Freshwater is a valuable resource and a decline in the quanitity or quality of water can have a serious impact on our health & the wellbeing of the environment. Increasing urbanisation in Sydney can affect our waterways, with higher levels of pollutants such as fertilisers, detergents, heavy metals and stormwater pollution.
Why not organise your family, community group or parish to help celebrate World Water Day on Wednesday, March 22, with the help of the Australian Museum or WaterNSW or one of the Catholic organisations below?.
Consider contacting your local council or environmental group to run a workshop or give a talk to your parish. Catholic Earthcare Australia or the Justice and Peace Office can also help you with names of potential speakers.
- You might also undertake a water monitoring activity, such as participating in the Streamwatch program run by the Australian Museum.
- Video Conferencing between your school group and the Australian Museum or organising a ‘Freshwater Life’ Museum in a Box from the Australian Museum.
- Take advantage of the educational resources available from the WaterNSW Learning Centre.
- Contact the Catholic religious congregations below to learn how you might be able to support their work internationally.
- Organise a visit to one of the dams in NSW – See Water NSW for more details
There are plenty of resources to help you celebrate. Below are just a few.
- United Nations World Water Day http://www.un.org/en/events/waterday/
- Streamwatch is a “citizen science water quality monitoring program that empowers community groups to monitor and protect the health of local waterways.” http://australianmuseum.net.au/streamwatch
- Australian Marist Solidarity http://www.australianmaristsolidarity.net.au/
- Catholic Earthcare Australia http://catholicearthcare.org.au/
- Links to the various NSW Local Councils http://www.lgnsw.org.au/about-us/council-links
- Caritas Australia http://www.caritas.org.au/learn/global-poverty-issues/water-and-sanitation (In particular, you might visit the Community Managed Water, Sanitation and Hygiene program http://www.caritas.org.au/learn/programs/asia—bangladesh-providing-communities-with-safe-water
- Edmund Rice Centre, Pacific Calling Partnership http://www.erc.org.au/pcp
- MSC Mission http://australia.mscmission.org/waterdevelopment
- St Columban Mission Society https://www.columban.org.au/