Social Media Tool Kit
Social Media Tool Kit
Follow the Water is a public outreach campaign led by the Clean Rivers Coalition. Follow the Water’s mission is to bridge clean water and healthy communities through education and engagement in Oregon, Southwest Washington, and communities along the Columbia River.
We hope you’ll help us share everyday actions to protect water on social media. Thank you for your support!
Follow the Water Campaign Pages and Social Media Sites
Please share our posts on your organization’s social media pages and tag us on Facebook @FollowtheWater and on Instagram @FollowtheWaterPNW.
Introducing Follow the Water Shareable Content
We want to make it as easy as possible for you to help spread the word about the importance of water conservation and positive behaviors towards water.
How to Use This Content
- Click the Dropdown Menus: We have separated content based on seasons, feel free to choose any post that fits your organization's messaging. Click on the "All-Season" dropdown menu for more general topics!
- Select, Copy, and Paste Text: Simply highlight the text of our posts right from your browser window and add the copied text into your social media platform or any other medium where you want to share it.
- Downloadable Art: For each post, you'll find a link to downloadable images, graphics, or videos that you can use alongside the post.
Share Our Seasonal Content
All-Season
About Follow the Water
Do you know where your drinking water comes from? Do you know where your rainwater goes? Learn how water cycles through our rivers, neighborhoods, and lives from Follow the Water.
Follow the Water wants to connect what we do with what we drink, where we swim, how we survive. Follow to learn more about our connection to water.
Download photos here.
Follow the Water Videos
“Water is life. Water is our first medicine.” – Judy Bluehorse Skelton
Celebrate water by watching the Follow the Water video series. How do you connect with water in your daily life? Let us know in the comments!
#followthewater #connectthedrops
Download photos here.
What’s Your Lawn Style
You may know that what you put on your lawn can end up in our water—but did you know it can be cheaper and easier to skip out on chemicals? Whether you’re a lawn novice or a lawn nut, What’s Your Lawn Style has tips for you.
Check out our lawn videos to learn how to care for your lawn with little to no pesticides or fertilizers: https:// followthewater.info/whats-your-lawn-style/.
Download photos here.
Prevent Muddy Runoff
Fish like clean water, too!
Cover your dirt, compost, and mulch piles when it rains to prevent muddy runoff into streams. It also helps sweep up any mess on driveways, sidewalks, or storm drains for clean and clear rivers. The fish will thank you!
Download photos here.
Tire Pressure and Salmon
We have some bad news—tires are toxic to salmon. When car tires wear out, the rubber breaks down into particles that wash into our rivers. Several studies have identified compound “6PPD-q” as the main culprit in salmon pre-spawn mortality.
But there’s good news, too: One quick and easy way to reduce harm is by checking your tire pressure. This will not only help you conserve fuel but also prevent tire breakdown. Don’t wait, inflate!
Download photos here.
Fish-Friendly Car Wash
What’s a fish-friendly car wash?
The best way to wash your cars for the fish is to take it to the professionals. Their systems capture and treat water and the harsh chemicals needed to clean your chrome, etc. Their system conserves more water than washing your car at home. Plus their soaps are specialized so they won’t harm your paint.
Check out more tips from KPTV’s Mark Nelson https://www.kptv.com/page/clean-water-its-our-future/.
Download photos here.
Throw Away Pet Waste
Doo something pawsative for our rivers! Scoop it. Bag it. Trash it.
Dog poop is gross to step in, disrespectful to others using parks and trails, and can even carry diseases. It’s also a primary source of bacteria pollution in our streams.
Pet waste left on the ground mixes with stormwater washes into storm drains that lead directly to our water sources. This waste carries harmful bacteria which can affect the health of wildlife, people, and children.
Download photos here.
Throw Out Pesticides
Let’s keep our rivers and streams healthy by waiting until fall to fertilize.
Old pesticides taking up space in your garage?
Keep harmful chemicals out of our waterways and get rid of them the responsible way! The Oregon Department of Agriculture hosts annual free waste pesticide collection events for local pesticide applicators.
If you would like to request a pesticide collection event in your area, fill out this interest form: https://www.oregon.gov/oda/programs/pesticides/water/pages/pesticidestewardship.aspx.
Download photos here.
Find Your Watershed
Wetlands are often overlooked, but wetlands are among the most productive ecosystems in the world, comparable to rainforests and coral reefs. They provide fundamental wildlife habitat, stream flows, and buffers against storms and flooding.
Are you passionate about wetlands and want to make a difference in your community? You should check out your wetland organization dedicated to preserving and rejuvenating wetlands. Consult our guide below!
Find your local watershed council here: https://www.wetlandsconservancy.org/significant-wetlands.
#GenerationRestoration #ForWetlands
Download photos here.
Use A Drip Pan
Don’t drip and drive!
A friendly reminder to use a drip pan if your vehicle is leaking fluids. Auto fluids quickly find their way down the drain, contributing to water pollution.
Download photo here.
Fall
Leave the Leaves / Clear Your Stormdrain
Happy Fall 🍁
Along with pumpkins and cozy sweaters, the leaves keep falling!
