Download just water

Tonga
MODULE
T
JUST WATER:
Too Much Salty Water
MODULE T: TONGA
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Just Water: Climate Change in the Pacific Resource Series
This education module is part of a series that focuses on the challenges faced by communities in
the Pacific region as a result of climate change. The series is entitled Just Water as many of the
challenges involve water; either too much, or not enough. However, the phrase Just Water also refers
to the position of the Catholic Church - that access to sufficient, safe, fresh water is a human right
and a matter of social justice.
How to Use this Module
FOR LENT
This series was launched at the time of Lent 2017 and has been designed to integrate country
focused modules with a Lent module. Teachers and students are encouraged to use the Lent module
for the first and last week of Lent. The country modules (including this one) could be used as a
unique focus each week with at least one lesson provided at each learning level. Common themes
cross over between the countries and the order in which they are covered does not matter.
WEEK 1
WEEK 2
Lent 2017
LENT
MODULE
Kiribati
JUST WATER:
This module contains:
WEEK 3
MODULE
K
JUST WATER:
Climate Change
in the Pacific
Rising Sea Levels
WEEK 4
Tonga
MODULE
T
WEEK 5
Fiji
JUST WATER:
MODULE
F
JUST WATER:
Too Much Salty Water
Extreme Weather
WEEK 6
Papua New Guinea
Lent 2017
MODULE
P
This module contains:
Climate Change
in the Pacific
Background information
•
Background information
First Week of Lent lessons and worksheets
•
First Week of Lent lessons and worksheets
•
Holy Week lessons (on the last two pages of this module)
•
Holy Week lessons (on the last two pages of this module)
LENT
MODULE
MODULE K
KIRIBATI
MODULE T
TONGA
MODULE F
FIJI
MODULE P
PNG
MODULE
JUST WATER:
JUST WATER:
Too Much or Too Little
•
•
Refer to the Teacher Booklet and other country modules for
more information in this series.
LENT
LENT
MODULE
Refer to the Teacher Booklet and other country modules for
more information in this series.
AS A STAND-ALONE UNIT
The country modules have also been designed so that teachers can use them as separate teaching
units for schools and classes. Lessons could be easily adapted to provide a range of relevant
activities for students across all levels.
Online Resources and Curriculum Links
All resources referred to in the lessons (including worksheets
and videos) can be accessed at www.caritas.org.nz. All
relevant achievement objectives can be found within the
Teacher Booklet available online at the same address above.
This booklet also provides a good summary of the series and
contains a list of all the elements available online and how they
can be used together.
Look out for Links to Stories from our Environment Reports for Oceania
Many of the stories that are central to the lessons in this series link with the voices that are found in
Caritas’ Pacific environment reports published over the last few years. An icon of the relevant report
can be found on the story and video summary pages along with the page reference where more
information can be found.
CARITAS AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND JUST WATER: CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PACIFIC
MODULE T: TONGA
FACT SHEETS
Country Profile: Tonga
BACKGROUND:
Tonga is a Polynesian kingdom of more than 170 islands, many uninhabited, most lined in white
beaches and coral reefs and covered with tropical rainforest. The main island, Tongatapu, is
protected by lagoons and limestone cliffs. Tonga never completely lost its indigenous governance.
The archipelagos of “The Friendly Islands” were united into a Polynesian kingdom in 1845. Tonga
became a constitutional monarchy in 1875 and a British protectorate in 1900; it withdrew from the
protectorate and joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 1970. Tonga remains the only monarchy in
the Pacific.
Capital:Nuku’alofa
Language:English and Tongan 87%, Tongan (official) 11%, English (official) 1%,
other 1%
Ethnic breakdown:
Tongan 97%, other 3%
Population: 106,667 (October 2016 figure)
Currency:
Tongan paʻanga
Religion:
Protestant 65%, Mormon 17%, Roman Catholic 16%, other 2%
Leaders:
Head of state: King TUPOU VI (since 2012)
Head of government: Prime Minister ‘Akilisi POHIVA (since 2014)
Area:
Total: 747 square kilometres
Temperature:Tropical climate with a warmer period (December–April), during
which the temperatures rise above 32 °C, and a cooler period (May–
November), with temperatures rarely rising above 27 °C.
Natural hazards:Cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on
Fonuafo’ou.
Current environmental issues: Deforestation results as more and more land is being cleared for
agriculture and settlement; some damage to coral reefs from starfish
and indiscriminate coral and shell collectors; overhunting threatens
native sea turtle populations.
Flag and Map:
CARITAS AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND JUST WATER: CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PACIFIC
MODULE T: TONGA
FACT SHEETS
Climate-Related Issues
Coastal Erosion and Tsunamis
The Tongan island group most affected by climate
change is the Ha’apai Islands, consisting of 62 islands
in total. Only 17 of these islands are populated. Some
of the islands are volcanoes, but most are atolls with
ring-shaped coral reefs. In some cases people live on
islands within the lagoon of the reef. In other cases
people live on the reefs themselves. Coral reefs are
generally very low-lying.
The Ha’apai Islands, and other low-lying areas in Tonga, are experiencing significant coastal erosion
as a consequence of rising sea levels. Some houses on the coast have become uninhabitable, while
coastal coconut trees are being destroyed by salty water.
These same islands are dangerous places to be after an earthquake, when there is a risk of a tsunami.
On some islands there is no higher ground for people to go to, so teachers in the schools are teaching
children to climb on the school roof or climb cell phone towers if there is a tsunami threat.
Impact of Cyclones
In 1982, Cyclone Isaac displaced 45,000 people in Tonga. This was almost half of the country’s
population at that time.
In January 2014, the Ha’apai Islands were devastated by Cyclone Ian. Half of the population was
displaced and an estimated US$50 million worth of damage was done. Caritas funds helped to
rebuild homes and schools.
More recently, Cyclone Winston caused damage in parts of the Ha’apai Island group and the Vava’u
group. These extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and more ferocious in Tonga.
Drought
As global temperatures rise, the Ha’apai Islands are experiencing longer periods without rain. In 2013
there was a drought that lasted for four months. Emergency water supplies had to be brought in to
assist families whose rain water tanks were running dry. In the summer of 2015/16 there was another
serious drought.
