Water consumption and water waste in the United States is at an all time high. Between the lack of care and knowledge, an exponential amount of water is wasted every year. Water shortages are an ever growing problem in the U.S and around the world. The reasons why water is wasted, what the problems are and how we can fix them are some of the areas that are explored. If we do not change our ways and make some drastic changes, this problem will grow larger and larger every year until the water is gone.
Many states such as California, Oregon, Washington, and Nevada are now facing problems due to a lack of water, according to droughtmonitor.unl.Edu. Some areas are wasting so much water and there is such a shortage that fines are given out for watering your lawn at the wrong time or leaving a hose running. Not only can farmers not grow anything without this extremely important resource, but water is used in creating food as well as for energy. This is one of if not the most important resource to human life.
In the article “Worst Drought in 1,000 Years Predicted for American West” from the National Geographic we learn of the real danger our country faces. “Drought often has significant impacts on agriculture, ecosystems, and city water supplies. "We see some of those impacts going on now in California,", referring to the ongoing drought that is the worst in that state's recorded history” said Benjamin Cook. The article explains how between environmental problems, and human caused ones, the water supply is drying up faster than it can be replaced.
There are many different ways water is being wasted. Some examples I have seen in my own life are taking too of long showers to using too much water for brushing teeth or doing the dishes. Specifically leaving the water running while brushing your teeth or while doing the dishes can waste gallons over the course of just a month. Other areas where water is wasted is when people water their lawn too long or at the wrong time of day. A lawn can only take so much water and then it begins to spill out on to the sidewalk, being wasted. Also watering a lawn during the heat of the day only causes the water to evaporate. It is suggested that watering take place in the cool parts of the night.
In the article “The incredibly stupid way that Americans waste 1 trillion gallons of water each year” by Chris Mooney he brings to light how we may be wasting and not even realize it. Mooney states that “Wasted water comes with a cost. The city of Daytona Beach, Florida, estimates that a faucet leaking 10 drips every minute wastes 526 gallons of water per year, adding up to $10.91”. Until a person sees the leak on the floor of their house how will they know it is there?
Another area of concern Mooney touches on is the large underground sprinkler systems that many houses in the U.S. have. Between running them for way too long or at the wrong time of day, one household can waste gallons and that is if the system is working perfectly and has no leaks. This is where water detectors come into play, helping identify where the problem is so that it can be fixed.
What can we do to help combat these problems? The water being wasted can be solved by so many simple solutions, if we are willing to go the extra mile. Things such as taking less time for household duties that use water to installing water efficient faucet taps, shower heads and toilet parts. Also a leak detection tool or keeping to a lawn watering schedule can really help to prevent unnecessary water usage throughout the country. Saving this resource starts with all of us and if we push this issue aside as we have been doing for many years, there is going to be a major problem in our future.
Although there are many solutions to this growing problem, the real solution is us. If we do not come together as a human race to create new ways to create or even just preserve what water we have, projections say we are going to run out far sooner than we think. The time for not caring and thinking that this is someone else's problem has ended. It time for the American people to lead the way and show we care about our planet and the people in it, the same way they do fighting wars to help other people.
As stated, there are many things that cause these ever growing water shortages. Due to a lack of knowledge, carelessness or both we have put ourselves into a serious problem that will affect every living thing. The reasons why, what the problems are and how we can fix them are some of the areas that have been explored. Showing us, these are real problems, but they have real solutions, if we work towards them and learn to conserve and use less of this extremely valuable resource.
Works CitedMooney, Chris. "The Incredibly Stupid Way That Americans Waste 1 Trillion Gallons of Water Each Year." Www.washingtonpost.com. Washington Post. Web. 10 Oct. 2015. <http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/03/17/the-incredibly-stupid-way-that-america-wastes-1-trillion-gallons-of-water-each-year/>.
"U.S. Drought Monitor." Drought Monitor. The U.S. Drought Monitor Is Produced through a Partnership between the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the United States Department of Agriculture, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration., 13 Oct. 2015. Web. 5 Oct. 2015. <http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/>.
