Rarely does the subject of water inspire poetic phrases or passionate dedications. While we may occasionally recognize its importance, this appreciation is usually offset by the size of the water bill at the end of the month. Regardless, I’m going to ask an odd question: have you ever celebrated water? If I got a single “yes” I would be very surprised, for the simple reason that there are few formalized occasions for the public to appreciate water. This year, a multitude of civic and non-profit organizations have teamed up to give individuals the opportunity to celebrate their “love for water” in the annual Rachel Carson Sense of Wonder Contest.
2012 marks the 40th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act. Although it was originally enacted in 1948, the Act was significantly reorganized and expanded in 1972 to regulate discharges of water pollutants and monitoring water quality standards in the United States. The Annual Rachel Carson Sense of Wonder Contest is honoring this anniversary and renaming itself the “Sense of Water Contest” for 2012.
About the Contest
The “Sense of Water Contest” is an intergenerational poetry, essay, photo, and dance contest hosted by the EPA in partnership with Generations United, the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange, Rachel Carson Council, Inc., and the National Center for Creative Aging. Entries must be made by a team of two or more persons, comprised of at least one older person and one younger person. The deadline for entries is June 1, 2012. The competition calls for a creative interpretation of one’s love for water. Individuals are encouraged to think of water not just from an economic and life-sustaining standpoint, but from a sensory point of view. Participants are expected to really engage with the water! Such an unconventional approach is meant to induce us to value our water resources more, and to recognize the need for maintaining our water supplies.
Rachel Carson, to whom the contest is dedicated, was a firm lover of the natural world. An American biologist and a prominent figure in the global environmental movement, her book, Silent Spring, is recognized for bringing environmental concerns to a great number of Americans, spurring a grassroots environmental movement and inspiring the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency. However, Carson was not just a scientist but a writer and poet. The successes of her works have been attributed to her flair as a writer and her ability to capture nature in a nonscientific and poetic style. The Rachel Carson Sense of Wonder Contest encourages us to follow her example and take an imaginative approach to viewing our endowment of natural resources.
For more information, visit: http://www.epa.gov/aging/resources/thesenseofwonder
