The first day of spring will present a paean to our most precious resource with "Ripple Effects," an evening of music, art and education about water.

In addition to offering music by Justin Ancheta, Strange Angels Blues Band, Koralie "Sugar" Hill and Walter Ogi Johnson, and artwork by Christina Bertea, Design Action Collective, Doug Minkler, Juana Alicia, Matthew Kertesz, Matlena Hourula, Phoebe Ackley, Street Art Workers and Sven Atema, the event is a benefit for multiple organizations.

Each group is engaged in sustainability and education. Host Greywater Action, for example, "educates and empowers people to build sustainable water culture and infrastructure." Among other efforts, it offers workshops to teach people to build greywater systems for their homes. Planting Justice works with West Oakland youth in sustainable neighborhood urban farming projects.

Two of the groups have a more global focus. Bolivia's Andean Water School works to return Andean water stewardship to indigenous populations, while Friends of the Earth Middle East works toward sustainable development and lasting regional peace by bringing together Jordanian, Israeli and Palestinian environmentalists.

Greywater Action and Planting Justice will use some of the proceeds from the event to collaborate to teach youth organizers from West Oakland Youth Standing Empowered about sustainable water practices, said Laura Allen of Greywater Action. Planting Justice already works with the youth group on a weekly basis on the Burbank Garden, a community garden at a middle school in East Oakland. As part of the project, the students learn urban permaculture techniques and how to maximize urban food production and sustainability in their neighborhoods.

Perhaps the most exciting thing these organizations and projects have in common is that they do good now, in the near term, and in the longer term as well. It's as if supporting them is supporting the future in a very tangible way, from next week to the span of the next generation. What better way to spend an enlightening and entertainment-filled Saturday night?

The festivities happen Saturday March 20 from 6 to 10 p.m. at Cafe Leila, 1724 San Pablo Ave., in Berkeley. Entrance costs $10 to $50 (sliding scale). The event is co-sponsored by Hesperian and A Single Drop.