Construction

Paint
Stick with water based paints. They are safer, easier to dispose of and easier to clean up. Always clean your brushes and buckets in the sink, not into a ditch or storm drain. Recycle your leftover latex paint at Household Hazardous Waste collections. Old latex paint that is completely dry and empty latex paint cans may be placed in regular trash collection. If you must use oil based paints or stains, buy only as much as you need. Retain all leftovers and solvents for Hazardous Waste collections.

Soil and Silt
Dirt from roads, gardens, building sites and cleared land can wash into creeks and streams. This changes the shape of waterways. It can make them wider and shallower. The dirt will also smother plants and animals on the stream bottom and block sunlight. The best way to stop this kind of erosion is to maintain a good plant cover but a layer of mulch can slow the erosion significantly.