In addition to bringing down the value of the neighborhood, students stated that the litter problem was affecting the nearby Pogue’s and Pleasant Runs. The polluted waterways often had a foul smell and were usually dammed with garbage. The class decided that the problem was the result of careless dumping of trash and that the polluted streams probably made their neighborhood a less desirable place to live.  

Students were now motivated to begin an investigation into identifying the cause, effect, and solution to the pollution of Pogue’s and Pleasant Runs.