Fresh Water Supply Issues
People of the Ha’apai islands, and in Popua on Tongatapu, rely on rainwater collection for their fresh
water supplies. Over the years, water tanks have been made from cement, aluminium, fibreglass and
now plastic. But whatever the tanks are made of, measures
need to be taken to ensure that the water stored in them
remains fresh. Prolonged water storage and leaks in the
seals of tanks can lead to impurities getting into the water,
such as bacteria, waterborne diseases and insects. Such
water contamination can lead to waterborne illness such as
diarrhoea and dengue fever.
Rusted currugated iron roofs also contribute to unsanitary
water collection.
CARITAS AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND JUST WATER: CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PACIFIC
MODULE T: TONGA
FACT SHEETS
Caritas in Action
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand has worked with Caritas Tonga since 1999 to assist Tongans affected
by droughts, cyclones and coastal erosion as well as community development programmes. Funds
from Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand have helped to provide emergency supplies such as tarpaulins,
bottled water, hygiene kits and food. New Zealand funds have also assisted with rebuilding schools
and homes affected by cyclones.
From 2014-2016, Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand completed a water catchment rehabilitation
project on the Ha’apai Islands. This involved renovating some of the one hundred year old concrete
community water catchment tanks that had fallen into disrepair, as well as providing new rotomould
plastic tanks in community centres, and providing some individual houses with water tanks.
Often church and school
halls are the sites for new
water tanks so that the
whole community can have
access to them as a back-up
supply if their own tanks
run dry.
Disaster Preparedness
In 2015 Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand’s Humanitarian Officer, Mark Mitchell, conducted a disaster
preparedness seminar with staff members of Caritas Tonga and the Tonga National Youth Council.
Staff learned how to manage and distribute pre-positioned supplies, and to assemble emergency
water filtration and supply equipment. An Oxfam representative was also part of the training day.
Oxfam partners with Caritas Tonga in the area of water distribution, and Caritas Aotearoa New
Zealand assists with other emergency supplies.
Caritas Tonga are also prepared for natural disasters by
keeping pre-positioned supplies in a small warehouse on
Tongatapu, and some supplies are on the Vava’u islands. These
supplies have been gifted by the New Zealand government at
the request of Oxfam New Zealand and Caritas Aotearoa New
Zealand. As well as food and water, there are also pots, pans
and stoves stored here. Once a month the Tonga National
Youth Congress, a local social justice group, take a stock-take
of items in the warehouse, to make sure they are prepared
whenever an emergency occurs.
Climate Change Officer Project
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand is also funding the work of a Climate
Change Officer for Caritas Tonga, Amelia Ma’afu.
Amelia’s main responsibilities are visiting communities to gather
data and knowledge of local and traditional methods for dealing
with climate change; conducting training to raise awareness
of climate change and researching methods of adaptation
and mitigation. She is also developing an action plan with the
communities, local and national government authorities and civil
society to respond to climate change and build resilience.
CARITAS AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND JUST WATER: CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PACIFIC
MODULE T: TONGA
FACT SHEETS
Cultural Connection: Sweet Treats
Follow the recipe below to create a favourite Tongan sweet treat
– banana dumplings (Faikakai Malimali)
Faikakai Malimali
MAKING FAIKAKAI MALIMALI:
To make the coconut syrup (lolo) you firstly put the
sugar in a small saucepan over a low heat and dissolve
it slowly. Before it boils add in the coconut cream
and stir until the mixture thickens. Set aside to let the
mixture cool down.
INGREDIENTS:
(to serve approximately 8 people)
For the coconut syrup (lolo)
1 cup sugar
1 cup coconut cream
For dumplings (topais)
2 cups plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1½ cups shredded coconut
2 ripe bananas (mashed)
1 vanilla bean (grated)
2 tablespoons sugar
½ cup water
3 tablespoons butter
Start boiling a large pot of water before making the
dumplings (topais) and then lower the temperature
to let it simmer. While this is happening mix the flour,
baking powder, bananas, sugar, vanilla, and just a
½ cup of the shredded coconut in a bowl. After mixing
the ingredients gradually add ½ cup of water and
continue mixing to form a dry dough. Break this
dough and roll into spheres about the size of golf balls
and place these in the pot of simmering water. Boil
the dumplings gently for about 15 minutes or until
cooked right through. Once cooked let the dumplings
drain and set aside to cool down.
Melt the butter in a large fry pan over medium heat.
Add the remaining 1 cup of shredded coconut and
stir this in the pan until the coconut turns golden.
Now put the dumplings in the pan and coat with
the coconut for a couple of minutes. Remove the
dumplings carefully.
The final step is to serve the dumplings with the
coconut syrup that was prepared earlier and enjoy!
Tongan children love sports like netball and rugby too – you could burn off some energy after eating the treats!
CARITAS AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND JUST WATER: CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PACIFIC
MODULE T: TONGA
FACT SHEETS
Science Says: Fresh Water Facts
Many of these facts about fresh water are both remarkable and alarming:
•
About 71 per cent of the earth’s surface is covered in water but only 2.5% of all the water on
earth is freshwater.
•
An estimated 30 per cent of fresh water is water found in underground holding areas known
as ‘aquifers’. Once the water from an aquifer has been removed the holding area can take as
long as tens of thousands of years to refill.
•
We used to think that fresh water was as renewable and common as sunlight or wind. Now
we know that there is a limited supply of it.
•
While people in developed countries like New Zealand have clean water available almost
24/7 from household taps, 783 million people in the world lack access to clean fresh water.
•
2.4 billion people lack access to basic sanitation such as toilets.
•
More than 80 per cent of wastewater that returns to rivers and seas has not had pollutants
removed from it.
•
Every day nearly 1,000 children die from water and sanitation-related diseases.
•
In some countries fetching water can take so much time that often children who collect
water don’t have time to go to school.
•
As climate change continues, wet parts of the world will get wetter and dry places will get
drier.
•
By 2050, at least one in four people is likely to live in a country affected by chronic or
recurring shortages of fresh water.
•
People living in coastal areas, including most of us who live in the Pacific, will be exposed to
higher storm surges, intrusion of salt water into freshwater aquifers, and other risks such as
flooding, as sea levels rise.
Whanganui River at Hiruharama, after flooding in June 2015
CARITAS AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND JUST WATER: CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PACIFIC
MODULE T: TONGA
KEY STORIES
Story A: Katalina Vea’s House
P27
Settlers from elsewhere in Tonga first moved to Popua, an area of land beside the lagoon
on the island of Tongatapu, in 1982, after being displaced from other islands as a consequence of
Cyclone Isaac. The people who built houses here accept that there are ‘environmental challenges’
inherent in living so close to a lagoon. Excessive rain causes flooding of their houses, and during high
tides water can come right up to their front doors.
