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
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Saturday, April 11, 2009
There is nowhere to throw away to!
Environmental Design
Think of something that you would like to invent. Find out which materials you will need and think what will happen to the material when people throw it away. How can it be recycled? Can it be used again?
Julia
Think of something that you would like to invent. Find out which materials you will need and think what will happen to the material when people throw it away. How can it be recycled? Can it be used again?
Julia
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Plastic Bottle removal letter
His Worship Mayor Ted Salci
and Members of the Municipal Council
City of Niagara Falls, Ontario
PO Box 1023
Niagara Falls, Ontario L2E 6X5 Canada
March 18, 2009
“There is nowhere to throw away to”
Dear Mayor Salci (Ted)
Congratulations to you Mayor Ted Salci and to your Council Members and also the Youth Council for stimulating such great action, eliminating the sale of bottle water as well as all beverages in plastic bottles within Municipal Buildings. Your decision is towards a positive tipping point that supports the web of life, nature, water, pollution reduction and reduces carbon emissions and the associated climate changes. David Suzuki has been a global leader in this environmental issue, so I am sure he will be most encouraged that you are requesting local residents to use safe and healthy Municipal tap water. As a major Tourism destination, a ‘Peace through Tourism’ educational brochure promoting Niagara Falls’ safe drinking water, will also reduces use of plastic water bottles within the Tourism Industry.
The Pugwash / Science for Peace Global Issues Project, Experts Roundtable on Water, have noted that Nature needs water to 'prime the pump' for the hydrological cycle. The world's population is already using some of Natures needs, while the planet heats up. Additional goals must include conservation and reduction in water use.
The role of public education is vital with scientific facts to back them. Recently I was in Hawaii, and heard about the plastic mat, half the size of the US, that is floating in the Pacific Ocean. How much plastic I wonder is in the Niagara River, or goes over Niagara Falls and into the Great Lakes? Your Earth Day clean up could focus on water and removal of plastics. The effects of all plastic’s have gone further than we expected. Plastics have been labeled as ‘disruptor of endocrine function’* a hormone in plastic which affects fertility in all species. This especially in the Great Lakes region. These hormones are poisonous to human babies and children.
Companies’ role is to be part of the solution. Send a message to companies that the Green Revolution has begun and their ‘out of the box’ expertise is needed to invent a positive future. All future products must be developed from ‘cradle to cradle’ and not end up as waste. “There is nowhere to throw away to”.
The Ontario Government has mandated Environmental Education and educators may be encouraging all schools to eliminate the use of all plastics in school grounds, to reduce pollution. I must compliment your schools who are experts at recycling. Please also, through your Niagara Falls Schools in Bloom program, encourage your School Boards to collect all plastics and eliminate the use of plastic bottles on school grounds.
Your sincerely
Dame Julia Morton-Marr, DStG, B.Ed., Dip T.
Founding President, IHTEC
* http://www.worldandi.com/public/2001/October/ee.html
and Members of the Municipal Council
City of Niagara Falls, Ontario
PO Box 1023
Niagara Falls, Ontario L2E 6X5 Canada
March 18, 2009
“There is nowhere to throw away to”
Dear Mayor Salci (Ted)
Congratulations to you Mayor Ted Salci and to your Council Members and also the Youth Council for stimulating such great action, eliminating the sale of bottle water as well as all beverages in plastic bottles within Municipal Buildings. Your decision is towards a positive tipping point that supports the web of life, nature, water, pollution reduction and reduces carbon emissions and the associated climate changes. David Suzuki has been a global leader in this environmental issue, so I am sure he will be most encouraged that you are requesting local residents to use safe and healthy Municipal tap water. As a major Tourism destination, a ‘Peace through Tourism’ educational brochure promoting Niagara Falls’ safe drinking water, will also reduces use of plastic water bottles within the Tourism Industry.
