The main day for our local Rivers Alive in Liberty County is this Saturday! This effort each year to help preserve and protect our waterways is held on our main cleanup day on the national Make a Difference Day.

USA Weekend Magazine created Make a Difference Day, which takes place on the fourth Saturday of October, more than 20 years ago and is the nation’s largest day of community service. Across the nation, millions of volunteers will work to improve the lives of others on this special day, according to makeadifferenceday.com.  

Helping keep our waterways clean is a great way to make such a difference. On Saturday, we will have official Rivers Alive T-shirts for at least the first 500 volunteers registered, so contact us now! We also provide all the cleanup supplies for our hardworking volunteers. SNF Chemtall, our local sponsor, will provide an appreciation cookout for volunteers at Riceboro Creek Park on Highway 17 South after the cleanups. So plan to make a difference and contact us at Keep Liberty Beautiful by calling 880-4888 or emailing klcb@coastalnow.net by Wednesday. If Saturday does not work for you and your group, we can schedule a cleanup date and location that does.

Last chance to find out how water smart you are. Last week, I asked two test questions about your water smarts, courtesy of a quiz from the Environmental Protection Agency. How did you do? Here are answers:

1. Most of the pollutants entering our waters come from which source:
A. Wastewater treatment plants
B. Runoff from fields, streets and sidewalks
C. Factories

The answer is B. The litter and debris we create is the biggest pollution issue

2. Leaves should be raked down a storm drain so they can decompose in a creek or stream — true or false?

The answer is false! Never dump debris down a storm drain.

How did you do? If you got both questions right, you’ve got the smarts to be an environmental champion. So come on out Saturday and make a difference! If you did not score so well, then come on out on Saturday and join us! You need to learn more about our waterways!

Swida is director of Keep Liberty Beautiful.