ed 377 070 title give water a hand. home site action guide ...home water check-up to identify ways...

DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 377 070 SE 055 459

TITLE Give Water a Hand. Home Site Action Guide. OrganizingWater Conservation and Pollution Prevention ServiceProjects in Your Community.

INSTITUTION National 4-H Council, Chevy Chase, MD.; WisconsinUniv., Madison. Coll. of Agricultural and LifeSciences.

SPONS AGENCY National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.PUB DATE 94NOTE 34p.; Additional funding provided by Church & Dwight

Co., Inc. For related documents, see SE 055455-459.

AVAILABLE FROM University of Wisconsin-Extension, CooperativeExtension, Environmental Resources Center, College ofAgriculture & Life Science, Madison, WI 53706.

PUB TYPE Guides Non-Classroom Use (055)

EDRS PRICE MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage.DESCRIPTORS Activism; Citizen Participation; *Conservation

(Environment); Drinking Water; Environment;*Environmental Education; Instructional Materials;Intermediate Grades; Junior High Schools; Pollution;*Student Projects; Study Guides; *Urban Areas; Water;*Water Quality; Water Resources

IDENTIFIERS Environmental Action; Watersheds

ABSTRACTStudents grades 4-8 can use this guide to explore the

topics of water and water conservation within the home whileconducting an environmental community service project. Youth groups,led by a group leader, work with local experts from business,government, or environmental organizations to complete the project.Nine activity sections involve students in: (1) exploring backgroundinformation; (2) mapping watersheds; (3) researching water qualityimpacts associated with the home; (4) consulting with an expert; (5)

choosing a service project; (6) creating an action plan; (7) trackingproject progress; (8) measuring and recording results; and (9)brainstorming additional projects. Activities provide background andprocedural information, as well as worksheets and discussionquestions. Sidebars highlight key vocabulary. The guide contains anapplication for a Youth Earth Service Award and advice on how tocreate partnerships with community organizations. (LZ)

***********************************************************************

Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be madefrom the original document.

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EnvironmentalStewardship

! GIVE WATER A HANDcf)

lu Get ca ['lte i-ktianb!

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONOffice of Educational Research and Improvement

UCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATIONCENTER (ERICI

his document has been reproduced asreceived from the person or organization

riginating dC Minot changes have been made to improve

reproduction gullity

Points of view or opinions stated in this docu-ment do not necessarily represent officialOERI positron or policy

Give wafePt a kctvd®

HOME SITEACTION GUIDE

"PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THISMATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY

ELAINeA N-DIZ \\JS

TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCESINFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)."

ORGANIZING WATER CONSERVATION AND POLLUTION PREVENTIONSERVICE PROJECTS IN YOUR COMMUNITY

Made Possible With Support From:

Church & Dwight Co., Inc.Makers of Arm & Hammed' Baking Soda

1994 National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

BEST CON AVAILABLE 2

WELCOME!Your ideas, energy, creativity and hard work can make adifference for your community and for the earth! This HomeSite Action Guide will help you organize your own serviceprojects to Give Water a Hand!

In many of the best environmental service projects, youngpeople work together with experts from businesses, govern-ment or environmental organizations. Your group leadercan work with you to find a local expert, or Partner, whocan help you with your project. National Give Water A HandPartners, and the resources they offer, are listed in theLeader Guidebook.

AWARDSYou can use these materials at any time. If you choose toparticipate in Give WaterA Hand during '94-95, your grouphas an opportunity to earn a Youth Earth Service Award.These awards will be presented to selected participants atthe United Earth ceremonies in Washington, D.C. duringNational Drinking Water Week, May 7 - 13, 1995.To apply for this award, you must complete yourproject, fill out the recognition form (on page 27) andsend it in no later than March 1, 1995.

PLANNING YOUR TIMETo complete a service project, your group needs a timeline.There are nine activities in this book. Each activity has atimeline estimating how long it will take. Take a few min-utes now to fill in the dates when you think you will do eachactivity. Remember, to apply for recognition, you must suh-mit your application by March 1, 1995.

Starting Cate:You are here...V

TABLE OF CONTENTS1 A Why Water? Make a Difference! 1

1B What's Your Ecological Address?

Map Your Watershed 3

1C What's Happening? Research Needs 8

2A What Does Experience Say?

Get Input from an Expert 17

2B What Can We Do? Choose a Service Project 18

2C Who? What? When? Where? Plan for Action 21

3 How's It Going? Keep on Track 24

4A We Did All That? Celebrate Success 25

4B What's Next? Take Next Steps 26

- Give WaterA Hand Recognition Form 27

Anybody Out There?

Get Partner Support back cover

Completion Date:

7 1A-Why Water 18-Ecological Address 1C-Research 2A-input 2B-Choose 2C-Plan 3-On Track AA-Celebration 0 4B-Next Steps

Target

Dates:(Write in your target date for each section)

WHAT TO DO RIGHT AWAY1. Order a topographic map of your site. See Leader Guide

page 1 for instructions on ordering.

2. Find a local water expert to help you with your project.See the back cover of this guide.

3. Send in the registration form accompanying thesematerials.

PROJECT NOTEBOOKUse the Project Notebook to keep notes, namesand phone numbers. You'll

need this informationfor the Give WaterA Hand Recognition Form.

Your name:

Your group's name:

GIVE WATER A HAND HOME SITE ACTION GUIDE

N4sir;`10%1 1A) MAKE A DIFFERENCE!YOUNG PEOPLE INFLORIDA DID THIS!

Imagine... you are the teacher andyour parents are the students! InPinellas County, Florida, young

people taught their families about wa-ter conservation. As part of a "Sum-mer Water Camp" participants did aHome Water Check-Up to identifyways they could conserve water athome. The young people taught theirfamilies practices such as takingshorter showers and using raingauges. One girl's family saved over30,000 gallons of water in a year!

YOUNG PEOPLEIN MINNESOTADID THIS!

Have you ever done sidewalkpainting? Students fromMinneapolis, Minnesota,

wearing orange safety vests, stenciled175 anti-pollution messages next tolocal storm sewers in their community.The messages said "Do Not DumpWaste...Leads to Lake Calhoun."These students are educating thatpaint, motor oil, fertilizers and otherpollutants dumped into storm drainsgoes right into nearby lakes and riverswhere people swim and fish. One stu-

dents said, "I can't believe we are ac-tually allowed to paint on the pave-ment!"

THOUSANDS OF YOUNGPEOPLE AROUND THECOUNTRY HAVE MADE ADIFFERENCE THROUGHWATER CONSERVATIONAND POLLUTIONPREVENTION PROJECTS.

YOU CAN ORGANIZEYOUR OWN PROJECTWITH HELP FROMEXPERTS IN YOURCOMMUNITY.

WATER CYCLE

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Ir. of all the earth's water i5 available 25 a iource of drinking water

Evaporation: Water changing to agas or vapor and disappearing intothe air.

Evapotranspiration: Water evaporat-ing from plants.

Starting Date:You are here...

113-Ecological Address I0 1C-Research

Target Date:

, 0.62%Groundwater

Runoff: Rain or snow melt that flowsover land into rivers, lakes, reservoirsor other bodies of water instead ofsoaking into the ground.

