Speaking THE LAST DROP Water covers 70% of our planet and it is easy to think that it will always be plentiful. However, the freshwater we drink, bathe in and irrigate our fields with is incredibly rare. Only 3% of the world s water is fresh water and two-thirds of that is blocked in frozen glaciers or otherwise unavailable for our use. VANCOUVER WORLD WATER COUNCIL CONFERENCE 2016 OUR THIRSTY WORLD 1 ROLE PLAYING. Build up a dialogue using the text below as a guide. Student A: you are a journalist who is writing a report on the environment for an Italian magazine. Student B: you are Walter Thompson, a committed environmentalist who edits a climate change news service on Canada Channel 7 Television. Groundwater STUDENT A Surface Runoff STUDENT B Introduce yourself. Ask about freshwater supplies in the world. Welcome student A. Answer that there are problems, but also possible solutions. Ask about the solutions. Give information about the two possible paths. Ask about the efforts to save water. Give examples about local municipalities and Beijing. ACTIVITIES Abstract from the lecture The Last Drop by Walter Thompson: 1. The days of cheap and abundant freshwater are coming to an end. 2. Solutions to solve our water problems. 3. Two ways to go forward. 4. Hard path solutions: supersize dams, pipelines to deliver water over huge distances. 5. Soft path solutions: conservation and efficiency, community-scale infrastructure, protection of aquatic ecosystems. 6. Local municipalities use wastewater from treatment plants to irrigate parks, gardens and sport fields. 7. Beijing is already reusing almost 100% of wastewater. 8. Desalinating water, recycling water, capturing and filtering storm water. 9. Turn off water when brushing teeth. Better a shower than a bath. Check taps at home to avoid dripping. 10. We may not get all the water we want but we can have the water we need. Ask about the ways to get water Give the information requested. in the future. Ask about everyday actions to save water. Give the information requested. THE ENVIRONMENT Module 1 41