Goal 6 - Clean water and sanitation
The water on Earth has existed since Earth was formed. The water we drink is the same water that the dinosaurs drank. It’s all reused in a fantastic cycle. The problem is that we pollute the water in a completely different way than the dinosaurs did, and therefore we have to purify the water. Only ever flush pee, poop, and toilet paper down the toilet.
In other countries, there are families who do not have clean water or toilets. Think about how that would be. Where would you poop if you didn’t have a toilet at home?
The challenge – Capture the water vapour
Clean water is a prerequisite for all life on earth and every living thing. Humans, animals and plants release water. We say that this water "evaporates". The water that evaporates turns into water vapour, which forms clouds. The water falls from the clouds as rain on plants that soak up the water. Then the water evaporates from the plants and turns into water vapour. The vapour becomes clouds, which become rain, and so on and so forth, in a never-ending cycle. That’s why we can say that we are drinking the same water as the dinosaurs – because it’s always the same water that makes its way through this cycle.
Capture vapour from plants:
- Water a potted plant.
- Drape a plastic bag over the potted plant and use tape to close the plastic bag around the stem. Place the potted plant in a bright, warm spot.
- After a while, examine the plastic bag. It may take a long time – perhaps several days, depending on what kind of plant you use.
- What do you see?
Capture vapour from yourself:
- Insert your hand into a plastic bag and fasten it around your hand using a loose rubber band.
- Wait a few minutes. Feel free to move around while you wait!
- How does it feel inside the plastic bag?
- What does it look like inside the plastic bag?
Material