Completion Date:

O 2Alnput 2B-Choose 2C-Plan 0 3-On Track 4A-Celebration 4B-Next steps]


WHY ISWATER SOIMPORTANT?

id you know that you aremostly water? You probablydrink six to eight cups of

water, milk, fruit juice, or soda eachday. An:, oak and plants are almost allwater too. Three quarters of the earthis covered with water, although mostof it can't be used by people, plants oranimals. So we don't just Lise water,we ple water.

Water makes life on earth possible.You depend on water for drinking,cleaning, growing and processingfood, growing cotton for cloth, swim-ming, fishing, boating, cooking, put-ting out fires and generating electricitythrough hydropower dams. Try tothink of one item or action thatdoesn't involve water!

Water also connects us to the rest ofthe natural world plant and animalcommunities depend on water inmany of the same ways: for food, wa-ter and shelter. Since every drop isused again and again, water is re-cycled. We share this precious re-source with all other living thingspast, present and future.

--------------- --

list at least 10 ways you person-

ally use water.

Unfortunately, peopledo not always use waterwisely. We have used itto carry away our waste.We've put hazardousmaterials in or on theground where they seepinto groundwater. We'veoften used more water thanwe need. Yet we can im-prove our water resource: byconserving water at home,cleaning waste frpm citiesbefore it returns to rivers orlakes, and preventing pollut-ants from washing into wa-terways with the rain.

Brainstorm a list of the wayspeople can affect water.Try to think of both goodand bad ways. Keep yourlist; you'll add to it later.

A\WiTrit\s,,Mtr.lic;(Definitions of words you might not know)Pollution: An undesirable

change in air,water or land that can cause harm to humanhealth, animals or plants. Hazardouschemi-cals and animal

waste, for example, can bepollutants.

Conserve: Using naturalresources, such aswater, in a way which does

not harm themor use them up.Hazardous

materials: Materialsthat cancause harm to people or the environment.

Groundwater:Water found in the groundin cracks and spaces between rocks and soilparticles.

Water quality: "Quality" means how goodor bad somethingis. Water must be goodquality, with very few pollutants,

before wecan drink it safely.

Changing the small waysthat people affect watercan have a big effect onimproving our water qual-ity now and protecting itfrom future pollution.What you do on yourfarm or ranch, or in yourhouse, yard, road, parks,businesses, and schools can conservewater and improve its quality. You'vealready begun to make a difference bypicking up this book. Keep going tolearn what you can do to Give Water aHand!

N EXT TIME:Bring all your maps, a sheet of clearplastic as big as your biggest map(from art stores or office supplystores), a piece of cardboard as bigas your map, thumb tacks, dry erasemarkers, tissues and pencils. Yourgroup can make a bigger differenceif you team up with a local expert.Invite him or her to come next timeto help and advise your group asyou map your watershed. (See theback cover of this guide if youdon't yet have an expert to helpyou understand your site.)

List how people affect water in

good and Ind ways.

52


viotc: cp.1 B) MAP YOU RotA

'Ps° WATE R5 H EAmailing address helps the PostOffice deliver letters to theright place. An "ecological

address" can help you find rivers andstreams in your community and helpyou find ways to work on water issues.Local streams empty into largerstreams, rivers or lakes, which mayempty into a larger river, which emp-ties into an ocean or the Great SaltLake. Your ecological address includesall of the land (farms, towns, moun-tains) around these waterways.

Picture A Watershed

To work on water issues, you shouldknow where your water comes from,where it goes after you use it, andwhat streams, rivers, lakes or coastalareas are in your watershed. A goodto' to help collect and record all ofthis information is called a watershedmap. This will help later as you findout what. needs to be done in andaround your community an( i plan ser-vice projects to conserve an f protectwater.

In urban areas, streams sometimesflow through pipes underground. Ifyou live in a city or large town, ask anexpert if there used to be any streamsor wet areas in town. In dry climates,streams and rivers may only flow aftersnowmelt or during the rainy season.Look for dried-up waterways.

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Target Date:

O 1C-Research 2A-Input

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Completion Date:

20-Choose 2C-Plan 3.On Track 4A- Celebration 4B-Next Steps

63

GIVE WATER A HAND - HOME SITE ACTION GUIDE

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT 1,.0,TO KNOW YOURWATERSHED? \VirajM''To pAotect yotv p'ivevs,pv.ofect yo IA e knot4v1tcti

- Emperor Yu of China, 1,600 B.C.E.

ou are part of a watershed. This means that everything you docan affect nearby surfacewater and groundwater for better orworse. This watershed is a geographical community which in-

cludes all the humans, plants and animals who live in it and non-livingparts, such as rocks and soil. As China's Emperor Yu understood longago, whatever happens upstream in a watershed affects everythingdownstream. To improve the water quality of a stream, look at thewhole area it drains. Anything dumped on the ground in the water-shed can end up in its waterbody. What's more, we all live down-stream.

Think about this: most sf us drink water from our local watershed.Although some people get water from elsewhere (Los Angeles getswater from distant mountains, for example), most of us get it from alocal well or a nearby lake or river. It may come directly from a pri-vate well. More likely it comes indirectly through a governmentwater department or utility. The utility draws water from a nearbysource, and some of them treat or clean it, then they pipe it to homes, schoolsand businesses.

Watershed:An area of land where all waterdrains, or "sheds", to the same river, reservoiror other body of water.

Altitude: How many feet something is abovesea level. (Thesea is a good place to start be-cause it is nearly the same height all around theworld.)

Topographicmap: A map with lines to showthe height or altitude of hills, valleys, moun-tains, etc. Each line connects

points at the samealtitude.

Waterbody: A specific area where water isfound, such as streams, rivers,wetlands, ponds,reservoirs, groundwater,

lakes, or oceans.Wastewater (sewage) treatment plant: Aplace where used water (from toilets, washingmachines, industries)is pumped to be cleaned

water-ways.and purified

before it is returned to Ircal water-

Septic tank: An undergroundstorage tank forwastes from homes with no sewer line to atreatment plant.

After water is used, it goes down the drain, to a private septic system, or throughthe sewer to a wastewater treatment plant. There it is treated, or cleaned, beforeit is sent back into local lakes, oceans or rivers. You can help yourself and thepublic utilities by using less water and by keepiRg pollutants out of wastewater.

- -- -- 7 -- 7

Describe your watershed.

What kinds of plants and animals

live in it? Is it in a city or the

country? Tell a story about a rain

drop that falls on your borne site.

Where does your home's drinking

water come from?

Where does your home's

wastewater go?

Keep your Watershed Map.

You'll need it later.

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MAPPING THE WATERSHEDLook at the Sample Topographic Map on page 5. This map includes the watershedpictured on page 7. Can you find this watershed on the map? See Using Maps, page 7in the Leader Guidebook if you need to learn more about how to read maps.

To complete these activities on your maps, you may need help from a local water ex-pert. See Get Partner Support on back cover for ideas on how to find and talk to helpfulexperts.

You might want to work on one person's home, or you can each work on your ownhome. If you decide to work on your own homes, you will need to get maps for eachperson (some may live in different watersheds.)

