Track 3 at MuniCon 2025 focuses on Environmental Justice and Education & Outreach, bringing together innovative strategies to engage communities, raise awareness, and inspire action in stormwater management. These sessions highlight practical solutions and share best practices for overcoming barriers in stormwater education, making it accessible and inclusive to all. From grassroots community outreach to behavior change campaigns, Track 3 offers essential insights for professionals looking to make a meaningful impact in their communities.
Building Bridges Between Cultures
Ellany Kayce (King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks) provides a powerful overview of the Doctrine of Discovery, tribal history, and the contrast between Native and European cultural values. This session is crucial for understanding the importance of honoring and integrating Indigenous perspectives into stormwater management practices.
Learning from Missteps: A Journey to Better Accessibility Practices
Bruce Elgort (Clark College), a visually impaired educator, brings a unique perspective on accessibility in digital spaces. He’ll share insights from his experiences teaching web development and design, emphasizing how inclusive design can benefit all users. This session is a must for anyone seeking to make their outreach efforts more accessible and impactful.
RainScaping: Engaging DIY Households to Manage Their Home’s Runoff
Peggy Campbell (Snohomish County Surface Water Management) discusses RainScaping, a DIY-focused behavior change campaign aimed at empowering households to manage runoff. With over 800 participants since 2022, this session highlights the success of the program and shares key lessons learned for fostering community-driven stormwater management.
Kirkland Watershed Dashboard: Engaging Residents and Inspiring Change
Eve Henrichsen (City of Kirkland Public Works) and Aaron Hussmann (Tahoe City Public Utility District) present an innovative online dashboard and interactive map that raises awareness of watershed health. Learn how Kirkland uses visual, accessible data to engage residents and inspire behavior change, offering a replicable model for other municipalities.
United for Clean Waters: The Power of Regional Partnerships
Susan McCleary (City of Olympia) and Miriam Villacian (Thurston County) discuss the success of the Regional Environmental Education Partnership (REEP), a collaboration that connects multiple jurisdictions to promote stormwater pollution prevention. Learn how this partnership has achieved significant community impact through educational programs and volunteer efforts.
Gold Standard Grassroots: Spokane’s Golden Stencil Campaign
Meghan Jacobson (City of Spokane) presents the Golden Stencil Contest, a budget-friendly grassroots campaign that has successfully increased public engagement in stormwater pollution prevention. This session explores the key strategies that made the campaign a success, including strong local partnerships, clear messaging, and social media engagement.
For the Vitality of the Puget Sound
Joshua Knouff and Kirsti Lipphardt (City of Tacoma) introduce an innovative community-focused campaign that uses art to raise awareness about stormwater pollution prevention. This session will show how public art, murals, and interactive campaigns can connect with diverse communities to protect local waterways.
Personal Mobile Toilet Kit for Encampment Sites (Purple Bag Phase 2)
Nathaniel Wood, Sayde Heminger, and Shauna Hansen (City of Tacoma) share the results of a pilot program that provided personal mobile toilet kits to unhoused individuals. This project, designed to reduce stormwater pollution and improve personal health, demonstrates an innovative approach to stormwater management in encampment sites.
Partners in Poop Prevention: Lessons from a Joint Pet Waste Campaign
Karen DuBose (Skagit County Public Works) and Kate Rice (Whatcom County) discuss a successful collaboration to address pet waste disposal. Learn how the counties partnered to develop messaging, engage dog owners, and implement workshops that encourage responsible pet waste management and reduce stormwater pollution.
Skagit County’s Campaign to Protect Big Lake: Skip the Lawn Fertilizer
Karen DuBose (Skagit County Public Works) presents a successful social marketing project aimed at reducing lawn fertilizer use around Big Lake, a water body susceptible to algae blooms. Discover how simple messaging and a pledge program led to a significant reduction in fertilizer use, protecting water quality in the lake.
Adopt-a-Drain: Storm Drain Stewardship for Cleaner Waterways
Ann Zawistoski (Hamline University, Center for Global Environmental Education) presents Adopt-a-Drain, a storm drain stewardship program that empowers residents to maintain local catch basins. Learn how the program has expanded across Washington, engaging communities to prevent stormwater pollution and reduce urban flooding.
Adopt-a-Drain: Changing Behaviors for Cleaner Waterways
Susan Harper and Jess Huybregts (City of Seattle, Seattle Public Utilities) share insights from Seattle’s Adopt-a-Drain program, now in its fourth year. This session will cover the program’s success in engaging diverse communities, especially in the Spanish-speaking population, and highlight how behavior change principles have shaped the program’s continued growth.
Track 3 at MuniCon 2025 is not to be missed! Whether you’re focused on environmental justice or engaging the public in stormwater management, these sessions will provide you with actionable strategies, innovative tools, and real-world examples that you can implement in your work. Register now to be part of this important track dedicated to building inclusive, community-driven solutions for cleaner water and healthier environments.
