Water, water everywhere

JOHNSON CITY – Franci Sloan slipped into a boat and decided to take a breather.



Sloan had spent weeks assembling a new temporary exhibit, The Clean Water Maze, at Hands On! Regional Museum in Johnson City, where she serves as exhibits and outreach coordinator.



And now?



Sloan simply wanted to demonstrate what kids of all ages like to do when they come to the museum – flop in a river raft and pretend they’re racing down the nearby Nolichucky.



"This whole exhibit has a focus on what kids and adults can do to conserve resources and why they would want to," Sloan said. "Water conservation is currently something that our area is dealing with, so I think it’s a time when people can really use the information in this exhibit."





‘YOU’RE A RAINDROP’



Visitors can make choices on how to help keep the environment clean as they follow the big attraction – the Clean Water Maze.



Developed by renowned marine life artist Wyland with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, this maze is a series of multi-colored panels and displays.



It spans 1,000 square feet, with walls standing about eight feet high.



The maze transforms each visitor into a drop of water as it enters a watershed.



"You pretend like you’re a raindrop," said Trish Patterson, the executive director of the Hands On! museum.



Along the way, these waterdrops must navigate pollutants originating from agriculture, development, litter and homes.



Participants learn that, ultimately, everything ends up in the ocean.





‘JUST UGLY IN HERE’



One recent visitor, 13-year-old Maisie Smith, said, "I like how you can take different tests and see what it is when you are not clean."



Having a waterdrop turn "not clean" means going through potentially yucky points in the maze.



Just for fun, that’s what Patterson did; she simply wanted to see where the maze might take her.



Patterson spun a wheel to tell her where to go in the maze.



But, ugh! That led to a chemical spill – and some kind of fish kill.



One disaster piled on another. And, before long, Patterson found her "raindrop" ended up in a nasty sea that could hardly support any kind of life.



"Oh, my goodness!" Patterson squealed. "It’s just ugly in here!"



Patterson turned around.



If she made clean choices, she said, she could get to rivers that would nourish life.



And that lesson, Patterson said, was important in teaching visitors – especially young ones.



"The way you teach a 4, 5, 6, 7-year-old is crucial," Patterson said. "This teaches kids how they personally can help impact the environment. And there’s all kinds of things kids can do to make a difference."





‘WIDE VARIETY’



Sloan touts the multi-faceted aspects of this exhibit as its strength and appeal.



"We have a wide variety of learning centers for this exhibit: the maze itself, our energy saving house – it’s always fun to play house," Sloan said. "The camping area, whitewater rafting area, art stations and wetlands observation station – I’ve seen adults enjoying all of these areas, too."



Patterson takes special interest in showcasing the "energy saving house" – a plus-size, dollhouse-type model.



The interior of the "energy saving house" points out lessons, like using proper insulation and how to save on heating and water bills.



Conservation could be as simple as turning off the water while brushing your teeth, Patterson said, or turning off lights when you leave a room.



Parents can also help, said Kristine Carter, the museum’s marketing director, "by not using harsh chemicals when they clean their house."



What’s more, Patterson added, "We wanted to also show energy conservation through renewable resources – and to recycle. And, we want to make sure trash ends up in the trash."





jtennis@bristolnews.com | (276) 791-0704











IF YOU GO



What: Clean Water Maze and related exhibits



Where: Hands On! Regional Museum, 315 E. Main St., Johnson City



When: Open through Jan. 19



Info: (423) 434-HAND





COMING UP



For more on the Hands On! Regional Museum exhibit, see WJHL’s "Cable Country" on Newschannel 11 at 5:55 p.m. on Friday.







BIO-DEGRADABLE OBJECTS



Call it the slow rot.



One particularly part of the Clean Water Maze exhibit at the Hands On! Regional Museum shows how long various objects take to bio-degrade – and why it’s important to properly dispose of waste.



Why, just take a look:



Aluminum cans take 200-400 years to decompose.



Diapers rot after 10 to 20 years



Cigarette butts may last for 2 to 5 years.



Hard plastic containers take 20 to 30 years to rot.



– JOE TENNIS