Man on water: Saving a depleting resource

Sandford's children have been a big influence on his desire to raise the profile of Canada's water politics. "I wouldn't be working at the level I'm at now if I did not look across the breakfast table every morning at three children who are going to inherit the circumstances that we will bequeath to them," muses the father of Reid, 19, Amery, 16, and Landon, 14.

Everyone can help
The good news is we can all help in conserving water. "We use about 350 litres of water per person each day in Canada. People in most European countries use about half of that," says Schreier. "If we all used water meters, low-flush toilets and water-saving showerheads, we could easily get down to 150 to 180 litres per person per day. It's really that simple and not that expensive." (See "10 Simple Ways to Save Water," next page.)

Sandford uses every imaginable water conservation device – from low-flow showerheads to low-flush toilets to rain barrels. "You can put low-flow devices on taps and toilets and get involved in supporting and protecting local watersheds," he says. "It doesn't have to be onerous and you can feel good about it. Individuals can and do make a difference all the time."

Sandford's daughter, Amery (named after a mountain in Banff National Park), says her father has had an influence on her outlook on the environment. "I have a lot of my dad's characteristics," she says. "If I see people littering, I have to do something about it. If I want to change [something], then I will go and do it. I'm proud my dad can take on so much, that he is trying so hard for change."

Take a stand
Despite his knowledge of the daunting environmental challenges facing us, Sandford doesn't have a doom-andgloom outlook. "I am optimistic because of the inherent resilience of natural systems and because of the intelligence, enthusiasm and persistence of the next generation. They refuse to accept that the problems we have created can't be solved."

It's not too late for our generation to make changes and progress, either. Sandford says Canadians just have to look at their provincial and national park systems to see that they're capable of recognizing the value in protecting our natural systems. "When we started settling the west, we tore the whole thing apart – gave it up to private interests. Then, we saw how valuable it was," he says. "We reversed the process with the creation of provincial and national parks, starting with Banff National Park. Over a 50-year period, and without always knowing what the final goal was, we created a system of national and provincial parks and buffer zones that now protect our upland watersheds. If we did this once – saw what we had and reversed our direction to protect the value of what we had – surely we can do it again."

It's no wonder Sandford returns to the high altitudes of the ridge on a regular basis. The sheer mass of the Saskatchewan Glacier is overwhelming – even from the distance of Parker Ridge. The view is enough to make anyone stop in his tracks. And as a cold sleet starts to fall, it seems a message from its frozen soul. "The more I look at that glacier, the more I'm impressed with what creates and drives our climate," says Sandford of the mass of ice that, like others around the planet, is beginning to thin.

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