Photos: Environmental tour of the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed

Birdwatching isn’t exactly what comes to mind when you think of Friends Hospital and the property around it, but Saturday marked another Love Your Watershed event with the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed, drawing nature-lovers and environmentalists to the property for a tour.

Participants left with a flier full of ideas for incorporating eco-friendly practices into their lives:

1. Install a rain barrel at your home to catch rainwater for your use. Rainwater can be used to water lawns and gardens.

2. During rain, avoid high water usage activities like washing dishes, flushing the toilet showering and laundry. Avoiding these activities will lesson the load on the sewer system and alleviate overflows.

3. In winter, use less salt on driveways and sidewalks. Instead use wood/coal ash or sand for traction

Below, check out our slideshow with photos from Bill Achuff and Jewell A. Newton.

4. Use water-saving appliances like low-flow showerheads, faucets, and toilets.

5. Run water only when you use it. Practice turning off the faucet between rinses while you brush your teeth or wash dishes.

6. If your toilet tank is large, put a water-filled bottles in your toilet tank to reduce the amount of water used per flush. Keep out of way of flushing mechanism.

7. Take shorter showers. Use a timer to help keep to your limit.

8. Fix leaky faucets and running toilets. You’d be surprised how much water is lost in these simple to fix problems.

9. When using a dishwasher or laundry machine, save water and energy by always running a full load.

10. Instead of dumping unconsumed water down the drain, water your houseplants with last night’s water glass or Rover’s leftover water bowl.