Alternative Education Center observed World Water Day on March 22, 2024, with the theme "Water for peace." This year's celebration reminds us that, first, water can create peace or spark conflict. People meet their water needs and are healthy when water is abundant, but tensions can rise when water is scarce and people compete for it for survival. Second, prosperity and peace rely on water. International water cooperation is necessary for nations to successfully manage climate change, mass migration, and political unrest. Third, water can lead us out of crisis. An equitably managed water cycle will result in sustainable food and energy production.
Using a coloring activity, AEC students identified the many uses of water and ways to save it. They shared numerous ideas in home, school, and community contexts. Many students explained how water mobilizes the oil and gas industry in the region. They mentioned that without enough water in the desert region, it would be impossible for their parents to work in the oil field as oil and gas cannot be produced. Students clarified that water is used in hydraulic fracturing, where water is pumped at high pressure into tight formations to open fractures in the rock, allowing natural gas and crude oil to flow to a well for recovery. Lastly, students discussed how the World Water Day celebration helps meet the global goal of peace, justice, and strong institutions. Their parents' work in the oil field exemplifies the importance of water to maintain the peaceful, just, and strong town of Odessa.
