What is Water?

The UK water sector is facing a gender crisis. There are not enough women working in the sector, and those that are, are typecast into specific roles.

In 2019, 29.1% of workers in the UK water sector were female, compared to 47.3% in the UK overall. Only 13.8% are managers, directors or senior officials compared to 35.7% in the UK workforce overall. Most women, 76.3% of them, find themselves working in admin and secretarial occupations.

Nevertheless, the aim of this episode is not to point the finger. The water sector knows there is a problem and that there has been a problem for a while. Inequitable and unequal distribution of female workers in the water sector also goes hand-in-hand with the skills gaps and the challenge of an ageing workforce.

The sector can no longer hope to fill these gaps through one half of the population alone. Changes must be made now so that women can get in, stay in, and go far: in all roles within the sector.

In this episode will speak to three women who are already setting trends and working hard to bridge the gaps the sector presents. You will hear their stories and discover which changes can, and should be made, to work towards greater equity and equality. Many of which are already being implemented with success.

If you’re a woman working in the UK water sector, this episode is dedicated to you.

How does water make you feel?

People are connected to water to various degrees.  Whether you feel connection because it keeps you alive day-to-day or whether it’s something more. Think about it, when you’re a kid and you see the sea for the first time on holiday, what feelings do you remember? When you can’t sleep, what noises do you listen to? Rain, waves, whales? Even before we’re born, when we’re in our mothers' bellies we grow, protected by a safe watery base of the amniotic fluid.

So how can we attempt to try and address this topic of how and why people are connected to water? How far back and how wide dare we go?

We’re opening some doors and peeking into two fundamental topics: religious meaning and spiritual connections.

Through the most popular religions of the world,  indigenous cultures, ancient mythologies, water as healing, the zodiac signs, and reading the clues nature provides, welcome to Series 2 Episode 1 of the Brave Blue World: What is Water? Podcast

Research, produced, and presented by Nancy Smith of What is Water?

Assistant producer and content advisor Paul O’Callaghan of Brave Blue World Foundation

Editing and sound design by Howie Fiddy as a production for THAT Media & Design

Show notes

America is meant to be the country where dreams come true. One of the richest countries in the world where countless innovations, systems, ways of living, and working have been invented and replicated the world over.

Nevertheless, we all know that America has deep rooted flaws. But one of them might not be what you think.

In many cities in America there is a problem with drinking water, with sewer systems, with water management, and water governance.

America has a water crisis.

Episode notes (in order of appearence):

We're highlighting the fast fashion debate and looking at our consumer behaviour. How much is too much? And what damage are we making? 

As well as the environmental impacts, there's also a water element through pollution and the sheer amount needed to make, for example, the jeans or T-shirt you're probably wearing right now.

Join us for the last episode of series 1 as Ed and I go between the seams of the fashion industry.

Additional Resources

The problem:

Water is power, politics, conflict, and resolution. And it’s a story that plays out all over the world everyday.

Join as we unpack the drama unfolding right now on the River Nile and show you a side of water that you never thought existed.

When water becomes political, who holds the power? Does it matter? And why can’t everyone just get along?

Additional resources: 

(N.B. when getting to grips with a water story it's important to find different perspectives from many sources to understand the whole story and make your own conclusions. WiW? tries to provide reliable resources from various perspectives regardless of personal views).

• World is One New (WION): Gravitas: Nile Dam talks fail, again (April 2021)