Apple - Earth - Water Analogy

All the water that will ever be is, right now.

                                            - National Geographic, October 1993 -

Water Apple Analogy

Pretend that an apple is planet Earth, round, beautiful, and full of good things. Notice it's skin, hugging and protecting the surface. Water covers approximately 70% of its surface.  Cut the apple into quarters. Toss one quarter (25%) away. This one quarter you just removed represents dry land. What is left (75%) represents how much of the earth is covered with water – oceans, lakes, rivers, and streams.
Remove the peel from one of the three remaining quarters. This represents 3% of water on earth that is freshwater. The remaining pieces represent the saltwater of the oceans. Cut the peel into three equal pieces. Set two pieces aside. The remaining piece represents 1% of the freshwater not frozen in the polar ice caps (2%). Of this remaining 1%, not all of it is potable – some is contaminated by pollution.

Should the Human Bill of Rights include an ammendment to provide

potable water to every person?

Who owns the water? 

Should corporations be able to manipulate and control the water?

Who are the watchdogs for this very valuable, precious, non-renewable resource?

If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water.

                                                    - LORAN EISELY -

Movie Favorites - FLOW

Who owns the Water?

The documentary FLOW by Irena Salina is an excellent introduction to the manipulation of nature's resources. The movie focuses on the damage and social injustice caused through the ongoing privitization of water. Flow provides an opportunity to get students to link about the limited availability of drinkable water and how control of this "natural resource" may soon become possibly the most valuable substance on Earth.

The FLOW website offers an abundance of information about water and a series of links to help students take action.  

Click here for the  Movie Sheets link for a accompanying handout for the movie

Arcadia Water Fest 2011 - October 15

The Arcadia Water Fest returns Saturday, October 15, 2011 to Arcadia County Park from 9:00am to 2:00pm.

This free program provided by the City of Arcadia, the Upper San Gabriel Municipal Water District is a wonderful  opportunity for teachers to expose students to the importance of water, to our community. 

Why We Need to Know Chemistry - DHMO

When am I ever going to use this in real life?
The war cry of the uninformed.

In response to this I share with my students the organization DHMO.org.

A group that explains the ever present danger of Dihydrogen Monoxide.

I also share with my students the hoax played on the City Council of Aliso Viejo when overzealous council members voted to ban this dangerous substance from the city based upon an overwhelming amount of literature touting the very real dangers of this substance. Fortunately, before any reals laws could go into effect, wiser heads prevailed.

The dangerous substance, Dihydrogen Monoxide is of course Water (H2O, Di  2 Hydrogens and Mono for 1 Oxygen). 

DHMO FAQ

For my students the lesson is very clear. That a basic knowledge of as much as possible, is of great value.  You never know when this information will become necessary.

The website and the accompanying data, information and materials outlines the truth of this substance:  can cause burns, is a component in bombs, leads to swelling, excess inhalation can cause death, causes hurricanes, erosion and floods.  The information is accurate and only misleading in the way any information can be manipulated. 

Next time a student begins to whine about when they will ever need to know this, the answer may just be to ask a member of the Aliso Viejo City Council.