In your garden, leaves are a gift: they enrich soil, protect roots, and shelter pollinators. But when they collect in storm drains, they become a problem.
If not routinely cleaned and maintained, storm drains and gutters can accumulate large amounts of debris and pollutants. This can cause blockages that lead to localized flooding, stagnant water that attracts pests, and polluted runoff that harms rivers and streams.
The good news is that you can help!
🍂 Mulch or compost leaves in your yard
🍂 Bag and bin them for pickup
🍂 Keep gutters and storm drains clear
Together, we can protect our homes from flooding and keep our waterways healthy.
Download photos here.
Winterize Your Lawn - What’s Your Lawn Style
Have a lawn? It's starting to get colder, which means it’s time to get ready for winter. Do you know how to prep your lawn? Here are a few lawn winterizing tips:
-
- Spare yourself some raking! Occasionally mulch mow fallen leaves by making multiple passes. This improves soil quality and suppresses weeds!
- Before the first frost comes, aerate your lawn to prevent compaction.
- Upkeep your yard equipment and irrigation system to prepare for spring.
Learn more about chemical-free lawn care on our website: https://connectthedrops.info/winterize.
Download photos here.
Mulch Mow Your Lawn - What’s Your Lawn Style
If you have a lawn, mulch mowing is an easy way to get healthier grass—without using unnecessary pesticides or fertilizers.
Get more advice for perfect turf on our website: https://connectthedrops.info/lawnstyle.
Download photos here.
Summer
Cold Water Shock Safety!
Enjoy the hot weather this week! Don't forget—the air may be warm, but the water is cold!
Look out for yourself and others when you're in or around water. Avoid jumping in, as sudden warm temperatures can lead to cold water shock.
Download photos and video here.
Watch for Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs)
Algae alert! Did you know that using fertilizer in spring or summer can cause harmful algal blooms (HABs)? Excess fertilizers run off into our waterways, where an overabundance of nitrogen and phosphorus cause algae. HABs rob streams of oxygen, making it hard for fish to survive. They also can make water unsafe for swimming and fishing.
Download photos here.
Check out the Swim Guide App
Have you ever wondered if your favorite stream, lake, river, or swimmin' hole is safe for recreation?
The Swim Guide app is a great way to get up-to-date water quality conditions. The Swim Guide monitors E. coli, a microscopic organism that can contaminate drinking water and indicate fecal contamination from sewage or animal waste. While most E. coli bacteria are harmless, some strains can cause illness.
Water quality teams across Oregon and SW Washington test water samples, allowing you to make informed decisions about when and where you swim.
Download photos here.
Spring
What's Your Lawn Style Tips
- Spring is here! Time for mowing, weeding, and seeding. Check out this page for more information whatsyourlawnstyle.org.
- With spring in full swing and summer on the way, here are timely tips for lawn care. Visit whatsyourlawnstyle.org.
- It only takes a few simple steps to get the lawn of your dreams! Learn how here whatsyourlawnstyle.org.
- The best time to apply fertilizer isn’t necessarily the best time to apply herbicide. Get more lawn facts here whatsyourlawnstyle.org.
Download graphics here.
Prevent Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs)
Algae alert! Did you know using fertilizer in spring or summer can cause harmful algal blooms (HABs)? Excess fertilizers run off into our waterways, where an overabundance of nitrogen and phosphorus causes algae. HABs rob streams of oxygen, making it hard for fish to survive. They also can make water unsafe for swimming and fishing.
Download photos here.
Spring Stream-Friendly Solutions
Are you preparing to do some spring cleaning? 🧹
Choosing natural methods for your home and yard is not only easy and affordable, but it's also better for our rivers. When water flows downhill, it picks up pollutants such as oil, grease, pesticides, fertilizers, and pet waste. These pollutants end up in our waterways.
If you are planning to pressure wash, treat your roof, or maintain your lawn, you can check out stream-friendly solutions from Clean Water Services at https://cleanwaterservices.org/community-home/resources/yard/stream-friendly/stream-friendly/.
Download photos here.
Winter
Clean Storm Drains
Rainy weather and snow have arrived, so it’s time to take care of your storm drain!
As ice melts, water picks up harmful pollutants as it makes its way to the drain. These pollutants wash into waterways, harming river critters and our water quality. The only thing going down the drain should be rain and snow!
So what can you do to keep storm drains clear and our water clean?
- Sweep away any debris near your storm drain and discard.
- Bag yard waste for curbside pickup, take to a drop-off site, or compost at home.
- Bring used engine oil to a licensed local business, usually an auto shop.
- And take common household waste products to a household hazardous waste facility.
Thank you for protecting our water supply!
Download photos here.
Avoid Using Salt for Ice and Snow
Brrr! It’s cold out there! A gentle reminder to not use salt for your slippery walkways.
Stormwater runoff goes directly to our local waterways without treatment, and EPA scientists have identified a high level of salt concentration across urban areas. Too much salt in freshwater can harm aquatic life, pollute drinking water, and cause harmful algal blooms.
Try using gravel, alfalfa meal, wood ash, or coffee grounds instead! Even rubbing alcohol, Epsom salt, and urea are effective alternatives that do less damage than salt.
Download photos and video here.
