I grew up in a water conscious family. My grandmother collected rain water and washing machine run off to water her garden. My uncle was a stickler about taking shorter showers and turning off the faucet whenever possible. They were doing this before it was trendy, before the campaigns. I believe this mentality of resource conservation is part of what led me to environmental studies.
-Dominic
When I was younger I experienced a hurricane named Juliet which devastated my town leaving many people without basic needs such as shelter and water. My house had a medium size water tank but since we didn’t know how long we would be disconnected from the main water supply, we were very cautious with how we used our water. Our cooking, bathing and cleaning habits changed in order to conserve. I learned how important it was to conserve water and what it felt like to need a scarce resource.
Tatiana Pinal
I am from a super small town, called Isleton, located in the California Delta– which is where many rivers meet between the Bay Area and Sacramento. It is a weird place, and hardly anybody knows about it, but it is such an important place. Sadly, now there is a plan to create two huge tunnels that would divert immense amounts of our water to other parts of the state. Today, all over the Delta are signs saying, “Save the Delta — Stop the Tunnels”, and this summer I wanted to help, by creating this video, “Across the California Delta”: http://youtu.be/BnV1lmnU9iU
Lauren Korth
I, like all humans, need water to survive. I would say in this way alone water has affected me. Water gives me life everyday. I am a Banana Slug Student Athlete, and when I am tired after a long match, or a long rally, water rejuvenates me. During summer practices when it is hot and there is no circulation in the gym the only thing I want is a water break. Water replenishes my body and gives me the will to keep going. It is a wake up call and a loud rooting fan all in one (can’t top that). Water is awesome and we all need to be more aware of how valuable it is to our every day lives.
Morgan Ehritt
Not always, but when I can, I like to remember what an amazing process hydrating my body is. It almost seems alchemical when I imagine what it looks like as the liquid travels throughout my body, how it is transformed and utilized in the plethora of ways it gets used. Try to take a moment and enjoy the purity of this cleansing and lubricating element with full appreciation and reverence that this process deserves. This be a mildly spiritual experience if you let yourself get carried away with the dazzling chemical benefits derived.
-Matt
Growing up in Southern California I encountered droughts every summer year after year. Also with 100+ degree weather in the summer, water air conditioners cooled down my home. I have always had a high value for water as it has been so scarce.
-Adriana Murguia
Water has always been my drink of choice. I don’t like juice, I don’t like milk and I don’t like soda. Water quenches my thirst, it brightens my mood and it is all around the best drink around. I am not picky, I will drink it out of the tap. I collect reusable water bottles because I use them all the time. When I forget my water bottle I don’t feel right. I LOVE WATER!!!
-Bella Montez
When I was abroad on the UCDC program I realized that many of the students were buying bottled water because they did not like the taste of the tap water. I collaborated with a student from UC Riverside to propose a hydration station for the building. A hydration station provides clean water and encourages the use of re-usable water bottles. Various donors have generously provided enough money to fund three hydration stations that will be installed in the UC Washington Center. Hopefully UCSC will also be able to have hydration stations throughout campus in the future.
-Rhianna Hruska
I am a surfer so obviously I have a major lifelong connection with water. My roommate and one of my best friends is type 1 diabetic and a surfer which can be problematic. One time while surfing at PV cove in LA county he went into a diabetic shock in the water. We were probably about a hundred yards out and I saw him turn pale white and pass out on his board. I paddled him in as quickly as possible and ran up the mile long trail to call 911. They sent in a rescue helicopter and before they took him away the only thing I heard him say was “please dont cut off my wetsuit.”
-Joey Parks
One time, as a child visiting Santa Cruz, I noticed something peculiar. It was in fact snow falling in Santa Cruz and completely changing the way I thought about the weather, landscape of Santa Cruz, and really saw the process of the water cycle in action. I learned a lot more about water and how interesting it can be. I can’t wait to see such an anomaly happen again…
-Nate Ready
Drop Your Own Drip 