Kids learn in fun ways the seriousness of water conservation

It wasn’t all fun and games for the children of the Laguna Beach Boys & Girls Club on Thursday afternoon, but entertainment helped deliver a message about water conservation.

Meg Hiesinger, director of school programs for the San Juan Capistrano-based Ecology Center led the instruction-laced fun by lining up about 20 children ages 5 to 10 in two rows and pouring water into the cupped hands of the first child in each. The children passed the water to the next kid in line, trying not to let any spill through their fingers.

The exercise was part of the eighth annual Laguna Hero Fest, organized by the creators of the Laguna-based My Hero Project, which is designed to promote creative storytelling through film, music and art.

After an afternoon for the kids, Thursday’s event culminated in the showing of a 30-minute documentary, “Laguna Beach Eco Heroes.” My Hero Project produced the documentary, which talked about filmmaker Greg MacGillivray, chairman of the One World One Ocean campaign; marine biologist Nancy Caruso, who led the resurgence of the kelp forests; Chip McDermott, founder of Zero Trash Laguna; and artist Wyland.

During her program, Hiesinger emphasized the importance of clean water.

“This is all the water your tribe will receive to pass on to the next generation,” she told the kids. “Our planet has a certain amount of water and we’re not going to get anymore. The water received today is the same water that rained on our grandparents.”

Hiesinger drew a diagram of a watershed on a chalkboard. She illustrated the journey of raindrops, how they fall onto the ground and flow toward the ocean.

Some water travels along streets, collecting grease and chemicals, she noted.

“Each of you is part of the watershed. You live in the watershed,” Hiesinger said. “It matters how we live. It affects how clean the water is when it ends up at the ocean.”

Fewer pollutants would accumulate on roads and gutters if people walked or rode bicycles more often, she said.

Hiesinger then held up a bucket and asked the kids what its purpose could be in the context of preserving water.

After a few seconds of silence, she said the bucket could be placed in the home shower to collect what pours out of the faucet while the shower-taker is waiting for the water to heat up. The collected liquid could then be used on flowers and lawns, she said.

To help the kids remember the lessons of the day, event organizers gave each a CD with information and films on kelp forests, marine protected areas and water conservation.

The hope is that the CDs will make their way to the teachers in the classrooms. My Hero arts education director Victoria Murphy and media director Wendy Milette researched and selected the CD content.

Murphy credited the Orange County Community Foundation for donating $10,000 to help produce and distribute the CDs.

“It’s great because it allows us to distribute them for free,” Murphy said.

The city and its hotels and the Massen Greene and Laguna Beach Community foundations, which help fund nonprofits, financially supported the CD project.