1. Teachers - encourage your students to write their papers and do their presentations on water issues. Water effects all areas of society and can be built into any subject, history, geography, politics, even language courses. Work to add water into the curriculum, in particular over the upcoming year.

2. Think of Adopting a Lake or River, as a class, school, office or community, to learn about the history of the water body, who is using it, how to protect it, and to keep it clean as a group.

3. Think of mapping your local water resources by creating a map with either scientific, cultural, historical, wildlife, observations of where there are problems or local stories relating to a river or lake. This is a good tool to not only keep a record of what this water means to your community, but to educate others and to see where there are problems, and what needs to be done to ensure the protection of the resource.

4. Be creative! Organize art exhibits, poetry readings with a focus on water. Organize photography contests or poster contests in your area for the International Year of Freshwater. Be sure to keep your national focal points updated so that they can help you!.