Press release:
Sustainable West Seattle is taking on a monster of a problem in Puget Sound with a new campaign that empowers citizens to curb toxic runoff.

The group is hosting a series of free educational events September – November.  Audience members will be eligible to win up to $1,000 in prizes like water cisterns, landscape consulting, car wash gift certificates, oil changes, bus passes, and more.

Toxic runoff comes from many everyday sources, including soap, paint, fertilizers and herbicides, and even dog poop.  According to the Department of Ecology, toxic runoff is the No. 1 threat to the health of Puget Sound.  Each year, 14 million pounds of pollutants wash from our streets and driveways directly into our rivers and streams, and ultimately into the Sound.

“Most people I talk to think that polluted runoff from our streets and driveways go to facilities to remove contamination,” said Cate White, leader of Sustainable West Seattle’s toxic runoff outreach group. “However, that isn’t true.  Most runoff is not treated. Our campaign helps people understand how they can reduce that flow of toxic runoff.”

Keep watch for the ominous Tox-Ick: A Monster of a Problem for Puget Sound posters in your community. “The Tox-Ick Monster is the group’s emblematic metaphor for what toxic runoff is doing to our communities, which is robbing us of our salmon, our orcas, our shellfish economy, and our health,” said Corbet Curfman, designer of the character. The posters will alert the public to the next educational event and opportunity to win pollution prevention prizes.

Events will be: 
- Sunday Sept. 11 2 p.m., West Seattle Christian Church 4400 42nd Ave. SW, Seattle WA 98116 ($1,000 prizes)
- Saturday Sept. 24 10 a.m. Youngstown Cultural Arts Center 4408 Delridge Way SW, Seattle WA 98106 ($1,000 prizes)
- Monday Oct. 10, 7 p.m. Pathfinder Elementary School 1901 SW Genesee St. Seattle, WA 98106 ($1,000 prizes)
- Saturday Oct. 22, 1 p.m. Roxhill Elementary School, 9430 30th Ave SW, Seattle WA 98126 ($1,000 prizes)
- Saturday Nov. 12, 2:30 p.m. SPANISH PRESENTATION White Center Community Cultural Center (aka St. James Annex) 9421 Eighteenth Street SW, Seattle ($500 in prizes)
- Saturday Nov. 19th, 4 p.m., Alki United Church of Christ, 6115 SW Hinds Street, Seattle ($500 in prizes)

In addition to the community outreach meetings, a new Web site is being launched at www.tox-ick.org as well as new Facebook and Twitter profiles. 

About Sustainable West Seattle
Sustainable West Seattle is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that educates and advocates for urban sustainability in our local community. 

SOURCES: 
http://www.tox-ick.org         
http://www.sustainablewestseattle.org