Water Dedication

Water Dedication


Canadian Pugwash & Science for Peace Expert Roundtable on Water, Nov. 2008



I ..........................................................................................................................................................
from ................................................................................................................. dedicate myself as a
trustworthy person to protecting freshwater wherever I am in the world. I understand that I am 80% water, that water is sacred for the web of life in this time of climate change, which is heating the planet. I will endeavour to:

1. Understand that climate change is increasing the rate of evaporation and that in many parts of the world precipitation is decreasing, which means less fresh water.

2. Keep the planet cool with all my actions.

3. Reduce my water footprint, as Nature needs it to prime the pump for the hydrological cycle.

4. Keep water where it is on planet earth returning water to water courses.

5. Protect rivers and streams from pollution.

6. Build rain water tanks to collect water for the garden and household needs. Plant lawn cover and garden species that can grow with no or only minimal water other than rain water.

7. Wash my car with a bucket, not a hose. Wait until the next rainstorm -- this saves more water.

8. Drink tap water wherever it is safe. Boil water otherwise.

9. Remove water in plastic bottles (8 & 9 messages are brought to you by David Suzuki and the Canadian Federation of Municipalities)

10. Wash dishes by hand where possible, with the plug in the sink. Run the dishwasher only when fully loaded, after 8 pm.

11. Turn off the tap when brushing my teeth; use a low-flush toilet or reduce flushes; take a 3 minute shower.

12. Conserve electricity as it takes water to generate your power and power to pump water to my tap. Encourage my family, school & community to share their water bills to see how much we can reduce together.

13. Share water with all species.

Signed:

Date:


Instructions: The “Water Dedication” is a great example of action on sustainability for Earth Day, April 22, 2009. It has been edited by the Canadian Pugwash, Science for Peace, IHTEC; The Global Issues Project, Expert Roundtable on Freshwater.

It has been written for individuals, teachers (who can use it for teaching), students and their communities, who can distribute, read, sign, keep and frame the dedication. We are inviting everyone to dedicate themselves in their International School Peace Garden to water conservation, so that the work is achieved. Other water documents are available on http://www.ihtec.org/index.php?id=214