Episode Ten - Protecting Ohio’s Water

Discuss

• Arthur Morgan said there was “no precedent” for his proposed response to the 1913 Dayton Flood.  What was distinctive about his response?  Why do you think it was controversial? 

• A “systems perspective” takes in all the many ways water is used within the watershed.  What are the different ways mentioned in this episode?  Why might some of these intended uses be at odds with one another?  How are the competing needs of users balanced?

• What makes environmental issues difficult for journalists to cover? Why does environmental coverage tend to be “event driven”? 

• Algal blooms have been documented in Lake Erie since the 1950’s.  Why is it so difficult to address the problem?  How does the H2Ohio initiative try to address the problem? 

• How big is the Ohio River watershed?  CROW--Citizens for the Rights of the Ohio River Watershed--is trying to gain legal recognition for the “rights” of the watershed.  What do you think such recognition would entail?  What strategies is CROW pursuing? 

• In 2014, the citizens of Toledo went without safe drinking water for three days due to the effects of toxic algal blooms and cyanobacteria. Yet when Toledo passed the Lake Erie Bill of Rights to protect their water supply in 2019, a federal judge ruled that the measure failed to strike an "appropriate balance between environmental protection and economic activity.” What do you think is the appropriate balance?  Who should bear the costs of environmental protection?

Listen

Listen to Betsy Otto, director of the Water Program at the World Resource Institute, discuss  Solutions to the Global Water Crisis

Mrs. Green's World is a global education platform that produces tangible solutions to inspire action, raising  awareness about climate reality, sustainability, innovation and mindful living through our training, podcasts, media, public speaking and events. Listen to their podcast on  Navajo Nation and Clean Water: The Story of Two Sisters 

Watch

Dr. Kelsey Leonard is a water scientist, legal scholar, policy expert, writer, and enrolled citizen of the Shinnecock Nation. Watch her TED talk on Why Lakes and River Should Have the Same Rights as Humans 

Watch this Frontline documentary about the Flint Water Crisis.

Read

Read here about The Sister Tour and their work in Flint Michigan. The Sister Tour is a community organization of artists from Flint MI created in the midst of a man-made water crisis that is a creative response, expression of resilience and a form of social justice for the people of Flint that continue to live without access to clean water and who pay the highest water bills in the country.  They are featured in the Agraria Honoring Water conference November 5 and 6, 2021. This is their conference presentation description:  “The Sister Tour was birthed out of distress and the need to walk together toward free thinking and clean water. Journey with Amber and Shea through Flint as they highlight ways to use soft power as a tool to merge art and activism in order to achieve sustainable goals, and learn what life is like navigating contaminated waters to discover atmospheric solutions.

In this article in Regeneration Weekly, Kevin Silverman writes hopefully about turning the tide of our water crises with regenerative agriculture. 

Managing Water Sustainably is key to the future of food and agriculture. 

Since 2012, Imagine Waterworks has helped lead positive changes at a local level in how we think about living with water, working in an intersection of reducing risk from flooding, pollution, and natural hazards. They work in the areas of climate justice, water management, and disaster readiness and response.

The Rich Earth Institute turns human urine into fertilizer. This pioneering work supports sustainable agriculture and protects vital water resources. 

The Flow Partnership is a UK-based NGO, working to rejuvenate landscapes and counter the increasing threat of floods, droughts, soil erosion, habitat loss at their source. They are featured in Agraria’s Pathways to Regeneration: Honoring Water conference, November 5-6, 2021. 

Read about the on-going legal struggles and hope for the Lake Erie Bill of Rights. 

Read about the work of  Citizens for the Rights of the Ohio River Watershed. 

H2Ohio is Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s initiative to  reduce harmful algal blooms, improve wastewater infrastructure, and prevent lead contamination.

Do

Here is a website for water activities for students. 

And here is another for project ideas for learning about how to combat water pollution.