August is Water Quality Month

Rachel Beckwith was almost 9 years old when she heard about Charity: Water, an organization that works to get clean water to kids in Africa. Until then, she had no idea that kids her own age around the world didn't have clean water to drink, and she was determined to make a difference. So instead of asking for presents for her 9th birthday, Rachel asked family and friends to donate $9 to the charity. She had a big goal of $300, but only made it to $220, still a pretty awesome gift!

Sadly, Rachel died in a car accident a month after her birthday. Rachel's story spread, and people all over the world were so inspired by what she had tried to accomplish that they began sending in their own gifts towards her goal. One month later, over 30,000 people gave more than $1,200,000!

This week's Kid Power post is dedicated to what Rachel wanted to achieve, clean water for everyone. While you most definitely can (with the help of a parent or guardian!) donate to organizations that work to get clean water to kids around the world, you can also do your part for better water quality right at home! Here are some actions that you can take:

• Make sure sprinklers on your lawn are watering the plants and grass, not streets and driveways.
• Keep all garbage in recycling bins or garbage cans because litter left on the sidewalk gets swept up into waterways. Gross!
• If you spot a leaky faucet in your home, tell a parent or guardian so they can fix it immediately. Though it may seem like a tiny leak, it can add up to a lot of water waste over time! 
• Take shorter showers to conserve water. 
•  Use rain barrels to catch rainwater running off your roof. You can use this water to water plants, clean windows, or wash your car!

Water is incredibly important for everyone, so we should all do our part to keep it as fresh as possible. Let’s work together to conserve our most precious resource!

— En-Szu, STACKS Intern (a.k.a. MidnightMagic5)

Comments

[Comment #1]

at school whenever I see a leaking sink I stop it. That is a sad story.

[Comment #2]

How nice. It's a big bummer she died.

[Comment #3]

A girl that small could make a difference!

[Comment #4]

It is amazing how people make differences in other people's life. I do believe that the last part of the story was sad but her intensions were good.

[Comment #5]

That's so sad! I'm all for consevation. If a faucet anywhere near me is leaking, and it's just not turned off properly, I just have to turn it off. It's drives me nuts. R.I.P. Rachel. :(

[Comment #6]

Wow! So sad that she died.

[Comment #7]

What an inspirational story!

[Comment #8]

I wish I could help but my parents won't let me.