MATERIALS NEEDED:

Topographic map or mapswhich include your homesite and any other maps youhave collected of the area,a clear sheet of plastic as bigas your topographic map(this plastic is called mylar oracetate and is available at artsupply stores or office supplystores for a few dollars),a piece of cardboard as bigas your map,thumb tacks,dry erase markers & tissues

HOW TO DRAW THE OUTLINE OF YOUR OWN WATERSHED.

1) Place the clear sheet of plasticover the topographic map(topo map) and tack both ontothe cardboard. If you don't haveplastic, make a photocopy of themap and draw on it in pencil.

2) On the topo map, find and markyour home. A road map canhelp you find things.

3) Find the streams, ditches,marshes, lakes, ocei.is or riversclosest to the home and markthem in blue on the map.

If runoff flows mainly throughstreet gutters and into stormsewers, there may not be astream close by. Even waterflowing underground throughpipes must drain into a body ofwater at some point. You maywant to ask a staff person fromthe city government to visit anddemonstrate how the storm wa-ter system handles runoff fromyour home site.

4) Use the contour lines and num-bers on the topo map to find thehighest and lowest points aroundyour home. Mark the hilltops,with "Xs".

5) From these "Xs", draw arrows onyour map to show the flow ofrunoff. Which direction will rainor snow that falls on your homesite flow? Where does runoff flowinto waterbodies?

Think like water. Water alwaysflows down hill. It always takesthe easiest path. If you go out-side and look or walk down hillfrom your home - never goingup - you will come to awaterbody sooner or later. Re-member, it may flowunderground in pipes. Look foropenings where water enters thestorm drains.

6) Look at the Sample WatershedMap on page 7. It has the out-lines of watersheds alreadydrawn. Look at the arrows show-ing where water flows. Theoutline of each watershed is be-tween waterbodies, mostly alongthe tops of ridges or hills.

7) On your own map, find the high-est ground (the hills and ridges)between two waterbodies. Drawa line along the highest points(connecting the "Xs" on hill tops)completely around your stream,including its bottom end or

"mouth." What is the name ofthe waterbody that drains yourwatershed? Write the name onyour map.

Two small streams can be part ofa larger river's watershed. Whatlarger watershed is your home in?

8) Bring the map outside. Where isthe highest point of land you cansee? Walk to that point. Is yourhome at the top or bottom of ahill? Where does water go whenit rains or snows? Can you seethe nearest waterbody? Can yousee hills, mountains, buildings,airports, power lines, railroadtracks or other things that are onthe map? Look at your map andfind these features.

9) Where does your home get itsdrinking water? You may need toask an expert. Find and mark thesource or sources if they are onyour map.

10) Where does your home's waste-water go? Wastewater may befiltered through a septic tank orpumped through undergroundpipes to a wastewater treatmentplant. Find it and mark it if it's onyour map.

NEXT TIME:Make enough copies of the Needs Checklist for each person or team. Get permission from your parents or landlord to do theNeeds Checklist in and around your home.

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iC) RESEARCH NEEDS

5,foivirmiiNirgiv;Priority: What is most important; what

comes first.

Hazardous waste:Waste which could harm

people oranimals in some way (includes

viruses, bacteria whichcause disease, or

chemicals whichcould bum or irritate skin,

eyes, lungs or nose; poison living things; or

burst into flame easily).

Compost: A collection of plant parts (grass

clippings, leaves,vegetable scraps, sticks,

etc.) which sometimesincludes soil or ma-

nure. Microscopic organisms decompose

(break down) these materialsand turn

into humus which can enrich soil.

them

In the last activity, you mapped thewatershed around your home. Nowthink about what you and other

people do in your home that affects thewatershed. What activities use water?What activities create waste water?What kinds of fun do you have withwater? What do you already do to con-serve or protect water? Think aboutinside and outside. Brainstorm theseactivities for a few minutes and see howmany you come up with. (Two ex-amples are: watering the grass and tak-ing a shower) Have someone writedown the activities you come up with.Keep the list for later.

Many of the activities you listed affectthe water in your watershed. To deter-mine how, and to help you choose aservice project, you will use a NeedsChecklist. The Needs Checklist will helpyou to identify specific water needs orissues, and determine which need youraction. You will figure out what is al-ready being done and what still needsto be done in your home to protect thewatershed and conserve water. This willhelp ensure you work on a real need soyour time is well spent.

Starting Date:

HOW TO USE THENEEDS CHECKLISTLook at the Needs Checklist beginning on page 11.The questions refer to four topics:

re WATER DRINKING%JP CONSERVATION IL1P WATER QUALITY

fig WATER QUALITY IN fa EDUCATINGIAN OUR ENVIRONMENT 41.C:J ABOUT WATER

Each question has one or more icons, or pictures, next to it forquick reference.

Compare the questions to your list of activities from brainstorming. Write anyactivities that are not on the Needs Checklist in the blanks at the end of each sec-tion.

Your group can do the whole Checklist together at one person's home, or youcan break into teams and go to different houses.

Now go over the Needs Checklist with your group leader. Which items can youdo something about? Which require you to work with someone else? Make sureyou know how to answer all of the questions. Some questions on the list will besimple to answer. For other items, you may need to ask for help or permissionfrom your parents, brothers or sisters, landlord, or whoever is responsible for theactivity. This could also include people who are hired to clean your house ormaintain your lawn. For more help answering Needs Checklist questions, see theNeeds Checklist section in the Leader Guidebook.

You may need to ask your parents or landlord for help to get something changed.Make sure you have permission from your parents or landlord before you begin,as they will give final approval for projects.

You ore here...

BEFORE YOU BEGIN:

Make a Site Map, see page 9 for directions.

Follow directions for completing the Needs Checklist onpage 10.

Completion Date:

Target Date:

O 2A-Input 28-Choose 2C-Plan 3-On Track 4A- Celebration 4B-Next Steps

8

11


MAKING A HOME SITE MAPrte maps can make problemseasier to understand. Ask thehomeowner or landlord of the

home you are looking at if they havea floor plan for the home showing allrooms, and a map of the outside area.

Home Site Map

If they do not have a map, you canmake one. See Sample Home Site Map,below. For the outside of the home,include garages, trees, shrubs, gar-dens, driveways, sidewaixs, sheds,swing sets, courtyards, other build-ings, stoops and swimming pools. Doyou notice anything on your site mapthat you should add to your water-shed map?

'DO vJUSPour

6EPROOM

LIVINGROOM

Alta MOIR

ITEMS TO HAVE READYFOR YOUR MEETINGWITH AN EXPERT:

List of "Checklist" items withhigh priority ranks

Your site map

Questions for the guest

An agenda

NEXT TIME:Invite one or more experts, possibly your local Partner, to meet with your group.The person you invite and what you tell them ahead of time are very impor-tant. Give them an agenda for the meeting so they know the date, time and lo-cation.

Also give them a list of your questions before the meeting so they can prepareanswers. Look at your Needs Checklist. What do you need more informationabout? if you need ideas about whom to invite and what to ask, the Leader Guide-book can help you Get the Most Out of Interviews. See page 18. See the Partner's liston page 29 and Anybody Out There on the back cover of the Action Guide foron whom to invite.

