The 90-Day Plan—90 Ways in 90 Days to Clean and Conserve Water
Please sign up for The 90-Day Plan: 90 Ways in 90 Days to Clean & Conserve Water here: Click here to follow 90 Day Plan The 90-Day Plan begins on June 21st as part of (and running up to) Illinois Governor Pat Quinn's It's Our River Day Celebration on September 18th. The 90-Day Plan is based on the time it takes for the Mississippi River to flow from it’s source Lake Itasca, MN to the sea. The concept lies in a river’s resiliency and ability to replenish itself because of its constant flow.
The Mississippi River delivers more nonpoint source pollution (NPS) into the ocean than any other source in the United States. Trash & runoff from the Mississippi Watershed, which is all of the land between the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains, accumulates in the Mississippi and is released into the Gulf of Mexico forming an oxygen deficient “Dead Zone” that is over eight-thousand square miles. It also carries plastic waste to our oceans creating a more dire situation with each passing day. It is estimated that there is an area in the Central Pacific twice the size of Texas that is composed of a ‘plastic soup” and many other areas similar to this worldwide. By participating in The 90-Day Plan and learning on tip per day to clean or conserve water, people living throughout the Mississippi Watershed will become more familiar with common sources of pollution, including solid waste and become educated about what they can do to help improve conditions for those who live downstream. With the tragic and ongoing oil flow in the Gulf of Mexico, it is imperative that all of us Upstream make every effort possible to minimize the impact for those living downstream! 2010 Sponsors 2009 Recap The 90-Day Plan served as a solution to non-point sourced pollution in the Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico by focusing on the regenerative abilities of a river’s constant flow. This program was launched on June 22nd 2009 at the John G. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago and ran for ninety-days up to Governor Quinn’s, “It’s Our River Day Celebration,” on September 19th 2009. The program was sponsored by Illinois American Water and made available with one tip to clean or conserve water per day in print and online at with daily blogs, videos, and links. The 90-Day Plan ran as a successful pilot program of Below the Surface. It is primed and ready to run once again this year as part of the, “It’s Our River Day Celebration.” After the program last year, we have obtained critical feedback from schools, NGOs, and other groups that is being used for revisions & updates. 90 Day Plan Sponsors
Who: As part of Illinois Governor Pat Quinn's It's Our River Day Celebration , Kristian Gustavson's organization Below the Surface is launching THE 90-DAY PLAN: 90 Ways in 90 Days to Clean and Conserve Water . If you are interested in sponsoring this Expedition, please contact kristian@belowthesurface.org What: Upstream actions are leading to serious impacts downstream. The connection is clear: problems on our coasts do not start there; in order to address water quality concerns in our oceans, we must introduce solutions upstream. Where: If you live between the Appalachian Mountains and the Rocky Mountains, then you live within the Mississippi River's Drainage Basin; from the smallest stream to the biggest river, they eventually combine and flow into the Mississippi River forming this America's largest river system and watershed (3 rd largest worldwide). When: Beginning on June 22nd 2009 and running to It's Our River Day on September 19th 2009 Below the Surface will also host an interactive version of the program on its website www .belowthesurface.org with one tip to clean and/or conserve water per day for ninety-days. Why: The Mississippi is the most polluted river in the United States and nonpoint pollution is largely to blame. Collective runoff from non-specific sources, ranging from city streets to farm fields, combines to form nonpoint pollution. Consequently, the Mississippi River delivers more nonpoint pollution into the ocean than any other source in the US. How: The 90-Day Plan serves as a solution to non-point pollution in the Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico by focusing on the regenerative ability of a river's constant flow. If we can allow the Mississippi and other rivers within its watershed to run their course, while cleaning up our act for three months—we could see conditions improve as the rivers replenish themselves. The Plan is based on the three-month retention time (duration of flow from source-to-sea) of the Mississippi River. By using the Plan as a model, this program can be applied to improving water quality in any river or watershed in the US and beyond. All we need to try are 90 ways for 90 days! |
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