The air is hot and dry. There are no trees, no vegetation, no wildlife. The landscape is bare for miles. The only signs of life are fossils found in hard, cracked river and lake beds where fresh water once flowed freely. No water on Earth equals no life on Earth.
Homo sapiens have inhabited the Earth approximately 200,000 years. (www.bbc.co.uk) We have evolved into a knowledgeable, creative, and resourceful species, but at what cost? We continue to increase our knowledge and multiply, but we pay little attention to our natural resources. As our species numbers continue to increase, our natural sources are running out. Water is our most valuable resource and it is currently at risk due to overpopulation and reckless usage.
Throughout history …show more content…
National Geographic reports that “In ten years, the Colorado River Basin has lost the equivalent of two Lake Meads, the largest reservoir in the U.S.” Furthermore, Huffington Post reports, “About 66 percent, which is 4 billion people, of the world’s population lives without sufficient access to fresh water for at least one month of the year, according to a new paper published in the journal Science Advances.” Water.org states that “The water crisis is the #1 global risk based on impact to society (as a measure of devastation), as announced by the World Economic Forum in January 2015.”
These reports indicate humankind should be paying more attention to water availability and consumption. Water is the cornerstone of our existence. Should current trends continue we will be unable to sustain our basic drinking water needs. We will no longer be able to sustain food producing plants or livestock, the ecosystem will become unstable due to a lack of water to support wildlife and vegetation, and current waste water systems could be in …show more content…
(circleofblue.org) With 75% of the Earth’s surface covered in salt water, the development of affordable desalination plants would be a good start to combating the water shortage. Education and conservation efforts, such as water recycling and rain harvesting will also be beneficial. Additional conservation efforts include shorter showers, toilets that use little or no water and indigenous landscaping that requires little or no water to sustain. Agriculture and corporate water demands currently accounts for approximately 92% of the worlds fresh water usage. Improving irrigation methods and identifying demand gaps could reduce the amount of water used for agriculture and corporate needs. Population growth is a bit more complex, since humankind has an instinct to multiply.
Homo sapiens have inhabited the Earth approximately 200,000 years. (www.bbc.co.uk) We have evolved into a knowledgeable, creative, and resourceful species, but at what cost? We continue to increase our knowledge and multiply, but we pay little attention to our natural resources. As our species numbers continue to increase, our natural sources are running out. Water is our most valuable resource and it is currently at risk due to overpopulation and reckless usage.
Throughout history …show more content…
National Geographic reports that “In ten years, the Colorado River Basin has lost the equivalent of two Lake Meads, the largest reservoir in the U.S.” Furthermore, Huffington Post reports, “About 66 percent, which is 4 billion people, of the world’s population lives without sufficient access to fresh water for at least one month of the year, according to a new paper published in the journal Science Advances.” Water.org states that “The water crisis is the #1 global risk based on impact to society (as a measure of devastation), as announced by the World Economic Forum in January 2015.”
These reports indicate humankind should be paying more attention to water availability and consumption. Water is the cornerstone of our existence. Should current trends continue we will be unable to sustain our basic drinking water needs. We will no longer be able to sustain food producing plants or livestock, the ecosystem will become unstable due to a lack of water to support wildlife and vegetation, and current waste water systems could be in …show more content…
(circleofblue.org) With 75% of the Earth’s surface covered in salt water, the development of affordable desalination plants would be a good start to combating the water shortage. Education and conservation efforts, such as water recycling and rain harvesting will also be beneficial. Additional conservation efforts include shorter showers, toilets that use little or no water and indigenous landscaping that requires little or no water to sustain. Agriculture and corporate water demands currently accounts for approximately 92% of the worlds fresh water usage. Improving irrigation methods and identifying demand gaps could reduce the amount of water used for agriculture and corporate needs. Population growth is a bit more complex, since humankind has an instinct to multiply.