Water…“The Oil of the 21st

Century”

Water…“The Oil of the 21st

Century”

By: Sara NaumanBy: Sara Nauman

What is Happening?What is Happening?

Issues

Predictions

Solutions

Responses

Issues

Predictions

Solutions

Responses

What are the issues?What are the issues?Only 3 percent of the water on

earth is freshwater, the rest is saltwater.

This is important because: Fresh drinking water supplies are becoming increasingly scarce. Only 20 percent of the world’s population has running water, and more than one billion people do not have access to clean water.

The green book, 2007.

Only 3 percent of the water on earth is freshwater, the rest is saltwater.

This is important because: Fresh drinking water supplies are becoming increasingly scarce. Only 20 percent of the world’s population has running water, and more than one billion people do not have access to clean water.

The green book, 2007.

In some areas, industrial, residential and agricultural activities have impaired water quality. According to the United Nations, if present consumption patterns continue, two-thirds of the world’s population will live in water-stressed conditions by the year 2025

"Making Every Drop Count." UN-FAO press release, February 14, 2007

In some areas, industrial, residential and agricultural activities have impaired water quality. According to the United Nations, if present consumption patterns continue, two-thirds of the world’s population will live in water-stressed conditions by the year 2025

"Making Every Drop Count." UN-FAO press release, February 14, 2007

Not Just Affecting the Human Population….

Threats to Biodiversity

Aquatic biodiversity is being threatened. Fresh-water habitats support many at risk animal groups. These include fish, mussels, amphibians , and crustaceans .

Fresh-water habitats are threatened by many factors, including pollution from industry, increased acidification, and agricultural runoff containing residues of fertilizers or pesticides . In addition, the building of dams destroys many river ecosystems. Development can harm aquatic habitats or remove them altogether, as when marshy areas are filled.

"Water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink"

"Water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink"

“An epic drought in Georgia threatens the water supply for millions. Florida doesn’t

have nearly enough water for its expected population boom. The Great Lakes are

shrinking. Upstate New York’s reservoirs have dropped to record lows. And in the

West, the Sierra Nevada snowpack is melting faster each year. Across America, the picture is critically clear - the nation’s freshwater supplies can no longer quench

its thirst.

The government projects that at least 36 states will face water shortages

within five years because of a combination of rising temperatures,

drought, population growth, urban sprawl, waste and excess.” -The Coming U.S.

Water Shortage: Newest Dire Prediction, 2007

“An epic drought in Georgia threatens the water supply for millions. Florida doesn’t

have nearly enough water for its expected population boom. The Great Lakes are

shrinking. Upstate New York’s reservoirs have dropped to record lows. And in the

West, the Sierra Nevada snowpack is melting faster each year. Across America, the picture is critically clear - the nation’s freshwater supplies can no longer quench

its thirst.

The government projects that at least 36 states will face water shortages

within five years because of a combination of rising temperatures,

drought, population growth, urban sprawl, waste and excess.” -The Coming U.S.

Water Shortage: Newest Dire Prediction, 2007

PREDICTIONS

PredictionsPredictions

Dry episodes have become so persistent in the West that some scientists and water managers say drought is the "new normal" there. "It seems extremely

likely that drought will become more the norm" for the West, says Kathy Jacobs of the Arizona Water Institute, a research partnership of the state's three universities. "Droughts will continue to come and go, but ... higher temperatures are going to produce more water stress." That's because warmer temperatures in the Southwest boost demand for water and cause more to evaporate from lakes and reservoirs.

Severe dryness across California and Arizona has spread into other Western states. On the Colorado River, the water supply for 30 million people in seven states and Mexico, the Lake Powell and Lake Mead reservoirs are only half-full and unlikely to recover for years.

-”A Drought for the Ages” USA TODAY

Dry episodes have become so persistent in the West that some scientists and water managers say drought is the "new normal" there. "It seems extremely

likely that drought will become more the norm" for the West, says Kathy Jacobs of the Arizona Water Institute, a research partnership of the state's three universities. "Droughts will continue to come and go, but ... higher temperatures are going to produce more water stress." That's because warmer temperatures in the Southwest boost demand for water and cause more to evaporate from lakes and reservoirs.

Severe dryness across California and Arizona has spread into other Western states. On the Colorado River, the water supply for 30 million people in seven states and Mexico, the Lake Powell and Lake Mead reservoirs are only half-full and unlikely to recover for years.