9


FOR EACH QUESTIONON THENEEDS CHECKLIST FILLIN THE BLANKS ASFOLLOWS:

1) The Way It Is: By looking or ask-ing, find out what your family orlandlord is doing about the issueor question. If you or your land-lord have already taken positivesteps, congratulations! Checkthe Looking Good box. If youwere able to fix the problem rightaway, write what you did. If ananswer is complicated, or if noth-ing is currently being done, writedown what is (or isn't) happen-ing. The Leader Guidebook has tipson Taking Notes on page 18.

2) Need More Information: Write inthis space if you can't answer thequestion or if you need more in-formation. If possible, note whatyou need to know to answer thequestion.

3) Priority Rank: How important iseach question? How importantdoes the person in charge think itis? Circle 1 for very important,circle 2 for kind of important, andcircle 3 for not very important.Why do you think it is important?You may need to explain this toother group members.

------ ----- --------

How do you or the city keep track of how

much water your home uses? Is there a

water meter?

SAMPLE QUESTIONS& ANSWER

16A 0000Are grass clippings swept off the sidewalks andserve way for composting so that they do notwash into storm sewers?

The Way It Is:

c=linnin s are swe0 Looking Good!ewoi

*WeNeed More Information about:Does come 6 to swee

ostih 20Priority Rank: 1

Stuck on some items? Skip them andgo on. Make sure the information youwrite on your Needs Checklist is accu-rate. If you are unsure about thequestions, or do not know how to an-swer them, ask for help, possibly froman expert Partner. Save your ques-tions so you only have to contact theexpert once.

After finishing the Checklist, meetagain to Aare what you found and tomark the activities on your home sitemap. The following section tells youhow to make a home site map. This

map will show more detail aboutyour home than you could in-clude on your USGS map. It willshow exactly where all theshowers, water faucets, andbathrooms are everywherewater is used or affected.

What is your family or landlord doing

about water issues?

What is the top priority need for water

conservation or pollution prevention i

your home? Why?

What is the most importantthing you

have teamedabout water so far?:

Keep your Needs Checklistand site map.

13

ivti-o e street.

TALKABOUT IT

rth the whole group, taketurns telling the others whatyour Needs Checklists

showed. Mark the water conserva-tion, pollution prevention and watereducation activities you found on thesite map. Are there any activitieswhich affect water quality beyond theedge of the site map? If there are, youshould mark those on your WatershedMap. What were the most importantissues you found?

10


HOME SITENEEDS CHECKLISTLook for these clues to find out why each question is important to ask!

rt WATER%JP CONSERVATION

el WATER QUALITY INMC OUR ENVIRONMENT

DRINKING WATERQUALITY

EDUCATINGABOUT WATER

Note to participants: When the questions below refer to you we mean you, your family members, any hired workers suchas cleaning people or lawn service people, your landlord and possibly your neighbors. Whoever is responsible for the action."Home" refers to an apartment, trailer home, house, condominium, or whatever you call your home.

0000If you get your drinking water from a well, do youtc44.- for nitrates, bacteria or other contaminants?

- If you live near a farm, factory, dry cleaning business orsalvage yard, there may be specific contaminants youshould test for. Contact your County Extension Officeor public health office for information on testing.

The Way It Is: Looking Good!

We Need More Information about:

Priority Rank: 1 2 3

0000If you get your drinking water from a publictreated water supply, have you ever contactedyour water supplier or local health department toget results of tests for nitrates, bacteria andpesticides?

The Way It Is: GI Looking Good!

0 We Need More Information about:


14

(71 \ 0000Do you use sand or cat litter on icy sidewalksinstead of salt? Commercial salt can be harmfulto grass, trees, flowers, animals, and can run offinto nearby waterbodies.

The Way It Is: CI Looking Good!



WATER CONSERVATION

Fact: Water isEarth.

the most common substancefound on

Fact: The amount of water on Earth hasn't changedsince the Earth was formed.

So why conserve water? There is not always enoughclean, freshwater for drinking,

growing food, makingthings, and having fun. That means we need to useless or get it from

somewhere else. Taking water fromone place andmoving it to another changes

the envi-ronment for plants and animals, and often causes argu.ments between

people. Using lots of water increasesamounts of wastewatergoing to treatment plants and

septic tanks. And usingwater takes lots enerclean, pump, distributeand heat it. You

ofcan save

toabout 4 gallons of water a day by just turning off thewater when you brush your teeth. Give WaterA Handuse it wisely?

11


(tA, 0000Do you have backfiow prevention devices onoutdoor water faucets (including the fill hose forswimming pool) to prevent contaminants fromgetting mixed into the indo water supply?

The Way It Is: I:I Looking Good!



Backflow prevention devices keep contaminants frombacking up into the drinking water supply.

WATER QUALITYIN OURENVIRONMENT

Round and round: we use theain.

same water over and over ag

So what happens when we pollute it?

We contaminatethe only supply we

have that same supply we share

with other humans, animals and

plants. Pollutants can enter the water

supply througheveryday actions

grass clippingswashing down the

storm sewer, hazardous materials

from a painting project poured into

the sink, leftover car oil dumped on

the driveway.These won't disappear!

The best solution topollution is to

keep it out of water in the firstplan!

lace.

Give WaterA Hand keep it

Baking soda is a good, non-hazardous cleaning product.

Do you use cleaning products which don't containhazardous products? (alternatives include bakingsoda, vinegar, citrus solvent, soap flakes, andother products which are not hazardous tohealth.)

- Signal words on the label such as CAUTION, WARNING,and DANGER indicate the item contains hazardousproducts.

The Way It Is: 0 Looking Good!



1 5

12


Poor Yard Care Practices Good Yard Care Practices

r ' 0000Have you ever had the water in your house orapartment tested for lead?

- If your house or apartment was built before 1984, thewater pipes may have lead solder in them. If it was builtbefore 1939, it may have lead pipes. The lead may becontaminating your water.

- Contact your County Extension Office or public healthoffice for information on testing.




0000Do you take hazardous wastes such as usedmotor oil, leftover paint, varnish, etc. to an oilrecycling center, hazardous waste disposal site oran annual "clean sweep" day in your community?




DemoDo you always flush pet waste down the toilet orbury in the yard at least 5 inches deep (don't burythe plastic bag)? This keeps it from washing intowaterways.

bury it away from vegetable gardens, children's playareas, wells, etc. Never compost for a vegetable gar-den!




0DRINKING WATERQUALITY

D o you know whereyour drinkingwater comes

from and how it gets toyou? Americansdrink more than 1 billionglasses of water a day! Most of us take it forgranted that we can turn on the faucet andget clean, clear,

fresh water. And its practi-cally free. You can refill an 8 ounce glass ofwater about15,000 times for the same costas a six-pack of soda or pop! For mostpeople, watertreatment facilities

provide thissafe drinkingwater. You, too, are responsiblefor conserving

this preciousresource andkeeping it pollution free.

Give Water a HandIt's ours to drink!

13


Ci a 0Do you use fertilizers and pesticides only whennecessary?

- Do you test the soil to determine if there is a need forfertilizers, and how much? Contact your County Exten-sion Office fcr in'ormation on how to do this.

- Do you dig or puil out weeds instead of applying herbi-cides to kill them?

- Do you use any organic fertilizers? These would be la-beled organic and include compost, manure or blood/bone meal.




CC) ).1(f5), 0000Do you keep yard wastes such as leaves and grassclippings out of street gutters and ditches?