Katalina Vea and her family bought 97 truckloads of stones and topsoil to actually reclaim some of
the land on the lagoon. In 2009 they built a house out of old corrugated iron sheets on this reclaimed
land. With no access to underground fresh water sources, Katalina harvested rain water from her
roof.
This original house had two small bedrooms and a living area. Cooking was done in an outdoor
kitchen, and the toilet was in a separate outbuilding.
Katalina, her husband and six children lived
in this house until 2015, when her new house
(built with funds donated by the Mormon
Church and earnings from her son) was
completed.
Katalina’s original house by the sea
The new house has an adjoining bathroom
which means Katalina’s husband, who has
gout, doesn’t have to walk very far to a
bathroom at night. There is a kitchen that is
detached from the house.
Katalina is very happy with her new house which
is larger and stronger than her original home.
However, fresh water access is still an issue.
Katalina and five of her neighbours have collected
funds to the value of TOP 2900 to pay for
connecting underground water to their homes.
Although their money was given to the relevant
government department several months ago,
the water is still not connected. Katalina thinks
it may be simpler to get a Rotomould tank to
store drinking water rather than dealing with
government departments! At the moment her
water is stored in the containers pictured below
but this water is not clean enough to drink. They
use this water for washing and cleaning purposes.
They buy 20 litre bottles of drinking water from the
shops for drinking. This is expensive so Katalina
wants to find a better solution to her fresh water
problems soon.
Katalina’s new house
CARITAS AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND JUST WATER: CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PACIFIC
MODULE T: TONGA
KEY STORIES
Story B: Soane Vili
Soane Vili is the principal of Pangai primary school on the island of Lifuka (in the Ha’apai Island
group).
The Ha’apai Islands are made up of 62 islands, most of which are coral atolls and reefs. Only 17 of
these islands are inhabited.
Coral atolls are very low-lying. The highest point on Lifuka would not be more than two metres high.
This means that the Ha’apai Islands are very at risk from rising sea levels, storm surges, and other big
waves, such as tsunami.
Soane is the chairman of Caritas Ha’apai. This means that he meets regularly with staff from Caritas
Tonga to talk about ways that the people on his island can adapt to some of the effects of climate
change.
Soane teaches the children what to do if they think a big wave might be coming. The posters outside
the classroom tell the children to go to higher ground. The Lifuka High School is on slightly higher
ground, so the children could go there. However, Soane thinks the safest thing for the children to do
is either to climb the cell phone tower behind the school or climb onto the school roof.
CARITAS AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND JUST WATER: CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PACIFIC
MODULE T: TONGA
KEY STORIES
Story C: Amelia Ma’afu, Climate Change Officer
P59
for Caritas Tonga
Amelia Ma’afu is a staff member of Caritas Tonga.
She works tirelessly to help people who are facing difficulties as a result of climate change.
Amelia’s job involves:
•
prepositioning emergency supplies and distributing these
supplies if a natural disaster occurs
•
gathering information from communities about the traditional
farming practices which will help crops to grow in difficult
climates
•
assisting communities to have enough fresh water supplies
•
speaking at public meetings about the effects of climate change
in her country
•
working with communities and the Tongan government to come
up with plans to adapt to climate change
•
advocating for those who don’t have a voice at local and
international levels.
She also speaks out for the rights of Pacific people who are facing rising sea levels and more frequent
extreme weather events as a result of climate change.
In 2014 Amelia attended the 20th COP (Conference of Parties of the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change) meeting. She took with her a Caritas report called ‘Small, yet strong’,
which contains stories about facing the challenge of climate change in the Pacific region.
She said in her blog, It (the report) is a compilation of the voices of the poor who are the first casualties of
the effects of climate change. In it we see that although the Oceania region may be small geographically,
the strong voices of its people resonate from the Pacific Ocean in calling for climate justice!
CARITAS AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND JUST WATER: CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PACIFIC
(Y1-2)
MODULE T: TONGA
LESSONS
T1
LEARNING OUTCOMES: •
•
Compare a house in Tonga with houses in New Zealand
Identify the things that we need fresh water for
SETTING THE SCENE
Show students Poster T: Collecting Water.
Katalina’s house is very close to a lagoon and she
collects water from the roof. So why does she have
to buy bottled water from the shop to drink?
More Background Details for Teachers
Katalina Vea moved to her home by the sea in 2009
with her husband and six children. When they asked
for approval, the town officer just said, “If you want
to reclaim the land, reclaim it.”
Initially, they bought one truckload of stones,
supplemented by leftover stones from
construction jobs her husband and brother-inlaw were working on. In small holes of topsoil
in the ground, she planted an orange tree and
native plants. Along their house, other plants
grow in pots.
The house itself is made of recycled corrugated
iron. Large packing cases provide internal walls
to separate two small bedrooms from the living
area, which doubles as another bedroom. Cooking
(as with most basic homes in Tonga) is done in an
outdoor kitchen. Her husband built a toilet outside,
with the waste going to a septic tank. A broken
refrigerator gathers seawater when the tide comes
in, and that is used to flush the toilet.
After 97 truckloads of fill to build up the land,
Katalina says king tides (the highest tides of the
year) don’t normally come into the house now. The
family will put a few more truckloads of stones
down the back of the house. When that is done, they
will lay foundations for a proper house. However,
Katalina is proud of their existing home because it
was “all their own doing”.
BRAINSTORM
What is Katalina’s house made of?
Katalina lives with her husband and six children.
Does her house look big enough? How many
rooms do you think there are in Katalina’s house?
DISCUSSION
Discuss details about the construction of the
house: What is Katalina using to hold the roof
onto her house? What is holding up the walls?
Do you think that Katalina’s house would stay
standing if there was a strong wind?
Discuss details about the sea and other sources
of water: Can you see the sea behind Katalina’s
house? Can Katalina and her family drink the
sea water? Why not? What could Katalina use
the sea water for? Could it be dangerous living
so close to the sea?
How do you think Katalina collects fresh water?
Do you think it will be safe to drink? What could
make it unsafe to drink? How could Katalina
make sure it was safe to drink? How do you
collect fresh water?
ACTIVITY
Complete Worksheet T1a about what people
need fresh water for.
