Martinson Elementary 2nd graders learned about their local water resources and water conservation by participating in the Water All Around You program. The program was created by the North and South Rivers Watershed Association’s WaterSmart Program (formerly Greenscapes) and is funded by the Town of Marshfield.
WaterSmart Program Manager Lori Wolfe, said, “The purpose of the program is to help students realize that the quality of our water is directly influenced by how we care for the land in our watershed.” She added, “Our hope with this program is to instill a sense of stewardship in the students so that they will think twice before leaving pollutants on the land such as pet waste or trash. Through a series of hands-on exercises, the kids get to see how water transports pollutants straight to our local ponds and streams.”
The 2nd graders participated in a series of activities that illustrated important concepts about water. They did a taste test of three different types of water, including Marshfield’s own water, filtered water and distilled water. They also observed through a sophisticated ground water simulator how water travels below ground, carrying pollution with it to streams and ponds. They witnessed how pollutants, including fertilizers and dog waste left on the land, wash into local water bodies via a simulated rain storm on a watershed model. They also examined how rocks and soil can actually clean dirty, polluted water, and they played a game trying to see what daily tasks they could do using 65 gallons of water. (The 65 gallons is the recommended Massachusetts daily maximum allotment per person in order to have enough water for public safety and consumption). They quickly discovered the one activity they couldn’t do to stay within the 65 gallons per day recommendation – lawn watering – which can actually consume thousands of gallons in a day.
The Water All Around You program really helps students understand how they can help to keep their water clean and promote conservation. We thank the Town of Marshfield for the funding that made this program possible. We are sure that our young people will become much better stewards of their water resources after this program!
The WaterSmart program is a regional outreach effort to educate people about ways to conserve and protect local water supplies sponsored by the North and South River Watershed Association, Massachusetts Bays Program, and several municipalities on the South Shore. It is sponsored by the Town of Marshfield. For more information, please visit WaterSmartSouthShore.org.
The North and South Rivers Watershed Association is a non-profit membership organization that takes environmental action locally and focuses on the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of our water resources. To become a member of the NSRWA visit www.nsrwa.org