- Do you leave lawn clippings on the lawn to decompose?

- Do you compost leaves and other yard wastes, neversweeping them into the street or leaving them in theditch? (Some cities collect leaves from the street forcomposting. Check with your public works depart-ment.)




EDUCATING ABOUT WATER

Yonhave beenlearning a lot about water

and how to conserve and protect it. You have prob-

ably also learned about water by reading books and maga-

zines, watchingtelevision, going on field trips or just sitting

next to a stream and observingwhat happens!

Many people don't know what they can do to protect and

conserve water,so it is important to educate them.

Through action,people learn about water issues. There are

many ways to do this, such asp lanningcommunity water

festivals, making posters, and putting onplays. Education

ust' happen in the classroom.Give Water a Hand

doesn t jSpread the word!

14

0000Do you or your landlord conserve water in thelawn and garden?

Do you water only when needed? You can use a raingauge to determine how much rain your yard has re-ceived. Most lawns need one inch of rain per week.

- Do you set the lawn mower blade at 3 inches?

- Do you water only in the morning and evening, whenless evaporation occurs?

- Do you direct water from rain downspouts toward theyard rather than letting it run into the storm sewer orpaved area?

- Do you have a shut-off nozzle on outside hoses?

The Way It Is: Lk Looking Good!



DODODo you or your landlord reduce the need forwatering the yard?

- Do you mulch the garden to conserve water? Mulch isa covering such as straw, shredded paper, woodchipswhich helps the soil to retain moisture.

- Do you replace portions of lawn with trees, shrubs anddrought tolerant ground cover such as prairie grassesand wildflowers?

The Way It Is: 0 Looking Good!



17


Do you reduce the amount of water that flowsinto the street from your yard?

- Do you sweep your sidewalks, driveway, or other pavedarea rather than wash with a hose?

- Do you wash the car or your bicycle with a bucket ofwater rather than a hose, and do it on a grassy area sothat the water does not run into the storm sewers?

RegularShowerhead

-411

1;04

/1140r

Low FlowShowerhead

roThe Way It Is: 1:1 Looking Good!



Do you have any leaks in the water system inyour house?

- Read your water meter before your family leaves thehouse for 2 hours or more. When you return, check thewater meter again. (Make sure that there were no wa-ter using devices left on, such as sprinklers, washingmachines, etc.) If the meter does not read exactly thesame, there is a leak somew4re.




See page 9 In the Leader Guide for Instructions on how toread a water meter.

Do you use low flow shower heads, and take quickshowers (under 5 minutes)?

- Check to see how much water your shower uses in 1minute. Put a 1 gallon bucket under the shower head.Start at stopwatch at the same time you turn the wateron to normal flow. Stop the watch when the bucket isfull. Continue until you reach 1 minute. Count howmany gallon buckets you have filled. A water savingshower should use only 2.5 gallons per minute.




Using a lowflowshowerhead andturning off thewater whilelathering yourhair will savewater.

0000Do you turn the water off when you brushyour teeth, lather your hair, wash or rinse thedishes, etc.


C:1 We Need More Information about:

'-Priority Rank: 1 2 3

15


(OAT", ®t:100Do you have a toilet which conserves water,without leaks?

- Add food coloring to the tank at the back of the toilet.Leave it alone for 30 minutes, do not flush it. If colorappears in the toilet bowl within 30 minutes, there areleaks.

- Do you have a water saving toilet, or weighted plasticwater jug or toilet dam in the toilet tank to reduce theamount of water needed for each flush?




rdgi)f C; a 0Do you run the dishwasher or washing machineonly when full, using the "water saver" setting ifyou have one?

- a water efficient dishwasher should only use between 10-12 gallons of water per load, and a washing machineshould use between 35-50 gallons per load. Check withthe manufacturer to see how much yours uses.




coo°Do you have a compost pile as an alternativemethod of disposing of food waste? (Garbagedisposals require lots of water.)




r--

)0))(C»`,'---JYour question...




0000Your question...




io

16


.: 2A) GET INPUTFROM AN EXPERT

You can ! :am a lot and get more done by talking with expertswho work with water issues every day. Be sure to take noteswhile talking with experts! The Leader Guidebook can help you

Get the Most Out of Interviews, page 18.

INTRODUCTIONS:Note: You should have prepared yourguest before he or she arrives. See NextTime on page 9. Introduce yourselvesto your guest. Explain that you areworking on water issues and wouldlike ideas, information and suggestionsabout what you can do in your com-munity. Go over the agenda for yourmeeting.

PRESENT WHATYOU HAVE FOUND:Show your Watershed Map or maps.Present what you found out in yourNeeds Checklist. Tell them about themost interesting things you learned. If

you have already thought of serviceprojects you might like to do in yourhome, tell your guest. Ask if he or sheknows of other projects you could do.The Leader Guidebook can help you TellYour Story, page 19.

Starting Date:

g\.iiiAVR-qt

ASK FORINFORMATIONANDFEEDBACK:After you have made yourpresentation, you might askyour guest questions like:

What is your job or volunteerwork? How do you work withwater issues?

What are the most important wa-ter conservation and water qualityissues and needs in our commu-nity?

How do our homes affect waterconservation and/or quality in ourcommunity?

What projects are already beingdone in homes to work on theseproblems? Could we do such aproject in our home? What elsecould we do to help?

What resources or help could yougive or lend our group?

NEXT TIME:List group N_OuTCPS, strengths andtime.

You ore here...

Agenda: A schedule for a meetingwhich states what will be done whenFeedback:

Reaction to a plan or idea.

Write the name and organization ofyour guest expert.

List questions you asked the expert.

What did yon learn from your guest?

Completion Date:

I A %,1,h r i J it I r.11(11,11 Ailrlri u J If 171,i IA !Him' U 2B-Choose U 2C-Plan U 3-On Track U 4A-Celebration U 4B-Next Steps

Target Date:

20 17


.44 2B) CHOOSE A°° SERVICE PROJECT

TIME TO DECIDE!Now that you know moreabout water issues in yourhome site, it's time to pick a

water service project. This activity canhelp you to choose an existing projector start your own.

Know: You may already know whatproject you want to do. Maybe youheard about an exciting idea or wantto join forces with a group alreadyworking on a project.

Don't Know: If you don't have anidea for a project, try the following.Look at your Watershed Map, NeedsChecklist and site map as startingpoints. What were the priorities?Look at the list of project ideas onpage 20. Fill out the Choose a Projectchart on page 19. What can you dowith the resources you have?

Decide if you are going to work to-gether in one home or in seperatehomes?

Involve local and national experts.They have ideas, information and re-sources. See Get Partner Support, backcover. Also see the list on the back coverof the Leader Guidebook and decidewho could be useful to your project.For example, for a water conservationproject, call the Water EnvironmentFederation for resource materials, or callyour local water utility.

Starting Date:

HOW TO USE THE CHOOSEA PROJECT CHART

First fill out the Things We Know How to Do boxes on the left side of thechart. List all the things you are good at or talented in. If you can't think ofanything, ask your friends or family to help. Everyone is good at something!

Include fun things like sing, draw, fish, bake cookies as well as serious things likegarden, give presentations, write letters, build things and make posters on thecomputer. It takes all kinds of skills to work on water issues.

