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      Department of Public Works Bureau of Sanitation

January 1999

What do cigarette butts, dog poop, and pesticides all have in common?

They are all part of a mass media advertising campaign, which identifies them as major pollutants to Los Angeles storm drains and coastal waters.

For the second straight year, the CityÔs Stormwater Program has collaborated with the County of Los Angeles, Department of Public Works in developing a mass media campaign to reinforce simple, daily actions residents can take to help prevent stormwater pollution. The campaign borrows the easily recognizable Surgeon GeneralÕs warning label from cigarette packs to educate residents about the negative impact these seemingly innocuous items, when improperly handled or cared for, can have on water quality.

ÒPartnering with the County of Los Angeles in this media campaign and other projects allows our agencies to save money and increase the effectiveness of our outreach efforts,Ó said Gary Lee Moore, Stormwater Program Manager.

Menerva Daoud, with the CountyÕs Environmental Programs Division, agreed and added, ÒResearch shows that Los Angeles residents have a desire to do the right thing once they realize what they are doing is harmful.Ó

Running through May 1999 and using general market and Spanish-language radio, print and outdoor advertising, this yearÕs campaign targets the largest audience consisting of residents who, while often unaware of their polluting behaviors, are willing to change if given solutions.

This group comprises approximately 83% of the 10 million Los Angeles County residents.

The simple pollution prevention solutions encouraged by the advertising campaign include:

  • Putting trash where it belongsin a trash can. Not in streets, sidewalks or parking lots,

  • Picking up and disposing of animal waste properly, and,

  • Using appropriate amounts of fertilizer and pesticides or using natural alternatives

  • The advertisements will also run on the CityÕs Department of TransportationÔs DASH buses citywide through 1999.

WARNING: Leaving a puppyÕs poop on the ground soils more than the street. It spreads disease and contaminates rivers, lakes and local beaches. So pick up after your pooch, and help curb pollution.
Left: WARNING: Leaving a fast food container on the ground spoils more than the street. It attracts rats and spreads disease. So put trash in a can, not the curb, to keep your community safe and clean.
Left: WARNING: Leaving a cup on the ground makes more than a mess in the street. It can clog storm drains, causing flooding when it rains. So put trash in a can, not the curb, to keep your neighborhood clean.