As a big shout out to World Oceans Day (June 8th) and Canadian Rivers Day (June 12th this year), Rivers to Oceans Week highlights the connection between inland waters and Canada’s three oceans, and inspires us to take better care of all the water that makes Canada special.
Though many girls and Guiders are involved in water conservation though the Yellow Fish Road project and the Great Canadian Shoreline Clean-up, there are many more ways to help. Here are just a few:
- Invite a freshwater or marine biologist from a nearby college, university or conservation organization to a Unit meeting. Better yet, join them in the field. Ask them to share their concerns for local aquatic environments, and how their work is making a difference. Learning about another person’s positive actions is often all young people need to feel empowered to take action themselves. You might be surprised at the creative ways of getting involved the girls will come up with.
- Get outside and make a video about your local body of water, then enter it in the Water’s Worth It! video contest. If you win, the Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF) will contribute $2,000 in funding towards a water conservation project in your area. Why not challenge other Units in your area or in other parts of the country to enter, too? (Hurry, the contest closes June 20, with online voting from July 1 to 8 to choose the winner.)
- Improve habitats for local aquatic species by taking on a Hinterland Who’s Who project.
- Learn about urban runoff (watch the Rivers to Oceans storm water video), and research some of the harmful chemicals in our beauty products — which end up down the drain after we wash them off our skin. Then, have an eco-spa night with completely green, homemade skin and hair products. (Bonus: these concoctions are better for our bodies as well as our waterways.)
RiverstoOceans.ca is chock full of additional information and resources to help you celebrate water and aquatic species, during Rivers to Oceans Week and throughout the
year. Let’s make water conservation mainstream!
By Guest blogger: Natalie Gillis. Natalie is a communications officer with the Canadian Wildlife Federation. As a former Pathfinder Guider, Katimavik project leader and scuba diving instructor, she is passionate about getting young people engaged in water conservation. She can be reached at natalieg@cwf-fcf.org.
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