I have decided to pursue a career in which I can educate the public on our water resources so people have the arsenal of information they need to can become better stewards of our most precious natural resource. As a society, we Americans tend to act only when there is a crisis. Why have all the stress of trying to find a solution to a problem that could have been prevented in the first place? To me, it seems like a no-brainer.
Most of the time people who live in developed countries don't think twice about where the endless supply of crystal-clear (well...most of the time) potable water that flows freely from the tap comes from. Or what it takes to get it to and from your house. Not only that but a lot of the time the same body of water that people use for boating, kayaking, fishing, or swimming, is the same source for their drinking water. It is one water. If people realize this they might be more receptive to protecting that source from pollution. If people realize that it takes water to produce energy and energy to produce water--ergo by conserving energy, one conserves water and vice versa--people might be more receptive to conserving water. Bottom line: Our water resources are important and if people are armed with the enough knowledge about their water resources, they will most likely be willing to do their best to protect that water for our environment and for future generations. Or at least stop to think about it.
But for adults, it's difficult to change our habits. It's much easier to teach kids how to become environmental stewards and good citizens--they're habits haven't been formed yet and they tend to be more observant and receptive to trying new and different things. It turns out that a lot of the time kids influence their parents and before you know it, adults are recycling and turning off the lights when they leave the room. I know this for a fact. I taught my parents how to recycle and why it's important.
The sad thing is that kids are more apt to sit in front of the TV or computer and not get outside. Outside is almost foreign to them, making the natural environment foreign to them. If you were to teach them the importance of recycling or not polluting, they might not have that same connection I did when I realized that doing things to save the planet would make sure that the otters--my favorite animal--wouldn't go extinct or that Beaver Lake--the nature center my mom always took me to--would be around when I got older. The sights, sounds, smells of nature that I have always been fond of are foreign to a lot of kids simply because they don't spend a lot of time outside. My mom used to have to drag me inside when I was a kid. I am an only child and when my neighborhood friends couldn't play, I would be out there regardless. Even when it was a blizzard outside, I would be out there playing. I'm not sure I can say the same for today's youth. It's a sad state we're in. If we don't lead today's youth to the path of environmental stewardship, who's going to take care of our planet? Will anyone care?
