Street art encourages clean-water consciousness
By Samantha Lyles
Staff Writer
slyles@newsandpress.net
Storm drains are not known for being colorful pieces of infrastructure, but the drain in front of Darlington City Hall now features an artwork installation designed to catch eyes and pass along an important message about clean water.
Artist Darius Lynard finishing up a clean-water-themed street art installation in Darlington. Photo by Samantha Lyles
This summer, Clemson Extension teamed with the City of Darlington to create the street art piece as part of the Carolina Clear program, which aims to promote awareness about water pollution and decrease the amount of harmful chemicals and substances flowing through local waterways.
“The theme (of the artwork) is that we are the solution to pollution,” explains Sarah Rogers, Water Resource Agent with Clemson Extension. “We’re trying to raise awareness that storm drains lead directly into our local waterways. That water is not getting filtered, it’s not directed to the wastewater treatment plant. Rather, it’s getting discharged directly into our local rivers and streams and carrying whatever pollutants were left behind on the ground,” says Rogers.
One of the downsides of living in a city is the lack of green spaces to filter and absorb stormwater. With an abundance of asphalt, concrete, and other paved surfaces funneling everything from motor oil and gasoline to litter and construction debris into the storm drains, the system can easily become clogged and overtaxed. On top of that, there is intentional pollution from businesses and individuals who dump paint, spent oil, fouled water, and garbage into the drains. All of that, Rogers notes, flows directly into local waterways like Black Creek.
“We have seen behavior like that. Unfortunately, you see it from construction sites that aren’t compliant. But the main thing we want people to think about is everyday pollution, like when you don’t pick up your dog’s waste it can get washed into the storm drain carrying bacteria. Or when you’re not applying fertilizer and pesticides correctly, the excess will get washed away with the rain and into the storm drain,” Rogers says.
With so many sources of pollution, changing small, everyday behaviors among local residents could have a positive impact, and Rogers hopes that having a very visible piece of street art directly in front of a high-traffic area like City Hall will help spread the good word.
Artist Darius Lynard, a Coker College B.F.A. (Bachelor of Fine Arts) graduate, consulted with Clemson Extension on necessary elements for the street art installation – such as the theme and “clean water is life” slogan – and incorporated those into a river and woodland scene featuring ducks, beavers, and deer.
“I looked into some animals that were common in the area and picked the ones I thought were visually the most appealing,” says Lynard. “I just want people to see it and be a little more conscious about the storm drains and waterways, to think about all the wildlife in the area that need clean water to live.”
To learn more about the Carolina Clear program and how you can help keep our waterways clean, visit them online at clemson.edu/extension/carolinaclear/