Or Complete Worksheet T1b about sources of
fresh water in houses in New Zealand
PRAYER
Thank you God that there is lots of rain in most
parts of New Zealand, so that most people have
plenty of fresh water to drink. We pray for places
in New Zealand, and in other countries, where it is
hard for people to get enough water. Help us to use
water carefully and not to waste it. Amen.
ACTION
Choose an action to do with saving water from
the Lent 2017 calendar.
More notes for teachers for Worksheets T1a & T1b
In June 2015, Katalina’s house was actually
rebuilt with funds from the Mormon Church
and from her son. You might like to show the
children pictures of Katalina’s new house, and
discuss with the students the ways in which this
house might be better than her old house. (See
Story A: Katalina Vea’s House.)
Despite the fact that Katalina and her family
now have a stronger house, they still have
difficulties getting fresh water.
In 2016, Katalina and her family tried to get their
house connected to an underground water supply
but there has been no progress on this to date. In
the meantime the only fresh water she has access
to, is the water coming off the roof into the plastic
containers. Because the containers are not sealed
and the water on the roof is sometimes dirty, this
water is not suitable for drinking. So Katalina and
her family actually buy drinkable water in 20 litre
bottles from the local shop.
Homes near Katalina’s house can suffer from
extensive flooding when there is a king tide or
excessive rain. Katalina says she will need to
continue to reclaim land to protect her house
from flooding and salt water intrusion.
CARITAS AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND JUST WATER: CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PACIFIC
(Y3-4)
MODULE T: TONGA
LESSONS
LEARNING OUTCOMES
•
•
Consider the possible consequences of living on flat land
Increase student’s awareness of how much fresh water they use each day
SETTING THE SCENE
ACTIVITY
The Tongan island group most affected
by climate change are the Ha’apai Islands,
consisting of 62 islands in total. Only 17 of
these islands are populated. Some of the
islands are volcanoes, some are low lying
islands made from coral limestone, and
some are atolls with ring-shaped coral reefs.
In some cases people live on islands within
the lagoon of the reef. In other cases people
live on the reefs themselves. Coral reefs are
generally very low-lying.
Every person in the Ha’apai islands uses
about 3 litres of water per day. Show the
children a 2 litre milk container. Explain that
children in Ha’apai have 1.5 x the amount of
water in this container per day, for drinking,
washing, doing dishes, cooking, etc. How
many milk containers worth of water do you
think you would use every day?
BRAINSTORM
Include water you drink and the water you
bath or shower in. Also include the water
that adults cook your food with, wash your
clothes with, and do the dishes with.
Ask the students what problems might occur
if they lived on a very flat island with no hills,
surrounded by the ocean.
Use Worksheet T2a to work out how many
2 litre containers of water you would go
through in a day.
Think about what might happen if there
was a tsunami or a storm. Think about what
might happen to water wells if salt water
from the sea got into them.
OR Try collecting rain water for a week –
either at home or at school, and see how
much you can collect. What can you use the
rain water for? Use Worksheet T2b.
VIEW
PRAYER
View PowerPoint T1: Welcome to Ha’apai
(Y3-4).
Dear Lord,
DISCUSSION
Talk about some of the things the children in
the Ha’apai islands do, that children in New
Zealand also do. What are some things about
life in the Ha’apai islands that are different to
life in New Zealand?
Talk about the weather. Are the Ha’apai
islands hotter or colder than New Zealand?
How do you know? Is the weather drier or
wetter than New Zealand?
In 2013 it didn’t rain in Ha’apai for four
months. What is the longest amount of time
that your town/region has gone without rain?
Did you run out of water? What did you do to
make sure you had enough water?
Thank you for the rain that falls on the earth,
so that plants and trees can grow, and we can
have enough to eat. We pray for countries
where there is very little rain. Thank you
for generous people who help others by
providing them with water tanks so that they
have enough water.
Amen.
ACTION
Choose an action from the Lent calendar
that is about not wasting water by using it
responsibly.
CARITAS AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND JUST WATER: CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PACIFIC
T2
(Y5-6)
MODULE T: TONGA
LESSONS
T3
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
•
•
Be aware of the amount of water used every day
Investigate the cleanliness of a local stream and how water filters work
TEACHER BACKGROUND
Testing water quality
Read Fact Sheet 4: Fresh Water in New Zealand
and Fact Sheet 5: Climate Change and Fresh
Water in New Zealand. Fact Sheet 4 contains
a link to the LAWA (Land, Water, Air Aotearoa)
website which has information about the water
quality of many of New Zealand’s major water
sources.
Use Worksheet T3a to find out about a simple
way to test water quality of a local stream.
SETTING THE SCENE
If you need more background information
about making model water filters go to
‘Interactive water filtration’ on the website
below and click on Autoplay to see how to do
the experiment.
Show students a 1 litre plastic milk bottle
or soft drink bottle. Ask them to guess how
many bottles full of water they use every day.
Considering showers, baths, the number of
times they flush the toilet per day, the water
used to cook their meals, do the dishes, brush
their teeth and wash their clothes
Have students use the water calculator in the
link below to find out their daily water use.
www.gw.govt.nz/household-water-usecalculator
VIEW
View PowerPoint T2: Welcome to the Ha’apai
Islands (Y5-6)
BRAINSTORM
It is estimated that each New Zealander uses
approximately 250 litres of water per day.
How many litres of water do you think people
on the Ha’apai islands use every day? [The
answer is about 3 litres]
Ask students to compare this with the amount of
water they calculated that they used every day.
How could people in New Zealand cut down
their water use?
ACTIVITY
Where does your water come from?
Find out where the water that is piped into your
home comes from. If you are on a town or city
supply you will be able to find this information
from the website of your local council.
If you live in a rural area, you may get water
from a local waterway. Find out if the water is
treated before you use it.
Where could you get clean water from if your
water pipes were broken or contaminated?
Are your local waterways (streams and rivers)
clean?
Use Worksheet T3b for students to make a
model water filter.
For information about how to tell if water is
healthy or not, go to...
www.wikihow.com/Identify-a-Healthy-Stream
www3.epa.gov/safewater/kids/flash/flash_
filtration.html
MORE ACTIVITIES
The following Water Care website has some
great activities to do with testing water quality
and conserving water.
www.watercare.co.nz/community/waterin-schools/water_quality/Pages/Water%20
Quality.aspx
Scroll down the page to find Water Facts,
Posters and Games. The Water Conservation
game is a good one.
