Preventing Pet Waste in Oakland Waterways

EarthTeam’s mission is to empower teens to become lifelong environmental stewards through experiential education, skills development and the building of community connections.

Building on a similar project carried out in 2018, Earth Team recruited and trained interns from Skyline High School to collect and test water samples from 3 pre-selected locations in Sausal Creek, to compare concentrations of E.Coli and fecal coliforms, found in pet waste, with samples from areas where only wildlife has access. The students also developed and ran a survey to gauge park users’ knowledge of and opinion about the effects of pet waste on local water quality.

Using the data from water testing and survey results, the interns will produce a report and determine the best methods to raise awareness and motivate dog owners to pick up after their pets. During the 2018 project, outreach included a brochure and temporary signage explaining the ecosystem present in the Sausal Creek watershed, threats to water quality including both pet waste and other factors, and the consequences of poor water quality on aquatic life and human health. At the end of the project, a second survey will measure the impact of the outreach work on attitudes and reported behavior.

More grant funding for projects like this is available! Learn more.