Rivers At Risk
Today's class focused on reviewing the life stages of rivers, as well as discussing some of the risks that face rivers. All around our planet, rivers are endangered and experiencing great distress. As Pete McBride stated in today's video "All rivers should be considered sacred, because they give us life."
The key stresses on rivers that we discussed are:
- Plastic Waste and Garbage - the Citarum
- Industrial pollution and factory waste - The Yamuna
- Damning, irrigation and climate change - the Colorado
- Border Geopolitics - the Rio Grande
- Mega Dams - The Belo Monte Dam in the Amazon
I think it's also important to stress and highlight the ongoing conflicts on our rivers in British Columbia, whether it be over the Sacred Headwaters in Northern B.C., or over the impacts of oil and gas exploration in Wet'suwet'en Territory, and how that will affect their waterways.
Here are the video clips that we watched together as a class:
And then we took a look at the Ganges River in great detail, by watching the Chasing Rivers Part 2 documentary, which followed Pete McBride and his team as they travelled from the source to sea, along the Ganges river.
After that, we discussed the answers to our discussion questions, and then build reviewed our parts of a river, by building river models with play-doh. You're never too old!
HOMEWORK - Taking a Closer Look - Exploring the impact of Hydroelectric Mega Dams like the Three Gorges Dam, or exploring an endangered river of your choice. Here's the link to the homework details, and you will post your assignment on Teams.
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