Citizen science to better manage and protect the world's fresh water? The project Freshwaterwatch-project proves it is possible. Every year, more people die from polluted water than from war or other sources. EarthWatch wants to help solve this issue by mapping environmental information, and answer 2 important questions: 1) What are the causes of the loss of freshwater quality? 2) Why are freshwater ecosystems degrading? The project is explained in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqsr_d143ns

Everyone can join the project by signing up, but teams are encouraged to participate as the results will be more reliable: https://freshwaterwatch.thewaterhub.org/signup. The data will be analysed by 20 universities and research centres around the globe and the results provided online: https://freshwaterwatch.thewaterhub.org/content/data-map

Want to know more about Citizen science?

• Watch this Tedx video of Chandra Clarke on what Citizen Science is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7XOcB6_TWw

• Be inspired by Nasa and their Citizen science approach: http://terra.nasa.gov/citizen-science/water-quality

• or check out National Geographic and their many Citizen Science projects: http://education.nationalgeographic.com/idea/citizen-science-projects/