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Delaware DNREC To Offer Rain Barrels At Discount Price To Residents

Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife

Delaware --(Ammoland.com)- As part of its comprehensive water conservation plan, the DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship is offering rain barrels at a discounted price to residents of Delaware.

Having a rain barrel provides an innovative way to capture rainwater from your roof and store it for later use. Water collected from rain barrels can be used to wash cars and to water lawns, gardens and indoor plants.

“Without a rain barrel, this water would run off your roof and become stormwater, picking up pollutants on its way to a storm drain, stream, lake, bay or ocean,” said Environmental Scientist Sharon Webb of the Division’s Nonpoint Source Program. “By using a rain barrel, you can lower your water bill, conserve well water in the dry season and reduce polluted stormwater runoff.”

Regular retail price for these heavy duty plastic barrels is $119. However, by purchasing the barrels at a quantity discount, the Nonpoint Source Program can offer them for $66 each.

The terra cotta-colored barrels are made from recycled food grade barrels that originally entered the United States filled with olives and pickles. Thoroughly scrubbed, the barrels may have some small scrapes and scratches from their travels. The barrels are fitted with a screw-on perforated top with an inside mesh screen to help keep out debris, bugs, pets and children, plus a spigot and an overflow hose fitting to allow water to be diverted into a second barrel.

A limited number of barrels are available and will be distributed on a first come, first served basis. For more information, please call 302-739-9922 or email sharon.webb@state.de.us. To check on availability during distribution please call 302-739-9922. Payment must be made by check or money order made out to “State of Delaware.”

For New Castle County residents barrels will be available for pick up from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, May 19 at the New Castle County District office Maintenance Yard, 2430 Old County Road, Newark (signs will be posted). For directions to the facility, please visit http://newcastleconservationdistrict.org/ and click on directions at bottom of page.

For Kent County residents, barrels will be available for pick up from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 18 at Polytech High School, 823 Walnut Shade Road, Woodside (signs will be posted). For directions, please visit http://local.yahoo.com/info-12366682-polytech-high-school-woodside.

For Sussex County residents, barrels will be available for pick up from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, May 16 at the DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship, Lewes Facility, off Pilottown Road, Lewes. For directions, please visit www.swc.dnrec.delaware.gov/Shoreline/Pages/LewesFieldFacility.aspx.

Barrels will fit in the backseat of most cars and not in the trunk so you may want to bring a tarp or blanket to protect the seat.

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Delaware DNREC announces 2011 Young Environmentalist Awards

Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife

Delaware --(Ammoland.com)- Do you know a Delaware student who is working to make a difference for the environment?

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control is encouraging teachers, classmates, parents, club or group leaders and others to begin planning to nominate these students for the 2011 Young Environmentalist of the Year Awards. Nominations must be based on actions or projects which have taken place between July 1, 2010 and June 30, 2011.

Nominations will be accepted between Sunday, May 1 and Wednesday, June 1, 2011. A winner will be chosen from each of the following categories:

• Elementary for students in grades 1-4
• Middle School for students in grades 5-8
• High School for students in grades 9-12

The Young Environmentalist program honors Delaware students whose actions have resulted in the protection, restoration or enhancement of Delaware’s natural resources. Judges will look for innovative projects that increase public awareness and demonstrate environmental ethics and stewardship.

Past honorees have included students who have organized tree plantings, a household hazardous waste community collection day and school recycling programs; students who volunteered their time with the Delaware Nature Society, DNREC’s Piping Plover Monitoring Program, the DuPont Nature Center, the Hooked on Fishing – Not on Drugs program, and the Marine Education, Research and Rehabilitation Institute, among other organizations; and a prolific poster artist, who worked to raise public awareness on a variety of environmental issues.

This is the 18th year for the award, which was established by DNREC colleagues and friends in honor of Dr. Edwin H. Clark II, who served as Secretary of DNREC from 1989 until 1993.

A $100 U.S. savings bond and a Delaware State Parks gift certificate will be awarded to each category winner in recognition of his or her contribution to the community. Winners will be honored in a special ceremony.

For more information, including nomination forms, please call Joanna Wilson, Public Affairs, at 302-739-9902, or visit www.dnrec.delaware.gov.

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