● Fresh Water. Only 3% of the world’s water supply is fresh water – the other 97% is salt water. About 69.5% of fresh water is frozen in in icecaps, with another 30% as ground water, leaving about .5% as surface fresh water. The majority of surface fresh water is in lakes or soil moisture. So fresh water is not quite so common as you might think. Design a water conservation commercial (video or DVD) that teaches the importance of caring for our fresh water. Washing dishes by hand, using the short cycle on the dishwasher, handwashing cars, stopping water drips, turning off the taps when you brush your teeth and having a shower instead of a bath are just a few of the ideas you can share.

● Local Plants can help Water Conservation! Have you ever thought about why native species flourish in their natural environment? It’s because they have specially adapted over the millennia to the predators, pests, temperatures, moisture, environment and soils where they grow. Research and draw up a list of indigenous and drought-resistant plants for your area. Compile a list of where these plants, or their seeds, can be purchased and how to care for them. Arrange with a local landscaping company or greenhouse to purchase them at a discount and plant them around your school. Arrange for a spring plant sale for your community.

● Study your local waterways. Students at Ashcroft Senior Secondary in British Columbia decided to conduct a study of water usage and water quality of the Thompson and Bonaparte Rivers and clean the streams in their community. Their EcoPlan included raising public awareness around local water issues; improving the water quality and gravel spawning grounds for salmon and other flora and fauna in the Thompson River. Ashcroft students worked in teams of 4 or 5 to study the Humpback, Spring, Sockeye and Steelhead Salmon spawning grounds. They researched water quality, climate change, sewage treatment, and the impact of local communities on the rivers. Students mapped the entire Thompson River system and adjacent communities. The Ashcroft Sewage Treatment plant and the Kamloops Weyerhauser Pulp Mill were visited and samples were taken for research. Guest speakers visited the school, including representatives from the Native Fisheries, and from organisations such as Save British Columbia’s Rivers and Save the Thompson. The students visited the rivers to clean up the area and post signs. They then shared their information with the Elementary and Intermediate School and the Village Council. They plan to establish an annual riverside cleanup week and to paint fish symbols at sewer or storm drain outlets.