“Past, Present, Future” Campaign/Contest Celebrates Ventura County Watersheds

VENTURA, Calif. - March 19, 2014 - PRLog -- A new awareness campaign and contest has been launched by the Ventura County Community for a Clean Watershed. The campaign is designed to remind everyone to keep trash and pollution out of local streams and creeks so the natural beauty of the county can be protected and enjoyed by generations to come.

103.3 The Vibe (KVYB-FM) is hosting a “Vibe Video Watershed Crusader Contest” as part of the watershed awareness push. Contestants will create a 15-second or less video showing what they are doing to protect Ventura County’s watersheds. Starting March 31, those who submit a video will be entered to win two tickets to the sold out “One Direction” concert September 12 at the Rose Bowl. Videos can be submitted by posting on Instagram or Vine Video using the hashtag #vibevideo by April 11.

As part of the campaign, residents will see and hear commercials on local television and radio stations and view ads at bus stops throughout the county. The television spot called “Past, Present and Future” was shot at locations in Ventura County including Joel McCrea Ranch in Thousand Oaks and Surfers’ Point in Ventura.

         "We’re excited to reach a wide audience with the video contest and outreach campaign," says Arne Anselm, Ventura County water quality monitoring manager. “The idea of the ‘Past, Present and Future’ campaign is that every generation is a part of the watershed protection equation. Public awareness is vital. When pollutants such as trash, garden pesticides, auto fluids, detergents and pet waste find their way into neighborhood storm drains, they foul creeks, rivers, lakes, and wetlands downstream and eventually the ocean.”

         Previous awareness campaigns have already made an impact increasing the understanding of how to keep our watersheds clean. "As an added benefit, if everyone becomes more aware of the role they play in protecting our watersheds, less government resources will be needed for watershed cleanup," says Anselm.

         The Ventura Countywide Stormwater Quality Management Program, made up of the County of Ventura, the 10 Ventura County cities and the Ventura County Watershed Protection District, is supporting the campaign that runs through April. For more information on how residents can keep pollutants out of neighborhood storm drains, go to www.cleanwatershed.org or on Facebook. Information on watershed protection will also be available at upcoming city-sponsored Earth Day events.

The Ventura County Community for a Clean Watershed program was established to help residents understand how to respect and protect our watersheds. It is funded by the Ventura Countywide Stormwater Quality Management Program, which includes the Cities of Camarillo, Fillmore, Moorpark, Ojai, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Simi Valley, Santa Paula, Thousand Oaks, Ventura, the County of Ventura and the Ventura County Watershed Protection District. These partners work together to improve stormwater quality, monitor the health of our watersheds and meet the compliance requirements of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System stormwater permit for Ventura County adopted by the state under the Clean Water Act.