Next fill in the Priority Water Conservation and Water Quality Needs boxes alongthe top of the chart. List the top priority needs from your Needs Checklist or fromyour talk with an expert.

Under the Needs list, put an "X" on any line that matches up with something youcan do that would be useful in working on that issue. For example, if you put"garden" at left, and "plant trees, shrubs and flowers" on top, mark the boxwhere lines from these two things meet. Circle any Needs with lots of "X's" intheir column. You have the skills to do these projects. You can now start yourown project to help with these needs!

WILL IT WORK?Discuss these questions about your project ideas:

Would the project meet a real need? How do you know?(Did it appear in your Needs Checklist? Did your guest expertdiscuss it? Has it been a topic in the newspaper?)

Are others working on the problem? Can you join them?

Are you excited about working on the project? If not, howcould it become exciting?

What difference will this project make? To you? To yourhome? To the people, plants and animals in thewatershed?

What resources are needed to do the project? (Tools, informa-tion, skills, money, and, especially, time.) Which resources doyou have? Can you get the others? Where?

You ore here...

J IA Why 1A1,1h.r J 111 tcnlmpr,d Athlrest J I( R,,, orc 11 J IA Input

Target Date:

2C-Plan

Completion Date:

3.On Track 4A-Celebration 48-Next Steps

18

21


O

O1-

30I30z=3vzI1-

CH 005 E A P RO)PRIORITY WATERPOLLUTION PREVENT"ON///////EC-r-

CONSERVATION ANDNEEDS

2219


PROJECT I EASThere are many simple actions you can take at home to conserve and protectwater, such as turning off th- water when you brush your teeth. You candiscuss these actions as a group, and then implement them individually in yourown homes. Or you may decide to take on a larger project together, such asbuilding compost bins. Many of these actions can be expanded to the commu-nity setting, such as educating your neighbors about water conservationpractices. See the Community Site Action Guide for ideas.

Drinking Water Testing: Have your drinking water tested for lead, ni-trates, bacteria and other contaminants. Contact your County ExtensionAgent, Health Department or public water utility for help.

Non-hazardous Cleaning Products: Hold a workshop for your families,giving them demonstrations of less hazardous cleaning products such asbaking soda, vinegar, or citrus solvent. Begin using these products athome. For a brochure about household hazardous products contact theWater Environment Federation, 601 Wythe St., Alexandria, VA 22314.

Compost Pile: Begin a compost pile in your backyard for yard waste andfood scraps. If you live in an apartment building, talk to your landlord and

--WAL41ADC164What service project did yourgroup choose?

Why did you choose it?

What difference will it make toyou? to your home? to otherpeople, plants and animals inthe watershed?

other residents to see if they want to join in. Contact your County Extension Agentor local Conservation District for assistance.

Landscaping: Plant drought-resistant, native trees and shrubs in your yard. Usebiosolids enriched soils or compost products to improve soil quality and conservewater. Contact your County Extension Agent, wastewater treatment plant, or theWater Environment Federation, 601 Wythe St., Alexandria, VA 22314 for assis-tance.

Hazardous Products: Help your family buy only what it needs. Design a purchaseplan that eliminates your family's need to dispose of leftover hazardous productsfrom yard pesticides or home repair. Contact the Water Environment Federation,601 Wythe St., Alexandria, VA 22314.

Educatkg Family Members: Hold a family conference or design posters to edu-cate your family members on smart water practices.

Rain Gauges: Buy a rain gauge for your yard and monitor it weekly to see howmuch rain you have gotten and if you need to water the lawn. Aim downspoutsfrom gutters onto lawns or gardens. Contact your County Extension Agent to findout how much water your lawn needs.

Soil Testing: Test your soil to determine how much fertilizer your lawn needs.Contact your County Extension Agent or local Conservation District for assistance.if you live in an apartment building with a lawn, give the test results to the care-taker and explain them.

Apartment Dwellers: Your home site can include the entire apartment building.You may decide to begin an educational campaign for other residents of youral. artment. It can be as simple as making posters about water conservation or haz-ardous chemical disposal to put in the laundry room, or holding a resident meetingto discuss measures that everyone can take. Be sure to talk to your landlord first!

Aerators and low-flow shower heads: Purchase aficl install aerators and low-flowshower heads in your home.

Chart how much water your family uses in a week (use your water meter). See ifthe amount goes down after implementing water conservation practices. For abooklet on using water meters, contact American Water Works Association, 6666W. Quincy Ave., Denver, CO 80235.

NEXT TIME:Bring all your maps,charts, and notes for plan-ning. Invite your localPartner or a water issuesexpert to join your groupnext time to help withplanning.

204el 3


2C) PLAN FOR ACTIONJA.

Mr:rit \MOANNow that you know what project you're going to do, youneed to figure out a plan of action. Using your WatershedMap, Needs Checklist, Choose a Project chart, site map,

notes and so on, fill out the Project Plan on page 23 as a group.Even if you don't know an answer, give your best guess. The nextactivity, Keep on Track, on page 24 can help you work through problemsas you begin your project.

111% MIND MAP

Many people find it helpful to use a "mind map" tothink up all the tasks they will need to do as part of aproject. Write your project idea in a circle in themiddle of the page. As each new idea comes to you,

write it in a circle next to the thing most like it, then connect the twocircles with a line. Think of the small tasks that make up big jobs. Keepgoing until you can't think of any more tasks that need to be done.See example below.

Mind map: A way to brainstormthat helps show how one thinggoes with another.

Time line: A calendar listing thedates tasks need to be done.

Succeed/success:Doing a goodjob. Doing what you set out to do.

Starting Date:You ore here...

J IA 0,rhy J I I1..1..11,11 101h, j 1( j /A Input j 1( I'Lin

Completion Date:

3.On Track

Target Date:

4A-Celebration 4B-Next Steps

21I # ,


SERVICE PROJECT PLANGive your project a name that describes it. Make it one thatpeople will be able to remember. It could be simple likeJefferson County 4-H School Stream Clean Up or catchy likeMud Patrol: Erosion Prevention Program. Write in yourgroup's name and project partners.

It TO DO...<

14

0

O

0%.Z DONE flit

rDATE/MONTH

What is the most important task on yourMind Map? Write it on your ServiceProject Plan under "What task?" Writethe next most important thing, and thenext, until all the tasks are on the Plan.

Who will do each task? Write his or hername (or names) under "Who?" Thisperson must make sure the job getsdone. He or she can ask for help.

Brainstorm the resources (tools, informa-tion, people) you need to get each taskdone. Write them down. Could yourpartners or other experts or organizationshelp?

Get a calendar. Write today's date over"start" on th,..! Time Line. When doesthe project have to be done? The endof the semester? March? Write thatdate over "finish."

How many months is it from start to finish? How often doyou meet each month? Calculate how many meetings youwill have (months times meeting per month). Mark a linefor each meeting and write a date over it.

Using your time line, figure out when you need to completeeach task. (It often helps to start at the end date and workbackwards. For example, if you are planning a Water Fair,think how much time before the Fair people need to knowabout it so they can plan to come. If they need to knowtwo weeks ahead, then you must make all posters, radioads, buttons, stickers, etc. and get them up by then.

Think of ways someone might get hurton your project. What can you do toprevent it? What would you do if some-one were hurt? Write ideas in the"Safety Plan" box.

