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Blue Community Schools is a new program that encourages elementary and high schools to protect water as a common resource, and to teach students about defending the human right to water and adequate sanitation. Schools can become “Blue Certified” by banning the sale of bottled water on their campuses, supporting the human right to water and sanitation, and supporting public water infrastructure and utilities. Blue Community Schools comes with a robust suite of teaching tools enabling teachers to bring the human right to water into the classroom, educate students on the threats to our shared water resources, and provide meaningful ways to take action to protect our waters.

This program is led by the Council of Canadians, and grows out of the global network of Blue Communities – cities, towns, universities, and churches that promote and protect the human right to water, and invest in public water infrastructure, rather than private. The Council of Canadians has been defending the human right to water and sanitation since it was recognized by the UN in 2010 – in fact, the Council and its founder Maude Barlow were a key driver in having the human right to water recognized. More than a decade later, the Council’s work has grown to include more than 200 Blue Communities around the world, and with Blue Community Schools is aiming to bring up the next generation of water defenders.

By providing meaningful educational tools to teachers across the country we can support the education and mobilization of a new generation of water activists, effectively impacting the issue at hand while inviting youth into a meaningful and hopeful experience in the midst of climate distress.

Donating to Blue Community Schools will help the Council of Canadians start this program with a splash and reach elementary and high schools across the country, and connect with teachers’ unions, associations, and networks to disseminate this program and its tools.