The Clemson Extension Water Resources Team created the Being a Neighbor for Clean Water webinar series to assist residents during the public health crisis associated with COVID-19 and their larger-than-ever need for educational content and at-home projects. This webinar series exposed residents to actions and practices that could reduce their stormwater footprints. Stormwater runoff is the leading source of water quality impairments, according to the EPA. Stormwater can become polluted when it runs off of surfaces contaminated with pollutants such as litter, pet waste, and fertilizers, that people leave on the ground. This series was well-timed, as people were responsive to the information, actions, and best management practices (BMPs) presented. These BMPs centered around benefitting individuals, their neighbors, and their environment.
The webinar series was offered statewide during Earth Week (4/20-4/24) and presented in a lunch-and-learn style, with sessions taking place every weekday from 12:00 pm until 12:30 pm. Topics included an overview of stormwater-related issues, shoreline management for ponds, floating wetlands, rain gardens, and water-wise landscaping practices. The series had a total of eighty-two registrants from all over the state. Sixty-seven individuals attended the course for at least one session, and twenty people attended every session of the series. These dedicated participants were gifted with a personalized Neighbor for Clean Water Certificate.
Program evaluations of the webinar series were very positive. One hundred percent of respondents indicated that they felt the series was a good use of their time and that they gained knowledge. Similarly, eighty-one percent of respondents indicated that they would implement a practice that they learned during the series. However, the participants themselves better described the series’ impacts with comments left in the surveys and direct emails to the presenters. For example, one participant emailed to say, “Super, thanks! Y’all are doing a great job with these webinars—I’ve learned more this week than I have in a year (cause it’s so hard to get to in-person workshops during “normal business operation” seasons)!“
Another participant wrote in their survey, “I’m amazed at what I learned within the half-hour each day. I appreciate all of the follow-up email[s] with the links to so many helpful resources. The presentation[s] were well put together and contained a wealth of information in such a short time (an indication of the keen preparation that went into each session). Truly a valuable webinar! Many thanks!” With such a positive response, the Water Resources Team is looking to offer the series again next spring.
Submitted by: Derrick Phinney, Natural Resources Team Director, on behalf of Water Resources Agents Ellen Comeau, Tancey Cullum, Becky Davis, Karen Jackson, Haley Parent and Guinn Wallover