Why should I worry about water, there's plenty isn't there? We all need clean water, but the supply is limited. There is no new water... we just use the same water over and over again. When you washed your face this morning, you might have used the same water that George Washington once used to take a bath. All the water on earth is over 4 billion years old, so you can bet somebody's used it before you. If all the water on earth could fit into a gallon milk jug, only one tablespoon of it would be fresh water. Of that tablespoon, nearly half is presently polluted. How each of us treats the water that flows through our lives really matters.

What you can do. Be a water detective. Solve the mystery of where your water has been before it comes out of your faucet, and where it goes when it disappears down your drain. Who used it before you? Who cleaned it up so you could brush your teeth with it? Who will use it after you've finished with it? Just realizing that you're sharing the same water with lots of other people, may help you see that keeping water clean is everyone's responsibility.

National Geographic's Rivers 2001 Site Cool river graphics, and fun projects for kids. http://www.nationalgeographic.org/geographyaction/

Environmental Protection Agency Projects, experiments and art to help you learn about protecting your environment. http://www.epa.gov/ow/kids.html/