Water is Life: A Look at the Quality and Accessibility of Clean, Safe Water in K-12 Schools
 
"We need to drink more water." Many of us have heard this plea or some variation on it in the news, in magazine articles, even in advertisements. We know we should...water is essential for good health. Our bodies need water to function properly. In the United States, we are blessed to have access to safe, clean drinking water, thanks in large part to state and federal regulations. Perhaps that is why we take our access to safe, clean drinking water for granted. The Flint water crisis served as a somber reminder of how precious our water resources are and the impact they have on our health, especially the health of our youngest and most vulnerable.
 
So...how healthy is our water, really? This is an important question with no easy answer. To start, we must look to our watersheds and at the role we play in their health (and, ultimately ours). We all live in a watershed, and the actions we take every day, from flushing medications down the toilet to disposing of outdated chemicals down the drain, have an impact on our neighbors, human and non-human, downstream. Now more than ever, scientists are reporting the discovery of trace (or larger) amounts of chemicals and pharmaceuticals in our drinking water. We do our best to treat and clean our water, yet even the most advanced filtration and treatment systems cannot capture every contaminant. It's too early to tell how this will eventually impact our health, but it's not too early to start doing something about it.
 
This issue of GreenNotes takes a critical look at the issue of water quality in K-12 schools. We do this from a couple of angles. First, we explore the human health aspect. That is, how healthy is our schools' drinking water? How can we encourage students to drink more of it? You will hear from Cara Wilking, who summarizes findings and policy recommendations from a twenty-state review of policies for drinking water quality and access in public schools; Christina Hecht, who discusses the current state of tap water in schools and why it is important to improve drinking water quality; and Kimberly Pettigrew, who shares how the Tennessee Clean Water Network's Bringing Tap Back program is improving access to clean, free drinking water for Tennessee students.  We will also look at how students are learning about watershed health and its impacts on larger systems. Specifically, science teacher Caley Bloodworth describes how engaging students in water quality testing in their school's creek is teaching them about the impact clean water has on the environment, their community, and global water quality.
 
Water is life. We must take this to heart for the sake of our health and that of our planet's. Ensuring our schools have access to safe, clean water won't solve our problems, but it's a huge step forward toward addressing them...and getting the next generation to understand that water connects us all.
 
Jenny
New Study Looks at State Policy Opportunities and Recommendations for Drinking Water in Schools

Cara Wilking, JD summarizes findings and policy recommendations from a twenty-state review of policies for drinking water quality and access in public schools. 
Safe Water in Schools: What do we know? What can we do?

Christina Hecht, PhD , Senior Policy Advisor at the Nutrition Policy Institute, discusses the importance of providing access to safe, quality drinking water in schools; the current state of tap water in schools; and what steps can be taken to improve drinking water quality and encourage healthy hydration habits.
Bringing Tap Back to K-12 Schools

Kimberly Pettigrew, Director of Community Health Programs at the Tennessee Clean Water Network, shares how the Bringing Back Tap program is improving access to clean, free drinking water for Tennessee students.
Water, Water, Everywhere - A Look into Students' Study of Water Quality

Caley Bloodworth, a science teacher at Auburn High School in Auburn, Alabama, describes how engaging students in water quality testing in their school's creek is teaching them about the impact clean water has on the environment, their community, and global water quality. 
To Monitor or Not to Monitor

Creating a citizen science team to collect baseline data on a local watershed. Reprinted with permission from Green Teacher magazine and originally authored by Dori L. Hess. 
GSNN Educator's Toolbox: Professional Development, Resources, Grants, and Awards for February

The latest news on professional development, resources, grants, and awards for February.  
Read the Winter 2017 Catalyst Quarterly!

How does policy play a role in driving the success of green, healthy, and sustainable schools ? The Winter 2017 edition of Green Schools Catalyst Quarterly  explores this and other questions related to the impact that policy has on schools, districts, and students . Articles cover  trends in policy related to green, healthy, sustainable schools; lessons learned by districts and states; initiatives that are leveraging policy at all scales; and case studies of districts with strong policies that are leading by example

Carry the Green Schools Catalyst Quarterly wherever you go!  Download the app from  iTunesGoogle Play, or Amazon  today.  

W rite for GreenNotes!

Green Schools National Network's newsletter, GreenNotes, focuses on one overarching topic each month. We will consider articles for the month that best matches the topic. Have a question about an upcoming theme? Contact cmerse@greenschoolsnationalnetwork.org.
 
We are looking for a variety of articles for GreenNotes, including:
  • Case studies of schools and school districts doing exemplary work in environmental and sustainability initiatives.
  • Profiles of leaders and advocates in the green schools movement.
  • News and current events of interest to the green schools movement.
 
Themes for the next two issues include:

Going Green to Save Green - April 2018
Submission deadline: March 30, 2018
Adopting a sustainability mindset is not just about zero waste and eco-literacy, but extends to how schools procure goods and services. Investing in sustainable products and services can help schools create healthier learning environments by removing toxic chemicals and reducing consumption of resources. This issue of GreenNotes profiles schools and school districts that are using sustainable purchasing. We will highlight lessons learned and best practices you can adopt to make smarter, greener purchasing decisions at your school. You may even save some green too!
 
Green Schools and the Community - May 2018
Submission deadline: April 27, 2018
Schools are widely recognized as centers of their communities, places where people gather to learn, celebrate, and take shelter in times of crisis. More and more, schools are adopting the mantle of climate resiliency, preparing students for the social, environmental, and economic challenges of the 21st century. In this issue of GreenNotes, you will meet some of the schools and school districts that are on the leading edge of this movement, and learn how their leadership and curriculum are having an impact on their communities.





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