There are hundreds of neglected storm drains in the Como neighborhood. They sit there, year-round, collecting leaves, grass clippings, debris and more. All that stuff washes down the drain, into Como Lake or the Mississippi River (depending on where we live in the neighborhood). All that stuff degrades the water quality of some of our favorite natural assets.

But we can change that. We can "adopt a drain. " We simply agree to sweep (or rake or shovel or drag) junk away from "our " storm drain whenever it 's necessary. Many of us already commit to the "Como Curb Cleanup " -- raking leaves out of the gutter in front of our house every fall. "Adopt a Drain " takes our commitment to the next level.

To sign up: Go to www.adopt-a-drain.org. Register to create an account. Once you do that, you can type in an address; the interactive map then shows you drains that are available near you. You 'll get tips, information to share -- and a nifty sign to plant in your yard. The Adopt a Drain campaign is a partnership of the Capitol Region Watershed District, Saint Paul, and Hamline University.