GAP hosted the 2017 National Water Explorer Awards at the Axis in Ballymun last month.
The Top 5 Water Explorer schools in Ireland competed for the chance to move on to the international awards in London. The school’s presented the water saving work they  had done throughout the year to a panel of three judges:
- Environmental Expert Duncan Stewart
- Director of Global Action Plan Ireland Shane Bissett and
- CEO of HSBC Ireland Alan Duffy.
Castleisland Community College from Co. Kerry were crowned the national champions with Kiltegan N.S. from Co. Wicklow as runner ups.
WATER EXPLORER – WHAT TEACHERS THOUGHT ABOUT THE PROGRAMME?
Schools have worked all year to complete Water Explorer challenges in order to learn about the importance of saving water and how precious it is.
When asked about their Water Explorer experience leading up to the awards, teachers commented:
“From the very outset Water Explorer. has been a most engaging and exciting project for the children. It has dovetailed readily into the teaching objectives of the rest of the curriculum and supplemented so many areas to great effect. The children have been encouraged to consider environmental and ecological issues and to propose solutions. They have also learned to express their concerns and not only to modify their attitudes and behaviors, but to encourage others to do the same.” – Helen Oxley, Kiltegan National School
“As a teacher, Water Explorer has been just as absorbing for me as for my pupils and has encouraged me to develop new skills in IT and photography, creativity and pedagogy. A most worthwhile project.”Â
“Students are more aware of global water shortage and are now committed water conservationists” – Catherine Fleming, Vicarstown National School
WATER EXPLORER – WHAT PUPILS THOUGHT?
When asked what being a Water Explorer meant to students, they replied:
“Being a Water Explorer means you are responsible for your school’s water.”
“I can help save the world.”
“Being a water explorer means that I can help to stop water pollution.”
“Being a Water Explorer is very important to me because it means that I learn more about saving water.”
With Eutrophication, or an excess in nutrients in water sources due to run off, as the number 1 cause of water pollution in Ireland, there is no doubt that each citizen is capable of stopping water pollution. After all 53% of the the pollution in rivers in Ireland come from agriculture and 34% come from municipal sources.
SOURCE: EPA: WATER [online] Available at:Â http://www.epa.ie/irelandsenvironment/water/
Check out GAP’s water saving actions which are easy to implement at home or in work: