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This patch and all program supplies are available from our partner site MakingFriends®.com.
Suggested Prerequisite
Completing one of the above Patch Program®s is a suggested prerequisite for earning your Clean Water Advocate Patch. Your volunteer experience will help provide you with the knowledge needed to advocate for clean water. You can also opt to complete the Shore Improvement or Sea Life Protector patch requirements during the time you earn this volunteer patch.
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Requirement 1: Research It!
Less than 3% of Earth’s water is fresh water. Most of that 3% is inaccessible. It’s icecaps, glaciers and ground water. Only about 0.3% of our fresh water is lakes, rivers, and swamps. So almost all of Earth’s water is unusable by humans and other living things. We have to use this valuable resource very wisely. An important first step is to educate ourselves and others about the importance of clean water.
Most of the drinking water in the United States is very clean but many other parts of the world have serious problems with water contamination. Swimming in polluted water can also make you sick as well as eating contaminated seafood.
Discussion Points:
- Is there or has there ever been an issue with drinking water in your area? Was it resolved? Helpful Link: Tap Water Contamination
- What causes tap water to become contaminated? Helpful Link: Water
- Find out how drinking water is treated. Helpful Link: Community Water Treatment
- What causes water pollution? Helpful Link: Everything You Need to Know
- What can you do to protect yourself from water pollution: Helpful Link: How to Protect Yourself from Water Pollution
- What can you do to prevent water pollution? Helpful Link: Ten Things You Can Do to Reduce Water Pollution
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Requirement 2: Do It!
Choose a clean water issue to advocate for. Some ideas:
- Advocate to have the tap water quality tested in your home, school, meeting place or other public building in your community.
- Educate your neighbors about properly disposing of hazardous waste such as medicine, paints and other chemicals.
- Advocate to local landscape businesses to offer lawn maintenance with greener options. Ask your family and neighbors to minimize the use of pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers.
- Advocate to have a specific body of water tested in your area.
- Educate your neighbors about motor oil, antifreeze, or coolant. If their car is leaking it can end up in our water.
- Advocate for cleaner industry practices.
Who do you want to reach? Some ideas:
- Your Family
- Neighbors
- Politicians — Helpful link: How to Contact Your Elected Officials
- Classmates
- Your Fellow Worshipers
- Other Groups or Organizations
How will you reach them? Helpful link: How to Advocate for Your Cause
Some Ideas:
- Talk to them. Consider wearing a button as a conversation starter.
- Hand out flyers. Consider setting up a booth to collect donations if allowed.
- Hang tags on doors and mail boxes.
- Make posters.
- Reach out with social media such as Facebook.
- Send a press release to your local newspaper or school newspaper. Helpful link: How to write a press release.
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Requirement 3: Review It!
Always remember to thank those who helped with your advocacy program.
Ways to say Thank You:
- Personally thank individuals and businesses who helped. A hand written letter is always nice. Helpful link: How to write a thank you letter.
- Thank the community as a whole with posters.
- Create a follow up press release and include the names of individuals and businesses who participated.
- Thank the community as a whole on social media.
- Give certificates of appreciation
Discuss Your Advocacy Project
- Do you think your advocacy project advanced the promotion of clean water?
- Will you continue?
- What else can you do to promote clean water in your community?
Congratulations! You have earned the Clean Water Advocate Patch. It can be purchased at our partner site MakingFriends®.com.
You can become an Environment Welfare Advocate by earning all 5 environment advocate level patches.
Find out more about becoming a Clean Water Delegate.
See all our current Advocate level Patch Program®s:
Related Fun Patch Ideas:
Note: Many of the links provided to assist with completing our Patch Program®s are external and do not imply an endorsement or recommendation. At the time of publication, external content was vetted to the best of our ability. Your views and ideas may vary and we do not intend for you to substitute our opinions for yours. Research the topic thoroughly before beginning a project. As always, make sure children access the internet only under safe-surfing conditions.
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