Describing the Significance of Water in My Life by Katie Horgan, 2024 Cohort

Water has always been significant in my life. At the age of six I began competitively swimming, something I continued through the end of high school. Though the pools I swam in were strictly manmade, I still felt a connection to any body of water I came across. After graduation, I continued my streak of always being near water by getting a job as a traveling lifeguard for some pools and lakes in my area. The job had its’ challenges, but there was one particular aspect that kept me coming back for two more summers. I loved seeing how people interacted with each other. As a lifeguard, I was basically paid to people watch, but in a pool environment people seem to act somewhat differently. I have seen grow adults squeal with joy at their friend jumping off the diving board. I have experienced a baby saying some of their first words poolside and watched as the parents smiled ecstatically. Water provided them a space to congregate and make memories. I myself have had these same experiences. I have spent my summers swimming in quarries, lakes, and beaches. Water has provided me with so many happy moments shared with friends and family. 

I think the thing that fascinates me most about water is that it sustains life. It was in high school when I first became interested in sustainability, and of course I thought about how water factors in. Water ecosystems have an interconnectedness that still intrigues me. In college I began to learn about energy pyramids. An energy pyramid is meant to represent that every ecosystem has a flow of energy. When this flow is interrupted somehow, the entire pyramid suffers. Pollution, climate change, and a lack of respect for our environment are the main reasons why this flow would be interrupted. This knowledge furthered the passion I already had for protecting our environment. I started to think about how pollutants could harm creatures both on land and in water, and how this could lead to me not being able to make more memories in the beautiful outdoor spaces I was used to frequenting. For this reason and many others, I decided to join the River Stewards program at UD. I know the program has expanded my knowledge of water an immense amount. This knowledge will continue to grow for my remaining two years. 

I excitedly look forward to the rest of my time as a River Steward at UD and beyond.

The Dayton Development Coalition

On Friday, Maureen Patterson came to speak to us representing the Dayton Development Coalition.

“The Dayton Development Coalition is the regional economic development and advocacy organization whose mission is to support job creation and prosperity for the citizens of the Dayton Region. Working as a public/private partnership, we are growing the Dayton Region, and we are one of the most livable regions in America.” (from the website)

http://www.getmidwest.com/aboutUs/index.cfm?sectionID=au

This organization is made up of a Board of Trustees ranging from a wide variety of occupations such as Dr. Daniel Curran, the President of our University of Dayton as well as many other academic and corporate committee members. Their focus in the Dayton region is on assets, universities, businesses, the workforce, and the community. In promoting this area, the four main types of businesses targeted are: Information Technology, Aerospace Research and Development, Advanced Materials and Manufacturing, and Human Sciences and Healthcare. The Dayton Development Coalition decided that these types of businesses would share in the most beneficial relationships between themselves and the Dayton region.

In doing this, they have established the H₂Open for Business program advertising the great water resources this area has to offer. The ideal types of businesses for this program would need extensive amounts of water and be responsible in its use. This program would boost economic development and bring many other opportunities to this area.

The H₂Open for Business is a well researched program that promotes the water resources, the Dayton region, the aquifer, the academic water resources, and the recreation and quality of life in the area. The Dayton Development Coalition wants to use this program to entice businesses that use water in their operations to consider the city of Dayton and the surrounding area as a location for expansion. According to the article, “The Ten Biggest American Cities That Are Running Out of Water” the lack of water issue is larger than most people realize.

http://finance.yahoo.com/real-estate/article/111186/the-ten-biggest-american-cities-that-are-running-out-of-water

If the Dayton area and its abundant water resources could be properly advertised in these dry cities, maybe more water intensive businesses would consider moving to this beneficial area. With the arrival of business, jobs and internships could be created, it would help boost the economy, generate academic opportunity, and renew innovation.

Not only does this area posses an exorbitant amount of renewable water systems, the community is very protective of their natural resources. The Dayton Water Conference is put on annually and sponsored by many local organizations where issues of business, development, sustainability, technology, and environment are all discussed.

http://www.daytonwaterconference.org/index.php

All the promotion to businesses will be advantageous for the Dayton region as long as one thing is kept in mind, the philosophical principle of Utility: the greatest good, for the most people, over the longest period of time. Economic growth would be great for any city, but not at the cost of the permanent damage of the natural resources. This area is truly fortunate to have these incredible resources, and with the support of a caring community, we can benefit and enjoy them for generations to come.

Region Water Assets from the Dayton Development Coalition:

http://www.getmidwest.com/resources/regionoverview/RegionWaterAssets.pdf

FLOW

Hey guys! I was in the second group of new stews for paddling and got to see Flow last Friday (Sept. 26th). I loved it!! This was right up my ally, being an Int'l Studies/Human Rights double major. The effects of water control and water pollution are just astounding. I knew, in some countries, it was bad - but I didn't realize it was this bad. Flow was a great informational movie about those effects and definitely makes me think about the privatization of water and companies who use water (Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Nestle, etc.), especially on the communities which need the water and economic benefits. I was so excited to hear how Dayton could get some great business with the aquafer, but now that I've seen Flow, I see how progress, without the check of morals and human rights, can be devastating. I think it's really important to keep in mind how much water we consume. Also, the movie reminded me of an AWESOME organization called Charity: Water (www.charitywater.org) which helps give clean water, by means of a town well or plumbing to schools etc., to third world countries. They are not in the U.S., but this is a great organization if anyone wants to check it out.