YOU'RE READY TO GO! CHECK SECTION3 FOR TIPS FOR SUCCESS.

TIPS FOR PLANNING

Start small. Most people try todo too much. You can alwaysdo more once you show whatyou can do.

You don't need to have theperfect plan. Do what worksfor you!

It's O.K. to change your planas you need to, but it's stillimportant to have one.

GET HELPYou must get feedback from anyone whose help (orpermission) you will need, such as the park director orgovernment official. Also get feedback from someonewith experience doing the kind of thing you want to do.

You can do more if you team up with other people. YourPartner or other experts or organizations can give resources,help and advice. Other groups of young people may helpshare tasks. Who could you team up with? See Get PartnerSupport, on back cover.

HOW WILL YOU KNOW YOUSUCCEEDED?How will you know when your project is finished? How willyou know you have done a good job? The better you cananswer these questions, the better your project is likely toturn out. It always helps to know exactly where you aretrying to go. Check section 4 on page 25 for ideas aboutinformation you should collect while you are doing yourproject so you can explain why it was successful.

22 25

How will you know your project hassucceeded?

What do you need to learn moreabout to do your project tasks? Howwill you learn these things?

Keep your Project Plan. Look it overat every meeting.

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3) KEEP ON TRACK

Now that you have chosen yourproject, you can get started! Besure to check back with this sec-

tion and section 4 as you go along. TheLeader Guidebook has ideas for Solving Prob-lems, Working as a Team, and other helpfulinformation for your group.

TIPS FOR SUCCESSYour Service Project Plan is a guide,not a rule book. You make a plan soeveryone in your group knows what ev-eryone else is trying to do. Yet thingsrarely go exactly as planned. As a group,look at your plan and change whatneeds changing.

Work for a "win-win." Find out howeveryone can win from your success.

Get to know lots of people. The morepeople you know, the more likely one ofthem will know how to help. Any ex-perts who helped your group know lotsof other people who can help.

Don't give up. There is always onemore thing you can try.

Communicate. Everyone in your groupmust know what is going on. Talk oftento each other. Call each other. Holdregular meetings. Work together.

Starting Date:

GETTING PAST A ROAD BLOCKYou ran out of money or time. Someone quit.Someone said "no." Now what?

Can you go around it? Is this the only way to do the task? Try anotherway.

Over it? Can you get help from the top: your landlord, the countycommissioner, your mom or dad?

Through it? With more help, could you push right through the problem?

THINK ABOUT ITYour project gives you a chance to do something important. It is also achance to learn to do an even better job next time. Sit down as a group andtalk about what you have seen, heard, felt or learned. Share your thoughts.

WHAT HAPPENED?What was the most fun thing that happened? The least fun?

What helped you the most? What were the biggest road blocks?

What effect did it have on your home? On your watershed?

SO WHAT?What have you !earned about how humans affect the people, plants andanimals in the watershed? How do your actions affect others?

Did you do what you set out to do? How do you know?

Has your work made a difference?How?

How could the problem youworked on be prevented fromhappening again?

NOW WHAT?How would you do thingsdifferently next time?

What advice would you giveanother group working on asimilar project?

What will you do to preventthe problem from happen-ing in the future?

What other issues orprojects would you like towork on?

------ ---- - - - -

Read the Think About Itquestions and take five minutesto write answers to some ofthem.

List any new partners you havebegun working with.

You are hCrrnletion Date:

J IA INIn, Wal I II I.olog6.II Arldn tt J I( 1(1,,n(11 J )A Innis! J ( hoot( J )( P1,111 J i On Track

Target Date:

4A- Celebration O 4B-Next Steps

2423


cIVO101%

7 4A) CELEBRATE SUCCESS

MEASURE AND RECORD SUCCESS

Tiereare many reasons to show

what you have done on yourproject. People are more likely

to give permission, help and resourceswhen you can prove what you can do.Newspapers and radio/TV stations aremore likely to report about you.Other young people may get excitedand want to join you. It feels good tosee what you have done.

WAYS TO SHOW WHAT YOU HAVE DONE:Count the number of trees planted, pounds of biosolids used

How many people helped out? How many hours did each person work on theproject? How many total hours did your group work?

Count how many people living in your apartment came to a workshop.Changed a habit

Count the number of gallons of water saved. Check your home's water meteronce a week and graph the numbers to see if use drops. (Remember: thingslike the weather can affect your numbers. Record weather, weekends yourfamily is out of town, etc. and take them into account.)

Draw pictures or take photographs or videos of your work

Interview family members, your landlord, or other people in your apartment

Get letters from people you helped orworked with

Write stories, a rap or song about yourproject

Give tours to show other neighbors andfamilies the changes you have made atyour home

IDEAS FORLOCAL CELEBRATION

After all your hard work toGive Water a Hand, it's nice tocelebrate. Not only is celebra-

tion fun, but it's a good way to saythank you to people who helped out.If you can get the newspapers, TV orradio to run a story on your project,lots of other people will hear aboutthe importance of water issues. Hereare some ideas:

Starting Date:

Share your success with your localand national partners

Invite newspapers and TV stationsto come to see what you have doneThe Leader Guidebook has tips forWorking with the Media, page 19.

Hold a pizza party or picnic

Write a story for the communitynewspaper. Weekly or monthly pa-pers especially look for local stories

Make T-shirts for group memberswith the name of your group

Use your imagination.It's your party!

How do you feel about your project?How does it feel to by to make adifference?

How will you show others what youhave done?

How will you continue the group'swork?

Completion Date:You are here...

IA Why Vat, i i IB k«.1"0,11,1(1(1rwo, IC Rvu.,u(I) 1 2A Input _1 2pr cinut,t J 2C Plan j t On Track J l (t 'nation

Target Date:

7 48-Next Steps

25

did *1


sos 4B) TAKE NEXT STEPS

0 ne of the best things aboirtfinishing a project like this isthat you now know all sorts of

new people, information and skills.You have proven that you can dosomething important as a team!Now, as a group or by yourselves, youmight want to start new projects.There is always lots more to be done!

You don't have to start over from thebeginning. Look at your NeedsChecklist, Watershed Map, site mapand notes. Talk to your partners.What is another important need orproject? Under Think About It onpage 24 you talked about some otherprojects you might like to work on.You may know of more you could doon this project.

Talk again with your partners andother people you have worked with.Would they like to help again? Whatideas do they have?

Make a new mind map and ServiceProject Plan and go for it!

. . . . . . ..

In the future how will you help oth-ers conserve water and protect andimprove water quality?

Starting Date: Completion Date:You are

Target Date:

2630


GIVE WATER A HANDNATIONAL DRINKING WATER WEEK 1995 RECOGNITION FORM

"DUE BY MARCH 1,1995 ""

please answer questions the bestyou can using your Project Jour-nals, Watershed Map, site map

and Needs Checklist as reminders.Please print or type clearly. Computerprint-outs are O.K., but may be nomore than two pages.

You may want to include a photocopyof your results, newspaper articles, etc.

Please limit to three extra pages.Keep a copy for yourselves.

Involve the whole group in complet-ing the form.

