Water Facts

Here are some WATER FACTS to consider ...

Compiled by Duke's Eco Club

1. The planet is running out of fresh water.

2. Increasingly, communities around the world, including Canadian First Nations Communities, live without adequate access to fresh water.

3. Over 75% of the planet is water but not even 1% of that water is drinkable.

4. Canada has more than 20% of the planet’s water but 99% of this water is polluted by chemical waste.

5. Patients who have acute water-borne diseases such as diarrhea, malaria, hepatitis, cholera and typhoid occupy 45% of hospital beds around the world.

6. It takes 2500 litres of water to produce one hamburger and 1000 litters of water to produce one kilogram of tomatoes.

7. By leaving the tap running while brushing your teeth, you waste up to 9 litres of water a minute or 26,000 litres per family per year.

8. Water is a renewable resource but because our oceans, lakes and rivers are so polluted, 60% of the world now depends on ground water stored in our aquifers that can take decades to replace.

9. Every week enough single use water bottles are thrown away to circle the earth 5 times.

10. Bottled water costs 1,000 times more than tap water and companies like Coca cola, Nestle, and Evian make enormous profits while many people in Africa

WATER WALK at Duke of Connaught School in Toronto

Students of Duke of Connaught School in Toronto wish to reach out in solidarity to their peers in Uganda who have to walk for water daily.

On Tuesday Nov 23 2010 students will WALK FOR WATER and take a moment to reflect upon the challenges that their pen pals face each day in collecting water.

Each class has been collecting coins in buckets as well. The coins are being weighed to bring attention to the weight of water. Each grade has their contribution posted in the front hall. Each day the levels go up. "Way to go grade 3 students" you are right off the chart!

Local government makes contibution

On Nov 12 2010 a ceremony took place at the District Headquarters of Kamuli to hand over materials such as eves troughs that will be attached to a second building at Kinu School. These materials will help to collect the rainwater for storage in a 10,000 L tank. This water will then be used for irrigating several garden plots and nursery. The pledge for material support was made by Mr. Steven Mubiru, District Chairperson of Kamuli (wearing a yellow shirt in photo). The gathering also included Mr. Joseph Musoke (at the left of the photo), District Education Officer of Kamuli and Ms. Catherine Amal (wearing dark blue skirt), Chief Administrative Officer of Kamuli.

Let's Play Soccer!

Thanks to the Toronto students who came up with the idea of collecting and sending soccer balls, students from all 12 CASP schools are now enjoying playing soccer.

All kids love to play!

These are students of St. Patrick Guwula School.

St Patrick Guwula School Photos (Nov 2010)

CASP Coordinator Moses (left in photo above) and Helen of CASP's Board of Directors, recently went to visit the community of St. Patrick Guwula School. They met with teachers, students, parents and community leaders to discuss what the priority concerns are and the ways these concerns might be best addressed. Access to food and clean water are the most pressing issues.

Home in the area around St. Patrick School.

Coffee plants.

Students at St. Patrick Guwula School.

Message to Glen Ames from CASP ~ THANK YOU!

Last year Glen Ames raised enough money to build a rainwater harvesting tank at Kinu School in Uganda. This tank is dedicated to the collection of water for irrigating multiple demonstration gardens and a nursery. The nursery will provide plants and tree samplings to support food gardens at the 12 Ugandan schools that are part of the Canada Africa School Partnership (CASP) network.

The members of the CASP wish to express their sincere thanks!