World Water Day, celebrated annually on March 22, focuses attention on the importance of water. This year’s theme is “” – exploring nature-based solutions to the water challenges we face today.
The UN World Water Day website () shares some illuminating facts about the natural environment and the world’s water resources:
- Damaged ecosystems affect the quantity and quality of water available for human consumption. Today, 2.1 billion people live without safe drinking water at home; affecting their health, education and livelihoods.
- Sustainable Development Goal 6 commits the world to ensuring that everyone has access to safe water by 2030, and includes targets on protecting the natural environment and reducing pollution.
Learn more about the importance of water, as well as ways to take action and get involved this World Water Day, by checking out these resources:
In this article, Brenda Boreham shares useful books, websites, and a teacher’s resource for planning ahead for World Water Day or for any classroom study of water. Especially useful for this year’s theme is The Watershed Handbook, which outlines an inquiry based approach to having students become familiar with the watershed that they live in and covers topics such as habitat restoration and adaptation; watersheds and how they connect to climate; and Indigenous connections to watersheds. Read the entire article here: .
In a previous issue of Canadian Teacher Magazine, George Sheppard reviewed Every Last Drop: Bringing Clean Water Home. This book celebrates water and aims to teach children how to “care for the precious liquid that gives us life.” As Sheppard reveals, Every Last Drop “explains the water cycle and the current global crisis of drying aquifers, while showing how proper conservation and a common sense approach to water would go a long way toward the maintenance of this essential resource. Interesting ‘water facts’ appear on every second page or so, and the work is illustrated with dozens of colour photographs.” Read more of the review here:
K.I.D.S is pleased to assist families by providing rain catchment systems for houses. [Photo via: http://adrianneandrickatkids.blogspot.ca/2017/06/rain-water-collection-systems.html]
In a recent News post, we highlighted K.I.D.S., an organization that works to improve the future of children in developing countries (primarily Cambodia). K.I.D.S. funds housing, schools, clean water, medicine, education, and small business grants and supports local hospitals, orphanges, women’s cooperatives, clinics, and children’s shelters. If you’re looking for a way to get involved and take action this World Water Day, K.I.D.S. is a wonderful organization to support. For more information, check out:
Check out the organization’s recent blog posts to see what they’ve been up to in developing countries:
Learn more about this year’s theme and find useful World Water Day resources on the UN World Water Day website: