Spring is just around the corner! But as you patiently wait for the sun to come out and melt the snow, consider what lies BENEATH that grey slush.
As the snow melts away, streets become littered with mementos from ending winter. Have you noticed random trash in the streets? There seems to be a wide array of discarded items - beverage cans, receipts, packaging, even shoes. This New York Times article quotes 27 year old artist Ryan Scalis, “each layer is like a timeline of each snow,it’s like a core sample.” Additionally, snow cover contains pollution from automobiles and salt used on the roads.
Snow melt runoff from the UMD campus ends up in Tischer Creek and Oregon Creek, which flow directly into Lake Superior. The water running into these streams affects the fish and ecology that call these streams home.
Want to help keep our streams and Lake Superior clean? Pick up trash when you see it - the fish will thank you! Also, there’s a campus clean up on April 24 from 4-6!
Learn more about UMD's Office of Sustainability.