4-H Event Stresses Importance of Protecting Water Supply

Whether they were 4-H’ers seeking to learn how to conserve and protect the water supply or surfers concerned about cleanliness of the ocean, the San Mateo County Events Center was the place to be on Saturday.

The San Mateo/San Francisco Counties 4-H sponsored the workshop “4-H20 WOW - World of Water;” filling the day with activities and experiments designed to show the importance of water conservation and protecting water quality.

4-H Youth Development Program Representative Mary Meyer said the workshop offered an opportunity for children and adults alike to realize that as individuals they could play a major part in conserving water and protecting its quality.

“I’m satisfied just knowing that people care enough to show up,” said Meyer about the turnout for the workshop.

Meyer, who grew up on a 200-acre ranch, said she learned early the importance of water. The family’s livelihood depended on access to clean water.

“I helped my dad irrigate. I fed water to the animals,” Meyer said.

Meyer realizes that those who do not depend on water for their livelihood may underestimate the importance of water. She felt the workshop might help people appreciate how fortunate they are to live in a place with an abundance of clean water.  

In keeping with the 4-H learn-by-doing philosophy, the workshop provided multiple opportunities for participants to do hands-on activities to learn about the watershed, aquifers, radiation, and how human activities impact the environment.

California 4-H Science, Engineering, and Technology Coordinator Steven Worker demonstrated how carbon dioxide builds up in the atmosphere and its connection to climate change.

“Our curriculum uses an experiential learning model. It’s hands on and gets kids doing activities,” Worker said.

Worker was assisted in his carbon dioxide experiment by Jessica Choi, a 4-H’er from Alameda County. Choi said one of the main reasons she wanted to be part of the workshop is that she enjoys science and believes strongly in the workshop’s message.

“It’s really important that we try to conserve water,” Choi said.

While many of the participants in the workshop were from San Mateo County, there were 4-H leaders from as far north as Crescent City, Calif.

Jaclyn Bennett, a 4-H leader from Del Norte County, which borders the state of Oregon, came to the event to learn activities she can do with the 250 plus kids involved in the Del Norte County 4-H club.

She feels the activity designed to show how fertilizer, pesticides, and other pollutants get into the water supply would be one that would resonate with the 4-H kids in her county.

“We have a lot of dairy farms in our area, so the watershed runoff activity would be a good one to show our kids,” Bennett said. “We have a very pristine environment and we need to try to keep it that way.”

During its more than 100 years in existence, Worker said, 4-H has always sought to bring the latest scientific advancements to communities through a variety of programs, including this water quality workshop.  

While Meyer was happy with the turnout at the workshop, she feels the ultimate goal is to have workshop participants pass on the information they learned.

“If everyone just did a little, then we could make a big change,” Meyer said.

For more information on California 4-H programs and hands-on activities visit their website.

The University of California Cooperative Extension has information about 4-H development programs.