The Void in the middle of the Sahara Desert is so hot that nothing survives, not even bacteria. Water is a scarce resource in the surrounding countries and food scarcity is becoming a concern as the Sahara grows an average of 10% or 48 kilometers per year.
Even though water actually covers 70% of the planet, freshwater—that which is life-sustaining and hydrates humans and animals, allows for bathing and is used for farm irrigation—is actually rare. The world’s water is composed of only 3% of freshwater, and a whopping two-thirds of that is locked away in frozen glaciers or unavailable for use.
“As a result, some 1.1 billion people worldwide lack access to water, and a total of 2.7 billion find water scarce for at least one month of the year,” according to the World Wildlife Fund.
This paves the way for inadequate sanitation, which proves problematic for 2.4 billion people who are exposed to disease like typhoid fever and cholera as well as other water-borne illnesses.
“Two million people, mostly children, die each year from diarrheal diseases alone,” according to the website.
Water systems are strained by a growing human population. Many aquifers, rivers and lakes are either becoming too polluted for human use or are drying up. Meanwhile, over half of the world’s wetlands have disappeared.
Globally, inefficiencies in water use in many areas with a host of different agricultural practices are the leading cause of excessive water consumption. This is exacerbated by climate change, which is altering weather patterns around the globe and causing droughts, shortages and flooding. While agriculture uses 70% of the world’s accessible freshwater, an estimated 60% of this is wasted due to irrigation systems that leak, as well as inefficient application methods via cultivation of crops that are inappropriately grown in certain areas. As a result, underground aquifers, lakes and rivers are drying-up, particularly in countries that are known for mass food production like the United States, Spain, Australia, China and India.
It is expected that by 2025, two-thirds of the world’s population may face water shortages and ecosystems, including all living organisms, all over the world will suffer even more.
Water pollution is also impacted by inappropriate use of pesticides and fertilizers. These chemical and biological compounds wash away from farms. Industrial waste and untreated human wastewater also find their way into freshwater systems such as lakes, rivers and streams. “Even groundwater is not safe from pollution, as many pollutants can leach into underground aquifers,” according to the website. The ramifications can be immediate as in the case of human waste polluting water or it can build over time, as is often the case with pollution from industrial processes.
Any possibility of concluding with some data or articles or quotes from a little closer to home? You may find ideas here:
https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-wetland-policy-implementation.aspx#jumplinks-0
cowsandfish.org
lica.ca