Garbology Field References
Water Pollution is any human-caused contamination of water that reduces its usefulness to living organism.
The following is an overview of garbology and reasons why we consider it an important parameter to test the
quality and health of our watersheds.
Nonpoint source pollution (NPS) includes a wide range of organic and inorganic
substances, including household and industrial garbage, solid waste, sediments,
toxic chemicals, petroleum products and bacteria, in which the exact point of
entry into the waterway cannot specifically be determined. Generally, NPS is
created through everyday occurrences in places in where pavement, sidewalks,
agricultural fields and flattened lawns have been constructed where naturally
occurring porous landscapes once existed. When precipitation falls, these substances
are mixed and/or wasted into storm water and eventually make their way into
waterways. The concentration of NPS may be sufficient to significantly affect
waterway water quality and/or cause habitat destruction.
As the suffix (-ology) implies, waterway garbology is the scientific study of garbage and its origins.
This exercise is designed not only to improve the quality of each of the participating monitoring groups study
area by removing unwanted NPS garbage from the site but also to provide an insight into the kinds of household
and industrial garbage that may be found along major waterways.
Through the use of relative abundance analysis students will be able to categorize
and analyze different garbage types and make knowledge based determinations
as to the environmental impacts that garbage has on waterway environments.
Monitoring Procedures
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Field Worksheets
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