The health of Lake Winnipeg is in a precarious state and a new exhibit at the Manitoba Museum aims to get people thinking about the solutions.
In the Lake Winnipeg: Shared Solutions exhibit, kids and adults are able to simulate different scenarios and see how their actions affect the well-being of the lake.
“It's very interesting. It's user-friendly,” said Crystal Scotland, who frequently visits Lake Winnipeg
“And it's interactive, and you actually do learn from it," added Katie Scotland.
The exhibit cost $1 million. It has a live aquarium and provides a realistic experience that allows people to connect with the problems in the water.
"You can actually see, like, what you do and how it can affect the algae, and then just reading a textbook, you can just be like, ‘Oh, that's how you do it,’ and then not actually do it," said Samantha Harvey.
"We've actually seen the lake green…because we go up there quite a lot. It's sad," said Crystal Scotland.
The interactive exhibit helps visitors understand how small decisions, like the type of dishwasher detergent you use, can affect the health of the lake.
"You can gain an understanding of a complicated problem and find a simple way that you can play a role in doing something about it, no matter what your age is," said exhibit animator Len Varoom.
The exhibit is already leaving visitors with a greater understanding and a lasting impression.
"It's important that we also balance our happiness, but it's also important to keep the environment healthy in the long-term, because that's more important, to think-long term instead of short-term," said Jacob Harvey.
The exhibit also features a station where you can submit a personal commitment to help save the lake.
The museum says those statements will be posted to inspire others to join the initiative.
The opening of the exhibit coincided with World Water Day.
- With a report by Rahim Ladhani
