Water Stewardship

Water Use Efficiency Catalogue for British Columbia

Education and Information Sharing

B. 'Soft' Conservation Measures

II. Regional and Municipal Initiatives

3(iii). Education and Information Sharing — School Programs

"Soft" conservation measures are less harsh or onerous than hard measures. Their approach to water use efficiency reflects more negotiation, conciliation, voluntarism and teaching. Soft measures include planning tools, voluntary restrictions, educational and information sharing initiatives (targeting residential, commercial/industrial and school audiences), government "lead by example" initiatives, and partnership and cooperation initiatives.

"Educational and Information Sharing (School Programs) Initiatives" presented in this and the following section includes: curriculum programs, poster, writing and other contests, class tours of water facilities, field trips to demonstration gardens, plays, publications, CD-ROM game, and special water related school activities.

Curriculum and School Programs

• Programs are offered in conjunction with the Greater Vancouver Water District.

Poster, Writing, and Other Contests for Students

• Initiated a school poster contest with the theme of water conservation.

Class Tours of Water Facilities

• The district, in conjunction with the School Board, sponsors tours of district facilities. Operations, as well as related careers, are discussed.

Special Water Related School Activities

• A₂Z of H₂0 Plays (1997)
  • The City of Vancouver's A₂Z of H₂0 play was presented to 14 of the 25 elementary schools in Delta, representing approximately 4,000 students. We also made the play available to Boys & Girls Club, Guides and Beavers. The Boys & Girls Club has a policy of not booking programs offered to schools because they are often repetitive.
  • The City of Vancouver has created a workbook to accompany the A₂Z of H₂0 play. In 1996, we adapted this workbook to substitute Delta references for Vancouver references. A copy of this workbook was distributed to each student attending the plays in 1996 and 1997.
    
    
• Costs: $4,220

Programs

• "From Source to Sea" is a manual for all educators in the formal education system as well as other community teaching situations. The manual contains background information on the source of our drinking water and its path from the watersheds to the tap, down the drain and eventually to the ocean. It is presented to educators, as a "teach the teacher" session and includes tips on how to conserve water as well as ways to convey these concepts to students. Community group leaders and teachers use the background information and suggested strategies to complete their curriculum requirements with their students. A curriculum guide is also available to assist teachers with connections between education requirements and the GVRD materials.

Publications for Distribution

• An educational poster entitled "Waterworks Wonders" was developed in December 1997. The poster includes a creative depiction of the regional water supply system and various water facts and figures on the front. The back of the poster develops the concepts related to water supply, including curriculum connections, activities, extension ideas and resources.

Other

• A CD-ROM game which presents players with a number of water management scenarios to work through, was developed in conjunction with Science World. One free copy was distributed to each school in the region when it was first released and continues to be available to anyone who requests it.

Children can have a substantial impact on water use practices in the home, and are receptive to environmental issues. The WaterSmart program has undertaken various in-school initiatives.

Curriculum and School Programs

• A locally developed 15 lesson WaterSmart educational unit was created and offered to teachers in Kamloops. This initiative enjoyed considerable success. In 1996 ten grade 6/7 classes in seven Kamloops elementary schools participated.

• 1997 saw a continuation of the in-school education program, however, this program is receiving decreased response due largely to the change in the provincial curriculum, which no longer has a section on water in Grade 6 science. The program could be re-written with a slightly different focus and offered to Grade 7 classes studying environment issues.

• Costs: $7,000/yr

New School Program

• A new grade 3/4 education program was developed by Bill Gilroy of the Kamloops Wildlife Park. Featuring "Uncle Dusty", an old-timer who has come down from the hills to talk about water use in Kamloops past and present, the program is being offered free to Kamloops schools. The program is receiving excellent response with 40 classes booked for January, February and March, 1998.
  
  
• Costs: $11,000

Poster, Writing, and other Contests for Students

• Costs: $2,000/yr

Special Water-related School Activities

• WaterSmart sponsors a play, written and performed by secondary school students each year for elementary schools.
  
