Water Watchers has started a fundraising book club to delve into issues about water justice, plastic pollution, and the fight for clean, accessible water.
The book chosen for the club is Unbottled: The Fight against Plastic Water and for Water Justice by Daniel Jaffee. The book club called Ripples of Change: Unbottled Wisdom, will meet through Zoom once a month for five months.
There are over 40 people in the club and there are a couple spots available to register. Anyone is welcome to join but there is a cost associated to register. The money is donated to Water Watchers and a copy of the book is included.
“Water Watchers has an explicit purpose in engaging this book club,” said Arlene Slocombe, executive director of Wellington Water Watchers, in a press release.
She said Water Watchers has opposed permits for bottling water for many years and will continue to do so. It’s renewing its commitment to water as a public good and dedicating the right to water for everyone.
“As we prepare to mount the next leg of our advocacy work, we are excited to engage a strong base within our community through reading this important book together, that will inevitably drive action towards these goals,” said Slocombe.
Week by week there will be different guest speakers at the book club sessions, which corresponds with the chapters and themes of the book.
Many of the speakers are profiled in the book. Tickets will be offered for these sessions and people who aren't reading the book are welcomed to listen to the guest speakers by getting tickets.
Here are the book club sessions:
Flint and Eroding Trust - and Reclaiming the Tap
April 4 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
This session covers chapters three and four. Gina Luster, founder of Flint Rising and Canadian activist Maude Barlow are the guest speakers.
Cascade Locks: A Decade Long Struggle
May 2 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
This session covers chapters two and five. Whitney Kalama, co-founder of Columbia River Treaty Natives against Nestlé and Klairice Westley, co-founder of Wanapum Sustenance Foods and Spiritual Practices Conservation are the guest speakers.
Guelph and Elora: Watching Water, Broadening the Movement
June 6 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
This session covers chapter 6. Dawn Martin-Hill, one of the founders of the Indigenous studies program at McMaster University and Mike Balkwill, Small Change Fund’s vice-president of campaigns and engagement are the guest speakers.
What Next? Water Justice and the Right to Drink
July 4 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
This session covers chapter seven and the conclusion. Daniel Jaffee, the author of Unbottled is the guest speaker.
For more information check out the website or email [email protected].
