I would like to share a Quote from the January 2023 Municipal Water and Sewer magazine:
“Young people need to be involved with water because this is our future, our planet. What inspires me is the fact that people are becoming more and more aware of water issues.”
As an Extension Water Resource Specialist here at UGA, I have the opportunity to work with a wide range of people and a wide range of ages related to water issues. In many of these settings, meetings, conversations, the issue of educating different groups on water issues comes up and many times I hear the comment (or something similar) — “I like to learn these water issues, but we really need the kids to know this stuff” or “I wish I had learned this when I was in school or earlier”. I agree, and that is one reason I like working with all ages of people, but educating the youth has its own rewards. As you might expect, the age of the youth results in very different facial expressions when I discuss water issues from water quality, solar pumping, to erosion, to septic but there is always someone that has that “I want to know more” expression on their face. Most times in my position as an Extension Specialist, I am invited in to provide a program, some type of education, or to work with a group/person on water issues and never “see” the results. But I have gotten some responses in the past like:
- From a Mom — “my daughter and I were riding around and she told me a water fact and I asked her where she learned that and she said you had said it in the presentation to her class”
- From a couple different teachers attending the UGA Tifton Ag Day — “we like coming to your station because we will (or have just completed) cover the Water Cycle in class next week and this is a good pre-class exercise (or we just covered this and this is a good review).” Some of the teachers have also told me they have started including different aspects of the Water Cycle in their teaching based on my station.
- From my daughter — “Sometimes fellow students ask me who my dad is and I tell them the Solar guy and then they say “Oh that is your dad””. I used to work with a local schools 6th grade science teachers during their solar energy chapter to show how solar power can be used to pump water.
Water is one of those things we use everyday but sometimes I think take for granted. There are a lot of interesting things about water — so when you have the opportunity learn a little and share with others.
Have a good day.