The following website is a comprehensive fresh
water testing unit of work from the Department
of Conservation.
www.doc.govt.nz/Documents/getting-involved/
students-and-teachers/themes/wet-feet/wetfeet.pdf
DISCUSSION
What could people in New Zealand do to make
sure their local streams and rivers can stay clean?
How could NZ students cut down the amount
of water they use each day?
ACTION
Choose one of the actions on the Lent Calendar
that is related to conserving water. Ask students
to complete this action this week.
PRAYER
Thank you God that Aotearoa is blessed with
many beautiful lakes and rivers. Help us to care
for our waterways, so that our children and
grandchildren will also have clean water to use.
Amen.
CARITAS AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND JUST WATER: CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PACIFIC
(Y6-7)
MODULE T: TONGA
LESSONS
T4
LEARNING OUTCOMES: •
•
Understand the impact climate change is having on communities in parts of Tonga
Describe the qualities of someone who is an effective advocate for others
SETTING THE SCENE
DISCUSSION
Amelia Ma’afua is an example of someone who
brings about the Kingdom of God in practical
ways. She works tirelessly to help people in
Tonga who are facing difficulties as a result of
climate change.
Why do you think Caritas Tonga decided to
employ a climate change officer? What are
some of the things that Amelia does?
BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS
Among her jobs as Climate Change Officer are:
• prepositioning emergency supplies and
distributing these supplies if a natural
disaster occurs
• gathering information from communities
about the traditional farming practices
which will help crops to grow in difficult
climates
• assisting communities to have enough
fresh water supplies
• speaking at public meetings about the
effects of climate change in her country
• working with communities and the Tongan
government to come up with plans to
adapt to climate change
• advocating for those who don’t have a
voice at local and international levels.
Which part of Amelia’s job would you enjoy the
most?
For more background reading about Amelia,
read Story C.
MORE BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR
STUDENTS AND TEACHERS
Read Fact Sheet 1: Facts and Figures about
Water
Read Fact Sheet 2: Sustainable Development
Goal #6
Read Fact Sheet 3: Remarkable and Alarming
facts about water
BRAINSTORM
When you think of jobs that you might do
when you leave school, have you ever thought
about being a climate change officer? What do
you think a climate change officer might do?
Do you think we need climate change officers
in New Zealand?
VIEW
View PowerPoint T3: Tonga’s Climate Change
Officer – Amelia Ma’afu.
What personal qualities would Amelia need to
have in order to do her job well?
What does it mean to be an advocate for others?
Do you think Amelia is an inspiring person?
Why or why not?
How is Amelia contributing to the United
Nations Sustainable Development Goal #6?
See Fact Sheet 2: Sustainable Development
Goal #6.
ACTIVITY
Choose one of the activities listed on
Worksheet T4/5, and express your concern
about global warming in either a speech, a
haka or clap dance, or in a poem.
VIEW
View 350pacific.org/warrior-videos/ for ideas
about creating hakas or clap dances about
climate change.
Listen to Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner speaking at the
opening ceremony of the UN Climate Leaders
Summit in New York City in 2014, for ideas
about using poetry to persuade people to act
to stop climate change: www.youtube.com/
watch?v=L4fdxXo4tnY
PRAYER
Help us Lord to be advocates for Pacific Island
peoples who are suffering from the effects of
climate change. Help us to speak out and share
with others the need to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions in our own country.
May we lead by example, and take steps to
reduce our own carbon footprint.
ACTION
Invite students to choose an action from the
Lent Calendar that will help them to reduce
their carbon footprint. They can focus on this
action for a week or for the whole of Lent.
CARITAS AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND JUST WATER: CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PACIFIC
(Y9-10)
MODULE T: TONGA
LESSONS
T5
LEARNING OUTCOMES: •
•
Define the term ‘advocate’
List the qualities of an effective advocate
SETTING THE SCENE
Amelia Ma’afu is an example of someone who
brings about the Kingdom of God in practical
ways. She works tirelessly to help people in
Tonga who are facing difficulties as a result of
climate change.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS
As the Climate Change Officer her jobs include:
• prepositioning emergency supplies and
distributing these supplies if a natural
disaster occurs
• gathering information from communities
about the traditional farming practices
which will help crops to grow in difficult
climates
• assisting communities to have enough
fresh water supplies
• speaking at public meetings about the
effects of climate change in her country
• working with communities and the Tongan
government to come up with plans to
adapt to climate change
• advocating for those who don’t have a
voice at local and international levels.
For more background reading about Amelia,
read Story C.
MORE BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR
STUDENTS AND TEACHERS
Read Fact Sheet 1: Facts and Figures about
Water
Read Fact Sheet 2: Sustainable Development
Goal #6
Read Fact Sheet 3: Remarkable and Alarming
facts about water
BRAINSTORM
When you think of jobs that you might do
when you leave school, have you ever thought
about being a climate change officer? What do
you think a climate change officer might do?
Do you think we need climate change officers
in New Zealand?
VIEW
View the PowerPoint, Tonga’s Climate Change
Officer – Amelia Ma’afu.
DISCUSSION
Why do you think Caritas Tonga decided to
employ a climate change officer? What are
some of the things that Amelia does? What
personal qualities would Amelia need to have
in order to do her job well? Which part of
Amelia’s job would you enjoy the most? What
does it mean to be an advocate for others? Do
you think Amelia is an inspiring person? Why or
why not?
How is Amelia contributing to the United
Nations Sustainable Development Goal #6?
See Fact Sheet 2: Sustainable Development
Goal #6
ACTIVITY
Choose one of the activities listed on
Worksheet T4/5, and express your concern
about global warming in either a speech, a
haka or clap dance, or in a poem.
VIEW
View 350pacific.org/warrior-videos/ for ideas
about creating hakas or clap dances about
climate change.
Listen to Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner speaking at the
opening ceremony of the UN Climate Leaders
Summit in New York City in 2014, for ideas
about using poetry to persuade people to act
to stop climate change: www.youtube.com/
watch?v=L4fdxXo4tnY
PRAYER
Help us Lord to be advocates for Pacific Island
peoples who are suffering from the effects of
climate change. Help us to speak out and share
with others the need to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions in our own country.
May we lead by example, and take steps to
reduce our own carbon footprint.
ACTION
Invite students to choose an action from the
Lent Calendar that will help them to reduce
their carbon footprint. They can focus on this
action for a week or for the whole of Lent.
