For a healthy lawn that doesn’t pollute local waters, it is important to avoid fertilizers that have phosphorus (P). This poster, which is made for lawn-care retailers, explains how to identify “P-free” fertilizers. It also provides six easy tips for having a healthy lawn.

Lawn to Lake provides information on how to protect water quality through natural lawn care. This rack card is geared towards lawn care retailers, explaining the benefits of carrying phosphorus-free (P-free) fertilizer and natural lawn care products.

This fact sheet explains what a watershed is–the area of land that drains to a specific body of water. The focus is Indiana and the six coastal watersheds that have a direct impact on the water quality and quantity of Lake Michigan. The fact sheet also gives advice on how protect watersheds and how to reduce fertilizer inputs.

Feature Headlines

• Lake Michigan Shoreline Water is a Medicine Cocktail
• Chicago Students Take on Medicine Disposal
• Recreation Reduces Karner Blue Butterfly Reproduction
• Great Lakes Legacy Act Fosters Riverfront Revitalization
• Forecasting the Fate of Lake Michigan Storms
• Alum can Clean Up Phosphorous from Manure Spills

A directory for soil testing companies in the Great Lakes area.

Discussion of the Buffalo River Restoration Partnership project from 2011-2013

Nearshore environments include wetlands, beaches, and grass meadows of a lake. This factsheet describes life in a nearshore, water quality in this area, why degradation occurs, and what you can do to improve nearshore water quality.

Feature Headlines

• IISG-P2D2 Partnership Promotes Medicine Collection
• No Bones About It: Easy Steps for Filleting Asian Carp
• Green Infrastructure Benefits Include Cost
• Teachers Engage in Lake Michigan Shipboard Science

This 4-H curriculum, designed for informal education audiences, provides five inquiry-based lessons to help high school youth understand the harmful effects of improper disposal of medicines and what they can do to help. Each lesson contains a complete instruction plan, centered on a hands-on activity for the students. Our goals for The Medicine Chest are to: Offer comprehensive curricula on the issues surrounding pharmaceuticals and personal care products disposal; Incorporate a variety of educational approaches for instructing high school-level students; Support community stewardship by offering creative project examples and guidance that will inform the public about appropriate disposal practices; and Explore a variety of careers that work with pharmaceuticals and personal care products. We dedicate The Medicine Chest to our youth who are working to make a significant difference in their communities as they develop important lifelong learning skills, including leadership and civic responsibility.

To use these resources, visit: http://iiseagrant.org/medicinechest/.