H2Origami is an ongoing campaign that uses art made from natural and recycled materials to raise awareness about water issues and to advocate for clean and healthy waterways for people and wildlife, designed for anyone, of any age, anywhere to take action for water. Everyone needs to care for water because water is essential for life!
The H2Origami campaign was set in motion May 2011 when, following a viewing of the movie Tapped, Resources for Health Roots & Shoots youth leaders learned of Nestlé’s plan to bottle water from the Gorge and sell it to consumers at a 1500% profit. After hosting a guest talk to learn more about the issue from Food and Water Watch’s Julia DeGraw, group members began folding origami embellished with water protection messages to ask Governor Kitzhaber to put a halt to Nestlé’s plan. The origami represents Gorge wildlife that would be negatively impacted by the bottling plant, as well as drinking cups signifying the importance and simplicity of taking back the tap by choosing reusable drinking vessels over plastic bottles. RFH Roots & Shoots youth have used the project to raise awareness about Nestlé’s efforts to bottle the Gorge with outreach events at the Beaverton Library, Whole Foods Tanasbourne, Portland VegFest, and the Pacific Northwest Roots & Shoots Summit with Dr. Jane Goodall. Using craft paper wall murals to display the outspoken paper wildlife, they captivated audiences by teaching citizens of all ages to make H2Origami to contribute to the displays. The group anticipates more local campaigning ahead following the Oregon Water Resources Department’s February 29th approval of two of the three necessary OWRD permits for the Nestle Water Bottling Plant. To learn more about H2Oriagmi and to get involved, visit H2Origami.org, or email us at Info@H2Origami.org!
