – Chemical cleaners, medications, paint, and lawn chemicals are common pollutants that can pass through treatment and end up in waterways.
- Cease the grease – Pouring cooking greases down the drain can lead to water pollution. Fat, oil, and grease harden in pipes, causing them to clog, so throw those liquids in the trash.
The schools that collect the most pledges win cash awards for classroom materials and school projects.
“More than 30,000 New Castle County residents have taken the pledge to do their part to protect our waterways,” Meyer said. “We have awarded almost $100,000 in prizes to schools here in the county and we are looking forward to another great year in 2023.”
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Whether strolling the River Walk in Wilmington, playing fetch in the Christina River, or biking along the C&D Canal, Meyer said residents want to enjoy clean water along with fresh air.
First, second and third place awards from each category will receive awards of $1,500, $1,000, and $750, and all schools with 50 or more pledges will be entered into a wild card drawing for one of twenty-one $250 awards.
School enrollment categories are 1 to 299 students, 300 to 599 students and 600 or more students.
“Preventing pollution is more than good citizenship, it’s also common sense,” Meyer said. “New Castle County relies almost entirely on rivers, lakes and streams for its water supplies.”
Children and youth under the age of 18 can also participate by signing a student pledge poster or holding a green shirt day at school.
For more information on how to fulfill the five pledges, click here.
Raised in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Jarek earned a B.A. in journalism and a B.A. in political science from Temple University in 2021. After running CNN’s Michael Smerconish’s YouTube channel, Jarek became a reporter for the Bucks County Herald before joining Delaware LIVE News.
Jarek can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at (215) 450-9982. Follow him on Twitter @jarekrutz
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