-”A Drought for the Ages” USA TODAY

Solutions- What We Can Do

Solutions- What We Can Do

Improve agricultural practices to reduce the wastage of water Farming uses up 70 times more water than is used for domestic purposes such as cooking and washing. In Thailand, the amount of water used to grow food is about 2,800 litres per person per day. In Italy, about 3,300 litres are required to produce each

person's food every day.

Improve agricultural practices to reduce the wastage of water Farming uses up 70 times more water than is used for domestic purposes such as cooking and washing. In Thailand, the amount of water used to grow food is about 2,800 litres per person per day. In Italy, about 3,300 litres are required to produce each

person's food every day.

SolutionsSolutions Water Conservation

We do not have much left… why would we waste it?

http://www.savewateramerica.comAbove link is to Kohlers

SaveWaterAmerica websiteThe video at the beginning is greatCheck it out!

Water Conservation

We do not have much left… why would we waste it?

http://www.savewateramerica.comAbove link is to Kohlers

SaveWaterAmerica websiteThe video at the beginning is greatCheck it out!

Easy Solutions at homeEasy Solutions at home

Take a short shower. Every two minutes you save on your shower can conserve > 10 gallons of water. If everyone in the country just saved one gallon from their daily shower , over the course of one year it would equal twice the amount of freshwater withdrawn from the Great Lakes every day. The Great Lakes are the world’s largest source of freshwater. -the green book

Run full loads in your dishwasher and save energy, and don’t pre-rinse your dishes before putting them in. Do both=saving up to 20 gallons of water per load or 7300 gallons over a year.

THAT’S AS MUCH WATER AS THE AVERAGE PERSON DRINKS IN A LIFETIME! the green book

Take a short shower. Every two minutes you save on your shower can conserve > 10 gallons of water. If everyone in the country just saved one gallon from their daily shower , over the course of one year it would equal twice the amount of freshwater withdrawn from the Great Lakes every day. The Great Lakes are the world’s largest source of freshwater. -the green book

Run full loads in your dishwasher and save energy, and don’t pre-rinse your dishes before putting them in. Do both=saving up to 20 gallons of water per load or 7300 gallons over a year.

THAT’S AS MUCH WATER AS THE AVERAGE PERSON DRINKS IN A LIFETIME! the green book

ResponsesResponses Water for LifeUnited NationsGeneral Assembly Resolution on the Decade“Emphasizing that water is critical for sustainable development, including

environmental integrity and the eradication of poverty and hunger, and is indispensable for human health and well-being”

International Decade for Action- 2004

While the UN should not need to make this one of their major highlighted issues, they decided it was time that people took responsibility for the world around them

Water for LifeUnited NationsGeneral Assembly Resolution on the Decade“Emphasizing that water is critical for sustainable development, including

environmental integrity and the eradication of poverty and hunger, and is indispensable for human health and well-being”

International Decade for Action- 2004

While the UN should not need to make this one of their major highlighted issues, they decided it was time that people took responsibility for the world around them

BibliographyBibliography Rogers, Elizabeth, and Thomas M. Kostigen. The green book: the everyday guide to saving the planet one simple step at a time. New York: Three Rivers P, 2007.

"Making Every Drop Count." UN-FAO press release, February 14, 2007. http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2007/1000494/index.html

General Assembly Resolution on the Decade (A/RES/58/217): International Decade for Action, “Water for Life”, 2005-2015, 2004

The Coming U.S. Water Shortage: Newest Dire Prediction." DBKP- Death by 1000 Papercuts. 27 Oct. 2007. 18 June 2009 <http://deathby1000papercuts.com/2007/10/the-coming-us-water-shortage-newest-dire-prediction/>.

O'Driscoll, Patrick. "A Drought for the Ages." USA TODAY 8 June 2007.

Rogers, Elizabeth, and Thomas M. Kostigen. The green book: the everyday guide to saving the planet one simple step at a time. New York: Three Rivers P, 2007.

"Making Every Drop Count." UN-FAO press release, February 14, 2007. http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2007/1000494/index.html

General Assembly Resolution on the Decade (A/RES/58/217): International Decade for Action, “Water for Life”, 2005-2015, 2004

The Coming U.S. Water Shortage: Newest Dire Prediction." DBKP- Death by 1000 Papercuts. 27 Oct. 2007. 18 June 2009 <http://deathby1000papercuts.com/2007/10/the-coming-us-water-shortage-newest-dire-prediction/>.

O'Driscoll, Patrick. "A Drought for the Ages." USA TODAY 8 June 2007.