CARITAS AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND JUST WATER: CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PACIFIC
(Y11+)
MODULE T: TONGA
LESSONS
LEARNING OUTCOMES: •
•
Consider the values that drive decisions about the use of natural water supplies
Apply Catholic social teaching principles to decisions around water allocation SETTING THE SCENE
ACTIVITY
The bottled water industry is big business.
In New Zealand alone there are at least 17
brands of bottled water.
Worksheet T6a: What do we Value? Tensions
Over Use of Ashburton Water and Worksheet
T6b: The Business of Drinking Water will help
students to consider the values and ethics
around allocation of water resources, and
invite them to apply principles of Catholic
social teaching to this issue.
Bottled water businesses provide jobs and
generate profits for business owners.
However, the question is, can New Zealand
councils afford to continue to sell rights to
natural water supplies to private companies?
Do we have an unlimited supply of fresh
water here in New Zealand?
Is bottled water healthier than New Zealand
tap water? Or are we wasting our money on
buying bottled water?
BRAINSTORM
What are some advantages of allowing
bottled-water companies access to our
aquifers and natural springs? What are some
disadvantages?
What are some advantages of drinking
bottled water rather than tap water? What
are some disadvantages?
PRAYER
E te Atua, te Kaihanga o te Ao
The created world is your gift to us. What we
choose to do with it is our gift to you.
Help us to consider carefully how our actions
can affect our environment, and how our
choices now will affect the quality of life of
generations to come.
Amen.
ACTION
After completing one or both of the
worksheets, ask students if they think they
will change their current practice around
drinking bottled water. How many students
have decided to change their habits after
learning more about bottled water?
CARITAS AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND JUST WATER: CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PACIFIC
T6
MODULE T: TONGA
WORKSHEET
Water
Draw pictures of what you use fresh water for.
We use water for…
CARITAS AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND JUST WATER: CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PACIFIC
T1a
MODULE T: TONGA
WORKSHEET
Is it Safe to Drink?
Draw a circle around all the places in the house where
there is water.
Is the water in these places safe to drink?
Are there any places in Katalina’s house where she can get
clean water?
CARITAS AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND JUST WATER: CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PACIFIC
T1b
MODULE T: TONGA
WORKSHEET
T2a
How Much Water Did You Use Yesterday?
Underneath each picture write down the number of 2 litre containers full of water you
think you used yesterday for each of these activities.
Washing
Drinking
Clothes washing
Cooking
Cleaning Teeth
Check with your teacher to see if your answers sound about right.
Then add the numbers together.
I used about
2 litre containers full of water yesterday.
Now multiply this number by 2 to find out how many litres of water you used yesterday.
I used about
litres of water yesterday.
People in the Ha’apai Islands only use about 3 litres of water per day.
(One and a half 2 litre containers)
Ways that I can save water are:
CARITAS AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND JUST WATER: CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PACIFIC
MODULE T: TONGA
WORKSHEET
Make a Rain Gauge!
A rain gauge can measure daily rainfall.
WHAT YOU NEED
•
Clear plastic soft drink bottle
•
Duct tape
•
Small pebbles, gravel or marbles
•
Measuring Gauge/Ruler (laminated)
WHAT TO DO
1. Cut the soft drink bottle two thirds of the way up, and place the top part of the bottle upside
down into the bottom half of the bottle (see diagram below). Attach with duct tape.
2. Place pebbles, gravel or marbles into the container and add water until it is about 3cm deep.
(Measure with the ruler.)
3. Paste the laminated “measuring gauge” to the side of the container.
Note: The pebbles and water will make the container steady against wind and the 3 cm of water
will provide a base level for measurements.
4. Place the rain gauge outside on a level surface. Make sure it is away from any overhanging tree
branches or guttering.
5. Measure the rainfall at about the same time each day. Record your readings.
TO MEASURE RAINFALL
To accurately measure the rainfall, you must be at eye level with the top of the water.
Remember that you will need to subtract the previous day’s reading from each day’s reading, to get
the actual amount of rain that fell that day.
CARITAS AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND JUST WATER: CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PACIFIC
T2b
MODULE T: TONGA
WORKSHEET
T3a
Testing Water Quality
Go to www.wikihow.com/Identify-a-Healthy-Stream
If possible, go and visit a local stream as a class and take notes using the eight steps identified on this
web page. You may need to get some litmus paper to measure the pH of the water.
Number of different plants you can see on the stream bank.
Do plants on the bank of the stream look healthy? (Yes/No)
Number of different animals and insects you can see on the
bank of the stream.
Names of animals and insects you can see.
Collect some water in a clear container.
Is the water clear or muddy?
Describe the colour.
Describe the smell.
Are there particles of sediment floating in the water? How
many?
What is the pH of the stream?
Are there any signs of erosion of the bank of the stream, or
signs of fertilizer running off farmland into the stream?
Take the temperature of the water; once in the sun and once
in the shade. Find the average of these two measurements.
CARITAS AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND JUST WATER: CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PACIFIC
MODULE T: TONGA
WORKSHEET
Class Discussion
Make a list of things that make water unsafe to drink.
Natural things
Human-made things
How might you be able to tell if the water in a lake or river is healthy or unhealthy?
How are animals and plants affected by the quality of water?
What can people do to protect the health of water?
CARITAS AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND JUST WATER: CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PACIFIC
T3a
MODULE T: TONGA
WORKSHEET
T3b
Water Filter Creation
Make your own water filter to make water safe to drink.
This activity is from www.cafod.org.uk
YOU NEED:
500ml of water mixed with 1 tsp of cocoa powder and rice
2 litre plastic bottle
scissors
clean chux cloth 4 white (not dyed) paper towels or serviettes
24 cotton wool balls
rolling pin
plastic bag spoon
some gravel
washed rough-grade sand and charcoal.
TIP
Your nearest builders, DIY or pet centre should be able to provide clean gravel and rough-grade
sand. You can rinse ordinary barbecue charcoal in a wire sieve. To wash the sand, pour a little
water in to the top of your container. Let it overflow as you gently tip the container and watch the
smaller particles of sand disappear with the water. Caution: Ensure charcoal has not been pretreated with petrol or other substances which may be harmful.
STEP 1
STEP 4
Take a 2 litre plastic bottle, cut
carefully in half.
Take a fourth paper towel or
serviette. Wrap 12 cotton wool
balls inside it. This is your
‘cushion filter’.
Fold a chux cloth four times
and roll it up.
This is a porous bung which can
be pushed firmly into the bottle
neck. Watch your hands on the
cut edges.
