How you can help – in and around your HOME

• Always use phosphorus-free detergents (look for products that say NP or P-Free)
• Dispose of all rubbish, paint, oils and chemicals properly so they do not end up in our waterways
• Compost or throw dog poo in the bin. Decaying dog poo adds large amounts of excess nutrients to our waterways
• Keep your on site drains and soak wells clean
• If chemical spills could occur make sure you have the proper bunting and traps
• Remember rain only down the drain – no garden wastes. This includes garden plants, clippings and aquarium plants which could become invasive weeds in our rivers.
• Be mindful when cleaning up after painting (ie. dispose of unused paint by letting it dry out and then put it in the bin and wash paint brushes over a sand filter on the lawn rather than over drains or on a path)
• Wash your car on the lawn rather than the driveway or road. And always use Phosphorus Free (P-Free or NP) detergent
• Keep your car serviced regularly to prevent oil dripping onto the road
• Make sure rubbish stays in the bin, especially on windy days and rubbish collection day
• Minimise use of dangerous chemicals
• Use environmentally-friendly cleaners

How you can help – in your GARDEN

• Plant local plants in your garden. You’ll be surprised by their beauty and the animals they attract
• Are you using all that lawn? Consider native alternatives that require no mowing and are drought tolerant
• Remember rain only down the drain – no garden wastes. This includes garden plants, clippings and aquarium plants which could become invasive weeds in our rivers
• Add compost or soil improver to your lawns and gardens to increase water and nutrient retention
• Prevent soil or mulch from being washed onto the road
• Mulch garden beds to reduce watering requirements and the amount of nutrients seeping through the soil into groundwater
• When cutting the grass, sweep up clippings on the road
• Keep your driveway free of leaves so they cant blow onto the street and down the drains
• Clean out your gutters. Falling leaves from deciduous trees can enter storm water drains and contribute to nutrient problems in waterways
• Plant local or native species when possible – they require less fertiliser and water.

Visit the Fertilise Wise campaign for grow local plant guides and native plant nurseries

How you can help – in your COMMUNITY

• Get involved in planting and weeding days. SERCUL has many ‘friends of’ groups and other groups working to help our remnant vegetation areas
• Save our endangered communities. Write to your local politicians and councils to express your love for our remaining vegetation communities
• Get involved with programs such as Living Streams – where community groups and local governments re-install an ecosystem in ‘dead’ drains
• Get involved in Clean Up Australia Day
• Dispose of your rubbish responsibly. Always put it in the bin or take it with you.
• Please pick up your dog poo. Put it in a worm farm or rubbish bin. Dog faeces is high in nutrients that adds extra stress to our rivers
• Don’t feed bread to the birds. It is unhealthy for the birds and the water. Bread is an unnatural food which can swell in their bellies and also cause diseases such as Avian Botulism, which can be fatal. Bread is also very high in phosphorus
• Help increase pollution awareness in your community. As part of our Clean Drains River Gains Campaign, a drain stencilling kit is available for use by individuals, community groups and organisations.
• Minimize disturbance of wildlife, vegetation and riverbanks. Always use paths when provided.
• Report misuse, vandalism and storm water pollution to your local council.

How you can help – at your SCHOOL

TREE PLANTERS WANTED!

SERCUL has a number of sites available where students can participate in a hands-on educational hour, half day or full day. Not only will students be improving their local community but they will learn about the benefits of planting these species including increasing the biodiversity of the area, helping to combat climate change and air pollution and improving the health of rivers and wetlands.

This planting could occur on a special day such as Arbor Day or Schools Tree Day (25th July) or you can also organise a planting event at any time convenient to your class. All plants, equipment and fun provided.

Bushland restoration

School communities might decide to restore or rehabilitate an area of local bushland. Some schools have bushland on site at school. Their hands on learning can happen without leaving the school grounds! Where ever the bushland is – taking on a bushland restoration or rehabilitation project is a large, long term commitment.

Catchment display model Free presentations and displays

The Phosphorus Awareness Project (PAG) are available to speak at your school about the Swan-Canning River systems, algal blooms and reducing nutrient use and have several colourful displays available for loan, all free of charge.

Incursions and excursions

The PAG also offer a number of incursions and excursions including:

• Algae Buster School Incursion – Interactive, fun programs where students learn about catchments, nutrients and algae
• Building a Frog Pond Incursion – A must have incursion if a school is considering building a frog pond. Students construct a mini frog pond in the classroom with all the essential elements in constructing a frog pond covered in detail
• Clean Drains River Gains Incursion – Students learn about drains and pollution through stencilling drains at school

Please browse through the For Educators section of this site for more information about these initiatives.

How you can help – at your BUSINESS

Prevent accidental drain spills

You may have to put extra procedures in place to prevent accidental spills entering drains and/or train staff to recognise and change behaviours that impact on our waterways. A drain stencilling kit (an important part of our Clean Drains River Gains Campaign) is available for use by businesses wishing to increase pollution awareness in their area or work place.

Sustainable Production Program

Under the Sustainable Production Program, we offer help to government, industry and community groups with technical expertise, program design, collaborations, education materials and sourcing of funding. The Sustainable Production Program focuses on the transformation of light industry and agriculture to support, not pollute, the local living environment. Please contact us to learn more about us or how we can help your business move forward sustainably.

Team building opportunities

Get your staff involved in planting and weeding days. SERCUL has many “friends of’ groups and other groups working to help our remnant vegetation areas. Staff volunteer to help a group with weeding or planting etc. and in return they learn about the environment whilst the corporation receives positive publicity.

Corporate sponsorship

Another way to help the environment and your business. Click here for details