August in Kansas brings to mind thoughts of the “dog days of summer” when people look to find relief from the heat with a refreshing glass of ice water or cooling off by boating and swimming in a nearby lake. August is also National Water Quality Awareness Month, which is a time to examine our actions to make sure we're doing everything we can to protect our most precious resource throughout the year.

Actions we take every day have the potential to negatively impact water quality.

Make these water-friendly choices to do your part:

• Never litter.
• Pick up pet waste and dispose of it in the trash.
• Take used oil, leftover paint and other household chemicals to Household Hazardous Waste collection sites.
• Fertilize according soil test results and only use what your lawn needs. Soil tests are free for Johnson County residents (limited quantity)!
• Mulch or bag grass clippings and leaves — never blow them into the street or storm drains.
• Never flush prescription drugs; instead, find a drug take-back location for proper disposal. 

If you are unsure where to take items to be recycled, visit RecycleSpot.org, a local, comprehensive recycling resource. 

The past week’s heavy rain and floods have wreaked havoc on many Johnson County homes and businesses. The Johnson County Department of Health and Environment (JCDHE) offers the following tips to prevent injury and illness during cleanup and how to manage and remove the debris and trash left behind.

• Wear rubber boots, rubber gloves, and goggles during cleanup of an affected area.
• Get a tetanus shot (Td or Tdap) if you haven’t had one in the last 10 years or can’t remember the last time you got one. You can get one at most doctors’ offices, pharmacies, urgent care clinics and at the Department of Health and Environment’s two walk-in clinics in Olathe (11875 S. Sunset Drive) and Mission (6000 Lamar Ave.).
• Flood waters can displace animals, insects and reptiles. Be alert and avoid contact.
• Wash clothing and all hard surfaces with hot water and detergent. Discard items that cannot be washed and disinfected (such as, mattresses, carpeting and carpet padding, rugs, upholstered furniture, cosmetics, pillows, baby toys, stuffed animals, foam-rubber items, books, wall coverings and most paper products).
• Excessive moisture and standing water can contribute to the growth of mold. Be sure to properly dry out ceilings, walls and floors.
• Cover open wounds with a waterproof bandage to avoid infection. Keep open wounds as clean as possible by washing with soap and water. Seek immediate medical attention if a wound develops redness, swelling or drainage.

James Joerke, JCDHE deputy director, advises residents and business owners to contact their local city or trash company to find out how much trash and debris can be placed at the curb and if any large item collections are being planned.

“Always ask about fees for these type of additional pick-ups,” says Joerke. “If you have a large quantity of trash, you may need to rent a dumpster and pay to have it hauled to a landfill.”  

Items that are not accepted at the curb, such as paint, cleaners, household chemicals and fluorescent light bulbs, may be brought to the Johnson County Household Hazardous Waste site for disposal. Make an appointment to drop off for these items, as well as non-working appliances and electronics: https://jocogov.org/dept/health-and-environment/environment/hazardous-materials/accepted-items

Safety after a Flood: https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/floods/after.html

Mold after a Disaster: https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/mold and https://www.epa.gov/mold/floods-and-mold-growth

Rain barrels reduce the amount of stormwater runoff by collecting roof runoff and storing the rainwater for future use. Want to learn about rain barrels and construct your own to take home for free? Sign up to attend an upcoming rain barrel workshop.

Olathe North High School, through a grant from the Johnson County stormwater program, is offering one-hour rain barrel workshops on April 1 and April 15. Each workshop will include an educational presentation by the Geoscience Academy students about stormwater management and the benefit of rain barrels, as well as instruction on and construction of a free rain barrel for each Johnson County homeowner (one per address). The workshops are offered on a first-come-first-served basis, as there is a limit to 25 free rain barrels per class.

April 1

• Rain barrel workshops at 9 a.m., 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and noon
• Additional details and sign up: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080b4aaca823a31-rain4

April 15

• Rain barrel workshops at 9 a.m., 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and noon
• Additional details and sign up: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080b4aaca823a31-rain5/

It's super bowl weekend, which means lots of parties, pizza-ordering and yes . . . trash. It can be tricky to remember what can and can't go in your recycling bin, so the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment has put together a handy list of the top 10 most confusing items, published in the most recent issue of JoCo Magazine. Here are some tips that might come in handy this weekend: 

• Pizza boxes? YES. You can remove greasy spots, cheese and other food contaminates first. If your pizza box is clean and doesn’t contain a large amount of grease, it can be recycled in your curbside bin. If it’s too greasy, simply tear off the top for recycling and trash the rest.
• Plasticware and paper plates? NO. Contrary to popular belief, plastic silverware and paper plates are not recyclable, even when clean. They are not suitable for recycling because of the odd shape of plasticware and the low quality of plastic and paper materials. Reduce waste at your next event by using durable, reusable plates and silverware instead.
• Red Solo cups? YES. The forgotten verse of that Toby Keith song: finish your drink, make sure it’s empty and recycle your red Solo cup.
• K-Cups? NO. K-Cups and other single-serve coffees are growing in popularity. While K-Cups are convenient and come in many flavors, because of their size and material components, they should not be recycled. K-Cups belong in the trash.

View the full list on jocogov.org; print it out and post it on the wall near your recycling bin so everyone in your houshold can be in the know!