Selected youth groupsparticipating in Give WaterA Hand will receive Youth

Earth Service Awards inWashington, DL during NationalDrinking Water Week, May 7 - 13,1995. These awards willbe part of the United Earthceremonies, and will be presentedby Claes Nobel of the Nobel Prizefamily, founder of United Earth.In order to have a chance toreceive this award, you mustcomplete and send in this form byMarch 1, 1995.

URGENT: SEND THIS FORM BY MARCH 1, 1995 TO:

If there is no address listed above, send the form tc your County Extension 4-H Office orcall 1-800-WATER20 for further mailing instructions.

1. Name/s and grades of group members:

Group leader or teacher:

Organization/group name:

Address:

City: State: Zip:

Contact person:

Phone: Day: Evening:

2. List all the Partners you worked with. How were they involved?

"DUE BY MARCH 1,1995 ""31 27


3. What was your service project? Describe what you did. What water issue(s) did you address? Why did you pickthis project? Did you choose your own project, or did your leader or another adult pick it for you?

4. How did your project make a difference to your community? to the watershed?

5. Were you successful? How do you know?

6. What was the most fun part of the project?

7. What was the hardest part of the project?

8. What projects about water will you do next? Will you work with other groups?

9. Do you have any suggestions for other young people who want to do the same project in their communities?

28 32 "DUE-BY MARCH 1,1995 ""

Your project will go better if you get help and advice from anexpert. We call these people or organizations who willhelp "Partners". If you have already signed up with a Part-ner from the list on the back cover of the Leader Guidebook,great! If not, do it now. This page can help you get helpfrom these and other people.

HOW PARTNERS CAN HELPAll the organizations which helped create Give Water a Hand wantto help you. Many others can help also. There are many usefulthings they might help with. For example:

Show you how to read maps or a water meter. Test water.Plant and care for trees. Raise money. Install equipment.Use toolsAnswer questions about: how plumbing works, where drink-ing water comes from, where wastewater goes, whatanimals and plants live in water, and what hazardous materials might affect people,plants and animalsGive, sell or lend tools, maps, brochures, posters, buttons, displays, videos, seeds, trees, equipment even busesor carsGive or get permission for you to do what you want to. Or help you get in to talk to the county commissioner,school board, town council or mayorTell you about projects you can work on or even work with you on one!

Partner: People and/or organizationswhich work together to get somethingdone.

Resources:People, books,

tools, money,transportatinnanything useful to getsomething done.

HOW TO GET HELP FROM PARTNERSThe first trick in getting help is knowing whom to talk to. Here are some ideas:The list of national Partners on pages 27-29 of the Leader Guidebook explains what each one has to offer, whether theyhave local contacts or offices. The project list (on page 20) gives specific suggestions about what national Partnerscanhelp with.

Look at this page whenever your

group needs information or resources.

List your project partners, their phone

numbers and addresses:

People or organizations in the community include County ExtensionAgents, Soil and Water Conservation District staff, public water utilities,non-profit environmental organizations, county or city wastemanagement agencies, nature centers, and others. People at yourschool who could help include: school principal, teachers, the PTA orPTO.

TIPS FOR WORKING WITH PARTNERSPrepare before you call, write or meet. Be as specific as possibleBe polite and respectful, even when you disagree or don't get whatyou wantAlways give your name and say what group you are with.Write all names, phone numbers and addresses in your Project JournalSay thank you. Send thank you notes. Invite Partners to a projectcelebrationOnly one person from your group should call. Don't confuse yourPartners

Call back after a couple of days if someone doesn't return your callMake sure you have a complete list of all your questions when you callyour partner so that you don't have to keep calling back each timesomething comes up

33


GIVE WATER A HANDHOME SITE ACTION GUIDEPROMOTING GOOD WATER MANAGEMENT PRACTICESAT HOME AND IN YOUR COMMUNITY

Give Water A Hand is part of the National 4-H Environmental StewardshipEducation Program. Thanks to April Gower-Getz and Kashyap Choksi for fiscalmanagement and printing.

Made Possible With Support from :

Church & Dwight Co., Inc.Makers of Arm & Hammer° Baking Soda

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

In Partnership with:

American Forests

American Water Works Association

Earth Force

Global Rivers Environmental EducationNetwork

The Groundwater Foundation

Izaak Walton League

National Aquarium in Baltimore

National Association of ConservationDistricts

National 4-H Council

National Marine Education Association

Project WET (Water Education forTeachers)

Tennessee Valley Authority

Trout Unlimited

USDA Cooperative Extension System

USDA Extension Service

USDA Forest Service

USDA Soil Conservation Service

US EPA Office of Water

US Fish and Wildlife Service

US Geological Survey

US National Oceanic and AtmosphericAdministration

University of Wisconsin EnvironmentalResources Center

Western Regional EnvironmentalEducation Council

Water Environment Federation

Oft A-41.6 1.41t, Mni

The Blue Thumb Program,a joint effort for NationalDrinking Water Week, incooperation with theAmerican Water WorksAssociation

Project Director:Elaine Andrews, Environmental Educa-tion Specialist, University of Wisconsin-Cooperative Extension, College ofAgriculture and Life Sciences, School ofNatural Resources, EnvironmentalResources Center

National Coordination:Gregory L. Crosby, USDA ExtensionService

Project Coordinator:Kadi Row, University of Wisconsin-Cooperative Extension, EnvironmentalResources Center

Lead Writers and Service-LearningSpecialists:

Rich Cairn and Susan Cairn, Cairn &Associates, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Water Curriculum Specialist:Kelly Warren, University of Wisconsin-Cooperative Extension, EnvironmentalResources Center

Designer:Barbara Lyman, Alternative Designs.St. Paul, Minnesota

Illustrator:Lynne Bergschultz, Bergschultz Studio,Fredonia, Wisconsin

Copy Editor:Lynn Entine, Lynn Entine Writing andEditing, Madison, Wisconsin

Program Assistant:Sheila Voss, University of Wisconsin-Madison,

Additional Reviewers:Henry Althoen Carolyn JohnsonWilliam C. Dickinson Robert M. PfeifferDeLynn Hay Suzanne WadePaul McCawley

Give Water a HandCommunity Site Action GuideCopyright 0 199" by National 4-H CouncilAll rights reserved.Printed in the United States of America.

University of Wisconsin-Extension,Cooperative ExtensionEnvironmental Resources CenterCollege of Agriculture & Life SciencesMadison, WI 53706(800) WATER20

Copies of the Give Water a Hand LeaderGuidebook and Action Guides for home,farm, school and community sites may becopied for use by teachers and youth lead-ers for educational use. No other partiesmay reproduce any part of these publica-tions for publication or resale withoutprior written permission from the National4-H Council.

All educational programs and activities con-ducted by the Cooperative Extension Serviceare avoilable on a nondiscriminatory basiswithout regard to race, color, creed, religion,sexual orientation, national origin, sex, age,handicap or Vietnam-era veteran status.

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Exten-sion Work Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914.

University of Wieconsin-ExtensionCooperative Extension

EnvironmentalStewardship AExtension

Service

National 4-H Council's programs are open to all citizens without regard to race, color, sex,handicap, religion, age, or national origin. Mention or display of a trademark, proprietaryproduct, or firm in text or figures does not constitute an endorsement by the National 4-HCouncil and does not imply approval to the exclusion of other suitable products or firms.

Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are thoseof author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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