WATERLIFE is a highly interactive website that focuses on a documentary that tells the “story of the last great supply of fresh drinking water on Earth,” which happens to be the Great Lakes. Upon entering the site, you can choose from a number of images that transport the viewer to subjects related to the Great Lakes, such as invasive species, bottled water, power, recreation and healing. It is possible to click on any of the subject, which then takes the viewer to a page that explains that subject more in depth and involves imagery from the film. WATERLIFE essentially is promoting the conservation of the Great Lakes due to its importance locally, regionally, and internationally. It relays facts like only half of the Great Lakes wetlands remain intact. Also, 100 billion gallons of water evaporate from the lakes each day. The Great Lakes have been greatly impacted by invasive species, which harms not only the ecosystems but also the local economies. These species include Asian Carp, Zebra Mussels, and the Lamprey. A great aspect of the website is that although it speaks of many issues and negative impacts associated with the Great Lakes, it also focuses on positive action that can be taken. Education is a major component of this positive action. WATERLIFE is a part of that education tool, as it uses storytelling and beautiful imagery in order to promote awareness and the conservation of the vast supply of fresh drinking water in North America.
WATERLIFE is an incredibly unique website that has a ton of information to offer. While highly interactive it is not organized too well and is hard to navigate efficiently. Besides that I believe that it has a lot to offer because the Great Lakes are so important. I have lived in Minnesota the past few summers and it has been incredibly to watch the invasive species destroy the native ecosystems. The zebra mussels are especially bad, and extremely sharp on top of it. This is a really great website and I wish it were advertised more.
woah, this website is fancy! This interactive website is very advanced and uses technology to inform the viewer about many different environmental concerns regarding the Great Lakes. It also does a great job in informing the viewer about the importance of fresh water. Good find Curt!
This technologically advanced website does a great job in including the viewer into the cause. The website depicts how important the Great Lakes are as a fresh water source.
It’s interesting to see such an in-depth project that connects physical geography to a serious social issue: managing water as a resource. And while normally resource wars are observed between developed and developing nations, it will be interesting to see if this problem regarding freshwater in America will result in less severe or more severe conflicts.