Ashley Cooper Stormwater Education Consortium

11/05/2026

SCDES partnered with leading environmental organizations to launch an on-demand Living Shorelines training course through Clemson Extension in 2024.

This comprehensive program explores the benefits of living shorelines in South Carolina’s estuarine ecosystems while covering regulations, site assessments, installation techniques and performance evaluations.

Participants gain insights from experts at SCDES, S.C. Sea Grant Consortium, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Clemson Extension, The Nature Conservancy and the Coastal Conservation League.

Ready to learn more? To register and access the course today visit tinyurl.com/558jjy7n.

11/05/2026

11/02/2026

There is life after pumpkin carving at the Bees Ferry Compost Facility! Please make sure your pumpkin is free of paint, glitter, and plastic-based stickers of all kinds before compost disposal. Follow the shared post for more!

For more composting information, read this Factsheet linked below from our HGIC Webpage!
https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/composting/

Over a BILLION pounds of pumpkins are landfilled each year, make sure yours isn't one of them! Compost your pumpkin and give it another life! 🎃 Click here for more info: https://www.charlestoncounty.gov/news/2026/pumpkin-collection-bins.pdf?v=682

10/30/2026

As you plan your Halloween activities, remember to keep the environment in mind! From candy and treats to costumes and decorations, Halloween fun can sometimes create litter. Check out the helpful tips below to keep your Halloween celebrations fun, festive, and litter-free! 🎃💙

🎃 Choose Treats Thoughtfully: Look for treats with minimal packaging or paper-based packaging whenever possible.

🍬 Keep Wrappers Away from Storm Drains: Dispose of wrappers properly. Never leave trash on the ground or in leaf litter bags.

🏡 Wait Until You’re Home to Unwrap: Save the unwrapping for home so wrappers can be disposed of properly.

🗑️ Place a Small Trash Bin Near Your Home: Give trick-or-treaters a convenient place to toss their wrappers and help keep your neighborhood clean.

💚 Plan a Next-Day Cleanup: Gather neighbors for a post-Halloween litter cleanup to help keep trash out of our waterways. Contact Adopt - A - Highway & Community Pride Charleston for volunteer opportunities and planning resources!

10/20/2026

NEW RESOURCE: Explore the Carolina Rain Garden Initiative Demonstration Sites Page!

Are you planning to install a rain garden or rainwater harvesting system this fall and want to see an example of an established site? A new Demonstration Sites tab has been added to the Carolina Rain Garden Initiative page!

Visit the new webpage to explore established public demonstration sites throughout the Lowcountry and Upstate regions. These examples are a great way to see how rain gardens and rainwater harvesting systems function in real-world settings and gather inspiration for your own project!

Visit the demonstration sites page: https://www.clemson.edu/extension/raingarden/demo-site.html

Interested in becoming a Master Rain Gardener? The Master Rain Gardener course is currently being updated, and our next offering will be the Spring 2027 online-only Letter of Completion track! Registration will open this December. Learn more about the course, curriculum, and program requirements here:
clemson.edu/raingardens

To be notified when registration opens for future course offerings, contact Master Rain Gardener Program Coordinator Samantha Porzelt at [email protected]

10/14/2026

‼️The Citizens Services Desk webpage just got an upgrade ⬆️ Follow the shared post for more or visit https://www.charleston-sc.gov/1884/Citizen-Services-Desk to see the changes for yourself.

Love how you can view request types when submitting a service need. 😉

The official website of the City of Charleston, South Carolina. Find city services, pay bills, view council agendas, apply for permits, and access resources for residents, businesses, and visitors.

09/16/2026

Protecting Your Drains Protects your Whole system! Flush only septic-safe toilet paper, human waste, and septic-safe cleaners in your bathroom. 🚫No wipes should be allowed down the drain. F.O.G (Fats, Oils, and grease), food scraps, and harsh chemicals can disrupt your septic tank's natural balance and clog your lines. Properly dispose of all items above in the trash, composting, or recycling.

Stick to the essentials down the drain to keep your system healthy for years to come. Check out the full FAQ guide at Be Septic Safe. 🚰

Follow Dorchester County Clemson Extension Service and Lowcountry Stormwater Partners - We are Neighbors for Clean Water for more water-related programs in your area!

09/16/2026

It is Septic Smart Week!
Check out this great opportunity:

09/15/2026

Flooding on your home landscape is not the time to forget about your Septic System. Watch “Be Septic Safe”: Flooding Impacts to learn ways to protect your septic system when waters rise. ⛈️🌊

Visit “Be Septic Safe” with Clemson Extension Carolina Clear for more water quality information.

09/14/2026

Check out this great opportunity to help keep our community clean!

🌴 2nd Annual Johns Island Community Cleanup

Adopt A Highway will once again teaming up with Keep Charleston Beautiful, the Charleston Police Department, and local community members for another fun filled Johns Island cleanup (You don’t have to live on Johns Island to participate) ❤️

Litter doesn’t stay in one place. Whether it’s on a roadside, in a parking lot, or along our waterways, it can eventually make its way into our creeks, rivers, and ocean. Keeping our community clean is also one small but important way we can protect the marine environment we all love.

So, if you’re free, come join us! Bring a friend, bring the family, or come meet some fellow Adopt - A - Highway & Community Pride Charleston volunteers. Every set of hands makes a difference.

📅 Saturday, October 3, 2026
⏰ 9:00–11:00 AM
📍 Johns Island — exact cleaning locations will be emailed the week before

👉 All supplies are provided
Volunteers will clean multiple heavily littered areas throughout Johns Island. The Charleston Police Department will provide on-site support to help keep everyone safe.

👉 Registration is required:
Sign up for the Johns Island Cleanup