STEP 2
Turn the top half of the bottle upside-down
like a funnel and place it inside the bottom half
which will hold the filtered water.
STEP 3
Line the top half of
the bottle with three
white paper towels or
serviettes.
Alternative: try using a
paper coffee filter.
It slows the flow of water allowing more time
for impurities to be filtered out.
Twist the edges of the towel or serviette together
on the underside and push your cushion down
into the top half of the bottle tightly.
STEP 5
Sprinkle three parts
of gravel on top of the
cushion filter. Pack down
tightly with a spoon
leaving no gaps at the
edges.
STEP 6
Place 12 more cotton balls on top of the gravel
layer.
This is a small model water filter. We need
the cotton balls and serviettes for quicker
absorbency of impurities. In a bigger filter these
would not be needed because the layers would
be thicker and the water would spend more
time filtering.
CARITAS AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND JUST WATER: CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PACIFIC
MODULE T: TONGA
WORKSHEET
STEP 7
STEP 8
Put the charcoal inside
a plastic bag on a hard
surface. Tie a knot with
the handles. Using a
rolling pin, carefully
crush the charcoal into
smaller pieces.
Sprinkle three parts of sand on top of the
charcoal layer.
Layer two parts of
charcoal on top of the gravel. Pack down
tightly with a spoon leaving no gaps at the
edges. The charcoal removes bacteria.
Pack down tightly with a spoon leaving no
gaps at the edges.
Now you are ready to pour. Pour your dirty
water slowly and carefully into the centre of
the funnel and wait for it to trickle through the
layers.
THE RESULTS
You’ll see that the filtered water is much cleaner.
But this is a model water filter and you won’t be able to drink the water this time!
To be sure that there were absolutely no bacteria in the filtered water you would need to use a bigger
version of the filter with thicker layers.
It would take three days for the water to filter through, but with a little more time and some more
materials you could make a bigger filter.
DISCUSS
•
What would life be like if you had to filter all your water in this way?
•
How would you feel waiting for the water to filter?
CARITAS AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND JUST WATER: CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PACIFIC
T3b
MODULE T: TONGA
WORKSHEET
T4
Advocate for the Vulnerable
As climate change officer for Caritas Tonga, Amelia
Ma’afu works hard to help those Tongans who are
most at risk from the effects of climate change.
Her job involves very practical things like making
sure there are plenty of prepositioned supplies
in case of a natural disaster, and helping to put
together disaster kits when an extreme weather
events occur.
She also speaks out for the rights of Pacific
people who are facing rising sea levels and
more frequent extreme weather events as a
result of climate change.
In 2014 Amelia attended the 20th COP
(Conference of Parties of the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change)
meeting. She took with her a Caritas report
called ‘Small, yet strong’, which contains stories
about facing the challenge of climate change in
the Pacific region.
She said in her blog:
It (the report) is a compilation of the voices of the
poor who are the first casualties of the effects of
climate change. In it we see that although the
Oceania region may be small geographically,
the strong voices of its people resonate from the
Pacific Ocean in calling for climate justice!
WAYS OF SPEAKING OUT
Choose one of the following activities:
Imagine you are Amelia and you have
been asked to speak at a climate change
conference. Write a speech to deliver to
world leaders to convince them that they
need to take action to stop global warming.
Watch the following video from the 350
Pacific Warriors movement
350pacific.org/warrior-videos/
Create a haka or clap dance to
communicate your message about
climate change in the Pacific. How will
you persuade people to take the issue of
climate change seriously?
Listen to Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner speaking at
the opening ceremony of the UN Climate
Leaders Summit in New York City in 2014.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4fdxXo4tnY
Create your own poem about the effects
that climate change will have on New
Zealand. For information on the projected
effects of climate change in this country,
go to www.royalsociety.org.nz/climatechange-implications-for-new-zealand
CARITAS AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND JUST WATER: CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PACIFIC
T5
MODULE T: TONGA
WORKSHEET
What do we Value? Ashburton Water Tension
In April 2016, residents of Ashburton staged a public protest against their council’s decision to sell
rights to local water to a bottled-water company.
Ashburton District Council proposed selling the company, NZ Pure Blue, the right to extract 40 billion
litres of water from underground aquifers over the period 2016 – 2046.
The Ashburton region is already drought-prone. Can it afford to give away the rights to 45 litres of
underground water every second for the next thirty years?
Those who support the decision say that the council will ‘recharge’ the aquifers by 60 litres per
second from a water race. They also said that NZ Pure Blue would provide jobs for 100 local people.
In June 2016, Ashburton residents followed up their protest march by presenting a petition to the
council containing 40,000 signatures. This is a significant number when you consider that Ashburton
district only has a population of 33,000.
Saturday, April 16, 2016. Source: One News
To read the whole story go to www.stuff.co.nz/business/78524014/ashburton-councillor-attacksplan-to-sell-40-billion-litres-of-canterbury-water
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Is job creation more important than conserving natural water supplies?
Does the Council have the right to make this decision against the wishes of a large proportion of the
region’s population?
CARITAS AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND JUST WATER: CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PACIFIC
T6a
MODULE T: TONGA
WORKSHEET
How should our precious water resources be allocated?
ACTIVITIES:
•
List the values you believe are held by the members of the Ashburton District Council
•
List the values held by those who are protesting against the council’s decision
•
Investigate what has happened in Ashburton since this protest in 2016. Has the Council gone
ahead with its decision to sell rights to local water to NZ Pure Blue?
•
How might you apply the Catholic social teaching principles of ‘Stewardship’ and ‘the Common
Good’ to help you make good decisions about this issue? Discuss as a class
•
Have a class debate on the topic, ‘That the Ashburton district council should sell water from its
aquifers to NZ Pure Blue’.
There are some ideas below to get you started.
ARGUMENTS FOR:
•
•
•
•
The area’s underground water
is popular in overseas markets
like China, as it carries the clean,
green New Zealand image.
The bottling company will create
jobs for local people for 30 years.
A normal farm irrigation system
takes 60 litires of water per
second. Therefore, 45 litres per
second is not concerning.
The resource consent included a
recharge consent which means
that all water taken from the
aquifers must be replaced from
other sources.
ARGUMENTS AGAINST:
•
•
•
•
The Council have ignored the feelings
of local people, many of whom object
to the water being sold to what
they believe is an overseas-based
company.
