NEWS MAJORS
ALIA BLACKBURN
JOURNALISM/TCOM
INDIANAPOLIS
As a kid, water was something that always fascinated me for some odd reason. When I was little, around 6 or 7, I used to stop the kitchen sink up with dishrags, just so the water would collect and I could play in it. I loved taking baths, and I used to get water wrinkles all over my hands and feet because I would sit there for hours just playing in the water.
Now in my adult years, I tend to be a little careless with water also. Before entering this immersive learning class, I used to leave the water on when I brushed my teeth, flush things down the toilet, and the list continues. My interest in water preservation and preventing water waste has definitely increased since signing up for this course. I am now breaking my bad habits. I no longer leave the water on when I do simple morning tasks. I turn off the water in the shower when I’m putting on soap or using shampoo.
Even after finding out bottled water is no better than tap, I quit buying it. As a broke college student, not buying bottled water has definitely saved me a lot of money.
I also joined this immersive learning class to get more in touch with the environmental aspect of news. Before this class, I was not entirely concerned with environmental issues, but now it has opened my eyes to the seriousness of these issues, especially with water and how vital it is to preserve it.
BENECIA BROWN
JOURNALISM/TCOM
FORT WAYNE, IND.
Because we live in the United States, most of us do not think about conserving water on a daily basis. Over the years, water has become increasingly stressed in terms of quantity and quality. It is a major concern for many people around the world.
In the U.S, we sometimes take advantage of the things we have, including food, clothes and water, which is the key element that we need to survive. We need to consider how in other countries they do not have the benefits of having enough clean water to drink.
Now is the time for us to consider how we use water and the quantity of water we use. I’m interested in raising student awareness about the consequences of not conserving water and the different ways they can use water better. Some of the ways include taking shorter showers, turning off the water faucets when brushing their teeth and using personal water filters.
Being in an immersive learning course and working with Sustainable Water, a consulting firm, has expanded my knowledge of BlueHouses and the different ways to conserve and reuse water.
I am learning how recycled water on campus could save the use of portable water. Each day I am finding new ways to conserve water and help students know more about water sustainability and the benefits of reducing their water usage.
DRAKE D'AMBRA
JOURNALISM
CARMEL, IND.
We have a major problem with water conservation in the United States and around the world. Everything from manufacturing clothes to our hygiene to our health requires water.
Unfortunately, water isn’t an infinite resource. In fact, natural water sources are drying up all over the United States. The Mississippi River and Great Lakes are shrinking. I became aware of this in high school when my class took a trip to Lake Michigan. I left astonished at how much the lake dried up over the years. It’s evident something needs to be done about the decrease in water levels and drinkable water.
I wasn’t aware of Sustainable Water and its efforts to aid water reuse and conservation before this immersive learning experience. I wanted to work with this group because my goal in life is to make a difference, no matter how large or small that might be. Working with Sustainable Water gives me an avenue to make a change in an area that I know needs help.
MOISES SANCHEZ
JOURNALISM/TCOM
INDIANAPOLIS
Water is life. We can’t sustain life without water, yet many people continue struggling to find potable and drinkable water
I know firsthand about real issues concerning water because I have lived in the Dominican Republic. Having a large bucket of water waiting for me in the bathtub is a fond memory in relation to water growing up in the Dominican Republic.
Tap water in this country is contaminated and very expensive. Families of mine in the Dominican Republic are conscious of the amount of water being used at all times.
Living in the United States is different because water is typically cleaner and inexpensive. My mother, though, adopted several water usage traditions from the Dominican Republic after we moved to the US. She encouraged frequent yet short showers and would not tolerate a running tap that wasn’t being used.
My mother created her own efficient system of irrigation for our garden. She was also a health activist and would consistently teach my siblings and me how to avoid all occurrences of dehydration.
In the U.S., we have a reverse osmosis filtering system connected to the sink that purifies water running through.
Water is an important resource that many take complete advantage of. Using personal experiences and research, I want to advocate for efficient water usage.
DANIELA SALVADOR
JOURNALISM/TCOM
FORT WAYNE, IND
Being able to be a part of an immersive course at Ball State is a great opportunity to have a hands-on experience in a field of interest. Having this hands-on experience is crucial, especially as a journalism/TCOM major because practicing video skills and writing skills while trying to produce the best quality of work is important. Finding out that the class was going to work for Sustainable Water to spread awareness of water and water reuse excited me. Water has always interested me, and coming from a foreign country, I know that water is used differently and seen as a valuable resource in other countries. Most people in the United States tend to take water for granted, but in other countries, people use water cautiously. I was born in Quito, Ecuador, and I go there often to visit family. I have seen how people in Ecuador are careful with the way they use water. For example, all of my family members only drink tap water after it has been boiled.
When I go visit, I have to always keep in mind that I can’t drink the tap water. Usually I don’t mind drinking tap water. However, when I’m in Ecuador, taking water from the tap to drink is a big no. The water is not clean and cannot be trusted to be used as drinking water. Those who do not live there and drink the tap water are more at risk of getting seriously sick if they drink the tap water. Although boiling water to drink might seem like a pain, people still choose to do that instead of buying bottles of water. Most people keep a jug of drinkable water, which is water that has been boiled, either in the fridge or somewhere in the kitchen. Being able to experience this has made me become more eager to find out how people in other countries use water or how they conserve it.
I am looking forward to working on the video about international students at Ball State and their thoughts on water usage. It will be interesting to hear what they have to say and to have others on campus listen to them and understand that in other places water cannot be taken for granted. I’m eager to help students on campus learn more about water and become more aware of issues that surround water by producing videos and print stories throughout the semester.