We humans love our rivers. These amazing bodies are our sources of water for drinking and farming, our playgrounds, and our fishing holes. We write songs and poems about them. But we don’t treat our rivers very well. We use them as dumping grounds for human and industrial waste. Our road salt, lawn fertilizer, and pesticides screw them up. And, unfortunately, when we kill our rivers, we kill ourselves.
The Pivot Projects’ Education and Arts & Culture workstreams teamed up to produce a framework to help individuals and communities better understand the complex, interdependent relationship between us and the rest of nature. If you want to engage with us to explore how your community can raise awareness and improve the health of your river next door, fill out the form (jump-ahead link to the form) at the bottom of this page.
The River Teachers Web Event
Pivot Projects conducted a web event that focuses on how communities and organizations in Connecticut, USA, have come together to safeguard and enjoy one of their local rivers, the Mill.
River Storytellers
We believe that a good way for individuals and communities to engage with their local rivers is to explore them and then tell their stories—through video, photos, blog posts, poems, and more. Afterwards, share them with others via social media. Here’s our invitation to storytellers.
River Storytellers Web Event
Pivot Projects hosted a virtual film festival where we presented three short films that explore rivers.
River Projects
Here’s a list of river projects that we have collected from around the world. Some are focused on recreation, others on cleanups and water health, and still others on community and culture. Take a look. Contact links are included.
River Systems Map
A Kumu (systems) map (link coming soon) that shows the relationships of rivers and the people who live around them. It turns out that nearly all of us belong to a watershed, a network of trickles, streams, and rivers that provide us with resources we need to live and a human kinship that we would do well to recognize. Help us add to the map.
Engage with Us
Here’s our one-page framework for designing River Teacher projects.
If you would like our advice on how to develop a River Teachers project in your community or have advice for us or others, please fill out the form below and we’ll be in touch.