Make a Splash on June 12—Our Next Climate Action Day!
On Wednesday, June 12, 2024, schools around the city will participate in our fourth Climate Action Day of the year! This month, the theme is water, which encourages schools to plan activities that show how we can conserve water, and how we can adapt to changes in our city, like more rainfall and intense storms.
Did you know? Access to clean drinking water helps keep New Yorkers healthy and hydrated—we use over one billion gallons every day in NYC! In addition to drinking water, we’re also surrounded by it: our city has 520 miles of waterfront—longer than Miami, Boston, Los Angeles, and San Francisco combined.
There are lots of great ways that you can celebrate along with us, like bringing a reusable water bottle to school every day, keeping litter off of our streets and out of our waterways, and reducing how much water you use both at home and at school.
You can also learn how to design and build a water filter with materials you already have around your home, which is a great way to start learning about what it takes to make our drinking water clean and safe:
How to Make Your Own Water Filter*
Materials:
- An empty, clear plastic water bottle
- Scissors
- Cheesecloth or gauze
- Rubber bands
- Materials for your filter, such as cotton balls, sand or gravel, coffee filters, etc.
Instructions:
- Create a dirty water sample: this can be done in many ways; try adding soil or dirt with tap water, or—for a bigger challenge—try adding food coloring or vinegar.
- Build the filter cartridge:
- Start by carefully cutting the water bottle in half, across the width of the bottle.
- Remove the cap from the bottle. Put gauze or cheesecloth over the opening and secure it with the rubber band.
- Turn the top half of the bottle upside down (so the part with the cheesecloth or gauze is facing down) and place it into the bottom half of the bottle.
- Design a filter: Mix or layer the filter materials you’ve collected in the top of your filter cartridge. Write down what filtration materials you used and how much.
- Test and evaluate the results: Pour the dirty water sample into the filter and observe the water that comes out at the bottom of the filter. Write down any observations about how effective the filter was at cleaning the water—like how long it took, what worked well, and what could be improved.
- Revise, and try again! Based on what was observed in step 4, make changes to the filter, and test it again, using the same amount of wastewater for each test.
*Please note that this activity is not designed to make drinkable water. No matter how “clean” your filtered water looks, you should never drink it because it still may contain pollutants you can’t see.
For even more great ideas for this month’s Climate Action Day, including other activities and projects that you can do, educators can utilize our Sustainability Resource Bank. You can also share the ways that you’re participating online with us @NYCSchools using the hashtag #ClimateActionDays.
More Project Ideas
Climate action isn’t limited to just one day; if you missed any of our previous Climate Action Days, check out the posts below for more projects for you and your family to do at home this summer or throughout the year that will help teach about the importance of sustainability and conservation!
- Energy Climate Action Day: Make your own “solar oven” out of a pizza box and enjoy a tasty snack cooked with the power of the sun.
- Waste Climate Action Day: Make an upcycled bird feeder with an empty milk carton.
- Health, Wellness, and Green Spaces Climate Action Day: Make your own self-watering planter from recycled materials.
