TRACK YOUR WATER USE

Pope Francis writes that “Access to safe drinkable water is a basic and universal human right…” (Laudato Si). This is important because unlike here in the US, many people around the world do not have this access, or cannot afford it. In some places people even fight over water!

For one week, keep track of when, how, and for how long you used water. Make a chart with three columns: Time of Day, How I Used Water, How Long I Had the Water Running. (Or use the chart we provide in ‘Resources for this lesson’.)

Report your findings each day to a partner. Brainstorm ways that you can cut down your water usage. (Extension: find and use an online Water Use Calculator.)

Discuss: What surprised you about how you were using water? How difficult was it to reduce your usage? How can we remind ourselves that water is a resource we share with the world?

RAISE YOUR VOICE

Make posters, videos, or presentations to share with your school community about why we should honor God’s creation and how to conserve water. Share what you are doing on Instagram.

@DiscoverYourNeighbor.

BE A GLOBAL NEIGHBOR

Did you know that you can participate in providing clean water for people around the world? Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers work with communities to harvest rainwater, install clean water filtration systems, and build dams and wells. Visit DiscoverYourNeighbor.org to support these efforts as a family, classroom, school, or parish.

You can support these efforts as a family, classroom, school or parish.

ENGAGE YOUR FAMILY

Share what you have learned about why we need to care for creation with the people in your home. Ask them to describe what they love about God’s creation or where they see God in the world around them.

Brainstorm three ways over the next month that you can take better care of the environment together.

EXTENSION: Track your water usage together as a family and commit to using less water.