The Pugwash / Science for Peace Global Issues Project, Experts Roundtable on Water, have noted that Nature needs water to 'prime the pump' for the hydrological cycle. The world's population is already using some of Natures needs, while the planet heats up. Additional goals must include conservation and reduction in water use.
The role of public education is vital with scientific facts to back them. Recently I was in Hawaii, and heard about the plastic mat, half the size of the US, that is floating in the Pacific Ocean. How much plastic I wonder is in the Niagara River, or goes over Niagara Falls and into the Great Lakes? Your Earth Day clean up could focus on water and removal of plastics. The effects of all plastic’s have gone further than we expected. Plastics have been labeled as ‘disruptor of endocrine function’* a hormone in plastic which affects fertility in all species. This especially in the Great Lakes region. These hormones are poisonous to human babies and children.
Companies’ role is to be part of the solution. Send a message to companies that the Green Revolution has begun and their ‘out of the box’ expertise is needed to invent a positive future. All future products must be developed from ‘cradle to cradle’ and not end up as waste. “There is nowhere to throw away to”.
The Ontario Government has mandated Environmental Education and educators may be encouraging all schools to eliminate the use of all plastics in school grounds, to reduce pollution. I must compliment your schools who are experts at recycling. Please also, through your Niagara Falls Schools in Bloom program, encourage your School Boards to collect all plastics and eliminate the use of plastic bottles on school grounds.
Your sincerely
Dame Julia Morton-Marr, DStG, B.Ed., Dip T.
Founding President, IHTEC
* http://www.worldandi.com/public/2001/October/ee.html
Removing Plastic Water Bottles from Municipalities
Dear friends
Recently I was asked to support an action by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, who are asking each city and town to illiminate the sale of drinking water in plastic bottles on their facilities. They will increase water fountains in public buildings instead. Some are asking for the removal of all drinks out of plastic bottles. This would be a saving for the council and for the environment. Their drinking water out of the tap is 100%. Here is what one Municipality says:
Waste:
1. plastic bottles account for 1.6 kg from each household each year which goes to the dump or are burnt. In addition there are 6.6 kg that are recycled.
2. Their city dumps 1,521 tons of plastic bottle per year.
3. The cost of collection and recovery is $265 per ton.
4. Also they become street litter.
5. City of Toronto recycled 1,000 tonnes or 65 million plastic water bottles last year.
6. About 35 million plastic bottles end up in landfill.
Coorporations and Transportation:
7. Manufacturing 29 billion plastic bottles = 17 million barrels of crude oil.
8. Fuel required to transport bottled water = 38,000 eighteen-wheel transport trucks a week.
9. 20% of municipalities have faced water shortages recently.
To try and help the situation your Granny has written a 'Water Dedication" for you to sign and try and put into action. Please ask your schools to do this with every student.
Love
Julia
Recently I was asked to support an action by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, who are asking each city and town to illiminate the sale of drinking water in plastic bottles on their facilities. They will increase water fountains in public buildings instead. Some are asking for the removal of all drinks out of plastic bottles. This would be a saving for the council and for the environment. Their drinking water out of the tap is 100%. Here is what one Municipality says:
Waste:
1. plastic bottles account for 1.6 kg from each household each year which goes to the dump or are burnt. In addition there are 6.6 kg that are recycled.
2. Their city dumps 1,521 tons of plastic bottle per year.
3. The cost of collection and recovery is $265 per ton.
4. Also they become street litter.
5. City of Toronto recycled 1,000 tonnes or 65 million plastic water bottles last year.
6. About 35 million plastic bottles end up in landfill.
Coorporations and Transportation:
7. Manufacturing 29 billion plastic bottles = 17 million barrels of crude oil.
8. Fuel required to transport bottled water = 38,000 eighteen-wheel transport trucks a week.
9. 20% of municipalities have faced water shortages recently.
To try and help the situation your Granny has written a 'Water Dedication" for you to sign and try and put into action. Please ask your schools to do this with every student.
Love
Julia
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