Today, as a volunteer for “United avangard artist”, I had the opportunity to celebrate the International Day of Water with a group of more than 50 enthusiastic young people from 7th grade at “Kulata” primary school in Kazanlak. It was an exciting and hands-on experience, blending science, environmental awareness, and a little friendly competition!

To kick things off, we started with a simple yet mind-blowing experiment: purifying dirty water using just a plastic bottle, activated carbon, sand, cotton wool, and stones. The results? Surprising! The murky water transformed into a crystal-clear liquid, and in an instant, many students jumped up from their seats to get a closer look. Their amazement was priceless—it was a great way to show how basic filtration works and how simple materials can make a difference.

The second part of the workshop had a completely different vibe. I led a quiz to test and expand their knowledge about water-related social and environmental issues. I was thrilled to lead it because, for me, quizzes are one of the best ways to learn—even about complex topics! Sometimes, the “how” you learn is more important than the content itself.

The participants were divided into teams of five, adding a fun and competitive edge to the quiz. They even gave their teams funny water-related names like “H2O,” “The Cool Ones,” and “Water Heroes,” which made the activity even more engaging.

The quiz questions covered a mix of scientific facts, such as the process of desalination, the water cycle, and the percentage of Earth covered by water. But the real focus was on pollution and sustainability—topics that deserve to be treated with urgency. We explored eco-friendly ways to wash dishes, the meaning of water scarcity, and the hidden water footprint behind everyday products. The energy in the room was vibrant—everyone was eager to answer, share their thoughts, and move on to the next question.

As we expected, the majority of students didn’t answer correctly when asked which international organization instituted the International Day of Water—the correct answer being the UN—or the related Sustainable Development Goal. Which highlighted the need to raise more awareness about the role of international organizations in water conservation. I find this aspect particularly interesting for further exploration, especially for a local organization like “United avangard artist”, which has strong ties to the European Union.

On the other hand, everyone knew about the process of desalination, the sources of freshwater and the exact percentage of the Earth’s surface covered by water, which is 71% in case you forgot!

However, only one team correctly answered how much water is lost when flushing the toilet once or how much water a typical washing machine uses per load, indicating that household water consumption might not be as well understood as other environmental topics.

When the quiz ended, we took some time to go over the correct answers and provide important explanations. The group was absolutely shocked when we told them that the water footprint of a single T-shirt is 2,700 liters, that only 3% of the world’s water is fresh and drinkable and that over 2 billion people in the world lack access to clean drinking water.

Furthermore, another thing that surprised them was that the biggest use of water worldwide concerns agriculture and farming. We also discussed how much water animals like cows require in intensive animal farming, and this revelation left them even more astonished. Overall, it was eye-opening for many to realize how much water is consumed in everyday activities and industries.

Seeing 50 young minds so engaged and passionate about water conservation was truly inspiring. Today wasn’t just about learning—it was about sparking curiosity and action. Water is life, and it’s up to us to protect it!

What about you? What’s one thing you do daily to save water?

Ylenia Majo