  
• In 1997 a play on water conservation was written by Westsyde Secondary's Drama class, and performed for approximately 800 students in 10 Kamloops elementary schools.
  
  
• Costs: $1,000/yr

Class Tours of Water Facilities

• Tours of city facilities were provided for school groups and college classes.
• Classes were encouraged to tour the central intake facility.

Other

• Implemented a fund-raising program for school groups selling low-flow shower heads door-to-door in the community. Students kept a portion of the proceeds for school activities.

• Worked with the Kamloops Wildlife Park to add a Water Conservation component to their ongoing educational program.

Curriculum and School Programs

• An elementary level in-school program
• Workbooks and other materials

Curriculum and School Programs

• School presentations are conducted periodically

Curriculum and School Programs

• Students study the local water system

Poster, Writing, and other Contests for Students

• Contests are conducted at various times

Class Tours of Water Facilities

• Costs: $100

Curriculum and School Programs

• Elementary school talks and information packages

School Programs

• Primary grade students are visited by Water Stewardship Committee members who present videos and demonstrate the value of wise water stewardship.

Publications for Distribution to Schools

• From January to June, 1997, an Environmental Youth Team member, hired by the North Okanagan Water Authority, produced "Planet Water - A Guide to Water and the Vernon and Area Water Systems". This publication covers characteristics of water, how water is shared, pollution, conservation, water do's and don'ts, and waste water treatment. The coloured booklet is used in the school program, as well as in public education. Printing was sponsored by the Water Stewardship Committee. The committee has distributed over 1,000 of the publications.

Publications for Distribution to Schools

• Costs: $1,000

Class Tours of Water Facilities

• Costs: $100

Publications for Distribution to Schools

• Costs: $2,500

Special Water Related School Activities

• School Theatre Program
  • The school theatre program, "The A₂Z of H₂0", teaches children the importance of water conservation. The show ran in the Vancouver schools in the spring of 1994, and in 1995 information was included on the "Storm Sewer Marking Program" - which teaches students the importance of not polluting the storm drains. The show was successful and feedback from the students and teachers was very positive. We did not present the show in Vancouver in 1996 as it was appropriate to let the student population turn over so that the show does not become too familiar. Instead, we toured the show in Abbotsford and Delta. From this tour we recovered approximately $6,000 to offset our original production costs of $13,000. The show returns to Vancouver schools each spring.

Other

• Field Trips to City Farmer
  • Education programs began at the garden early in May 1997. These programs are for intermediate elementary grades, teaching the importance of water as a resource, and how it can be used efficiently on the land. The demonstration garden is comprised of native drought tolerant plants.

School Programs

• Primary grade students are visited by Water Stewardship Committee members who present videos and demonstrate the value of wise water stewardship.

School Programs — Student Representatives Active in Community Outreach

• Working with School District #36 on a Partnership in Education Program, representing student work experience initiatives. Students use mall sales and home canvassing to sell WaterSmart kits (efficient showerheads, toilet tank water savers, and lawn watering gauges).
  
  
  

III. Irrigation and Improvement Districts' Initiatives

3(iii). Education and Information Sharing — School Programs

"Soft" conservation measures are less harsh or onerous than hard measures. Their approach to water use efficiency reflects more negotiation, conciliation, voluntarism and teaching. Soft measures include planning tools, voluntary restrictions, educational and information sharing initiatives (targeting residential, commercial/industrial and school audiences), government "lead by example" initiatives, and partnership and cooperation initiatives.

"Educational and Information Sharing (School Programs) Initiatives" presented in this and the preceding section includes: curriculum programs, poster, writing and other contests, class tours of water facilities, field trips to demonstration gardens, plays, publications, CD-ROM game, and special water related school activities.

Curriculum and School Programs

• Education program through the Kelowna Joint Water Committee.

Poster, Writing, and Other Contests for Students

• The District sponsors an annual contest with a water conservation theme.

Curriculum and School Programs

• Education program through the Kelowna Joint Water Committee.