The Council have failed to honour the
Treaty of Waitangi. They have not
talked to Ngai Tāhu about the deal
or considered the needs of future
generations for water resources.
The bottling company will create
billions of plastic bottles which will
add to the huge amount of plastic
waste already in our environment.
Water supplies are under a great
deal of stress in the region, and
as much as possible should be
conserved for future generations.
CARITAS AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND JUST WATER: CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PACIFIC
T6a
T6b
The Business of Drinking Water
More and more companies are bottling New Zealand water. Is selling water to bottled-water
companies an ethical thing to do? How can we make just decisions about how natural water
resources are allocated in Aotearoa?
Read the following excerpts from The Business of Drinking Water, The Gamma Series of the Royal
Society of New Zealand, May 2004.
The bottled water industry alone has seen New Zealanders consuming about 40 million litres in
2003 at a cost of over $20 million. Consumers are paying more for a litre of water than they pay
for petrol – but are they pouring their money down the drain?
People see bottled water as being ‘healthier’ and the good old kitchen tap is getting a bad rap.
However, some common practices with sipper bottles and home water filters may actually be
causing health problems.
OUT OF THE TAP
New Zealand has some of the most monitored drinking water in the world. The latest survey of tap
drinking water quality, released in December 2003 by the Ministry of Health, shows that 78 per cent
of New Zealanders had access to safe drinking water. This was an 8 per cent rise on the previous
year’s survey. This means that about 2.72 million people in New Zealand enjoyed clean tap water
in 2002, an increase of about 300,000. This does not mean the rest of the population necessarily
received unsafe drinking water, it is just that the Ministry of Health cannot check whether the
water is safe everywhere. Many of these were private domestic supplies or small rural supplies
that were either not monitored or were monitored inadequately.
TAP WATER SUPPLIES
About 40 per cent of New Zealand’s drinking water is pumped from the ground (artesian), with the
remainder coming from surface sources.
The simplest water supply is a well with a pipe from it, or a pipe from a river or lake, perhaps with a
pump and storage tank. As the number of people serviced from a supply grows, a treatment plant is
required to remove actual or potential contaminants and ensure the water delivered is safe to drink.
TESTS ON BOTTLED WATER
In October 1999, the Consumers’ Institute tested 17 brands of bottled water sold in New Zealand.
An Australian brand called ‘Snowy Mountain Natural Spring Water’ which claimed to be ‘natural’,
‘organic’, ‘fresh and pure’, and ‘free of any pollution’, had the same chemical profile as fluoridated tap
water. The study also found little difference between those labelled as mineral waters and Auckland
and Christchurch tap water which they also tested. The survey also points out that, although water is
good for you, the mineral content of mineral water is too small to have any impact on your health –
diet is our main source of minerals.
In 2001, a report commissioned by the World
Wildlife Fund International and published in the
German environmental journal Ambio said that “in
most developed countries, bottled water may be
no safer, or healthier, than tap water. In at least
50 per cent of instances it is of the same standard
as tap water with added minerals and salts.”
CARITAS AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND JUST WATER: CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PACIFIC
Credit: www.publicdomainpictures.net
MODULE T: TONGA
WORKSHEET
MODULE T: TONGA
WORKSHEET
PROBLEMS WITH BOTTLED WATER . . . AND WATER BOTTLES
Bottled water, unless it comes straight from the tap, usually contains much less fluoride than tap
water. Natural spring water usually has around 0.1 parts per million (ppm). Tap water with added
fluoride usually has between 0.7 to 1 ppm. People who believe that fluoride is an unnecessary or
unhealthy additive to our drinking water are pleased that there is a low fluoride alternative to tap
water. However, there have been some concerns from dentists that consumption of bottled and
distilled water is removing too much fluoride from the diets of young people – causing an increase in
cavities.
As well as the bottled water itself, some dentists are also concerned about the use of sipper bottles.
There is evidence that the sipper bottle might be pulling youngsters’ teeth about and when
a sipper bottle contains juice or sports drinks rather than water, the constant sipping of such
drinks is causing a sustained ‘acid attack’ on the teeth of the young.
Another issue is the refilling of sipper bottles. Without proper washing the drinking apparatus can
become a source of bacteria. This problem is compounded when sipper bottles are shared between
people. The sharing of any drink bottles, and the resulting saliva exchange, has been highlighted as a
way to pass on meningococcal meningitis – a disease which can be fatal.
ACTIVITIES
•
List the advantages and disadvantages of drinking bottled water instead of tap water
•
Find out how many of your class-mates regularly drink bottled water. What are their reasons for
doing this?
•
What are some environmental problems that might result from so many people buying bottled
water?
•
Engage in a class debate. The topic is ‘That drinking bottled water is bad for the environment.’
THINKING ABOUT CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING...
How might the CST principle of stewardship help you make a good decision about whether or not to
buy bottled water?
How might the CST principle of common good impact on your decision?
To read the whole report from the Royal Society of New Zealand on bottled water, go to: www.
royalsociety.org.nz/teaching-learning/resources/gamma/drinking-water
For more information on the quality of drinking water in NZ, go to: www.drinkingwater.org.nz – this
is a website administered by the Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd (ESR).
CARITAS AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND JUST WATER: CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PACIFIC
T6b
MODULE T: TONGA
PowerPoint Stories and Videos
PowerPoint T1: Welcome to Ha’apai (Y3-4)
PowerPoint T2: Welcome to the Ha’apai Islands (Y5-6)
PowerPoint T3: Tonga’s Climate Change Officer - Amelia Ma’afu
Story A: Katalina Vea’s House
Story B: Soane Vili
Story C: Amelia Ma’afu, Climate Change Officer for Caritas Tonga
Relevant Websites
350 Pacific
350pacific.org
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand
www.caritas.org.nz
Department of Conservation (Wet Feet unit)
www.doc.govt.nz/Documents/getting-involved/students-and-teachers/themes/wet-feet/wet-feet.pdf
Drinking Water for New Zealand
www.drinkingwater.org.nz
Greater Wellington Regional Council (Water use calculator)
www.gw.govt.nz/household-water-use-calculator
The Royal Society of New Zealand
www.royalsociety.org.nz
Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme
www.sprep.org/climate-change/
Tonga Environment and Climate Change
ecc.gov.to/
Watercare (Water field trip lessons)
www.watercare.co.nz/community/water-in-schools/water_quality/Pages/Water%20Quality.aspx
CARITAS AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND JUST WATER: CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PACIFIC