Howard, Brian Clark. "Worst Drought in 1,000 Years Predicted for American West." Nationalgeographic.com. Nationalgeographic.com, 12 Feb. 2015. Web. 13 Oct. 2015. <http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/02/150212-megadrought-southwest-water-climate-environment/>.
"Waste Water...waste the Planet - 2." Http://www.dropbydrop.eu/. United Nations Regional Information Center., 2012. Web. 17 Oct. 2015. <http://www.dropbydrop.eu/40602>.
"Water Waste Prevention." Www.marinwater.org. Marin Municipal Water District. Web. 14 Oct. 2015. <http://www.marinwater.org/171/Water-Waste-Prevention>.
Many states such as California, Oregon, Washington, and Nevada are now facing problems due to a lack of water, according to droughtmonitor.unl.Edu. Some areas are wasting so much water and there is such a shortage that fines are given out for watering your lawn at the wrong time or leaving a hose running. Not only can farmers not grow anything without this extremely important resource, but water is used in creating food as well as for energy. This is one of if not the most important resource to human life.
In the article “Worst Drought in 1,000 Years Predicted for American West” from the National Geographic we learn of the real danger our country faces. “Drought often has significant impacts on agriculture, ecosystems, and city water supplies. "We see some of those impacts going on now in California,", referring to the ongoing drought that is the worst in that state's recorded history” said Benjamin Cook. The article explains how between environmental problems, and human caused ones, the water supply is drying up faster than it can be replaced.
There are many different ways water is being wasted. Some examples I have seen in my own life are taking too of long showers to using too much water for brushing teeth or doing the dishes. Specifically leaving the water running while brushing your teeth or while doing the dishes can waste gallons over the course of just a month. Other areas where water is wasted is when people water their lawn too long or at the wrong time of day. A lawn can only take so much water and then it begins to spill out on to the sidewalk, being wasted. Also watering a lawn during the heat of the day only causes the water to evaporate. It is suggested that watering take place in the cool parts of the night.
In the article “The incredibly stupid way that Americans waste 1 trillion gallons of water each year” by Chris Mooney he brings to light how we may be wasting and not even realize it. Mooney states that “Wasted water comes with a cost. The city of Daytona Beach, Florida, estimates that a faucet leaking 10 drips every minute wastes 526 gallons of water per year, adding up to $10.91”. Until a person sees the leak on the floor of their house how will they know it is there?
Another area of concern Mooney touches on is the large underground sprinkler systems that many houses in the U.S. have. Between running them for way too long or at the wrong time of day, one household can waste gallons and that is if the system is working perfectly and has no leaks. This is where water detectors come into play, helping identify where the problem is so that it can be fixed.
What can we do to help combat these problems? The water being wasted can be solved by so many simple solutions, if we are willing to go the extra mile. Things such as taking less time for household duties that use water to installing water efficient faucet taps, shower heads and toilet parts. Also a leak detection tool or keeping to a lawn watering schedule can really help to prevent unnecessary water usage throughout the country. Saving this resource starts with all of us and if we push this issue aside as we have been doing for many years, there is going to be a major problem in our future.
Although there are many solutions to this growing problem, the real solution is us. If we do not come together as a human race to create new ways to create or even just preserve what water we have, projections say we are going to run out far sooner than we think. The time for not caring and thinking that this is someone else's problem has ended. It time for the American people to lead the way and show we care about our planet and the people in it, the same way they do fighting wars to help other people.
As stated, there are many things that cause these ever growing water shortages. Due to a lack of knowledge, carelessness or both we have put ourselves into a serious problem that will affect every living thing. The reasons why, what the problems are and how we can fix them are some of the areas that have been explored. Showing us, these are real problems, but they have real solutions, if we work towards them and learn to conserve and use less of this extremely valuable resource.
Works CitedMooney, Chris. "The Incredibly Stupid Way That Americans Waste 1 Trillion Gallons of Water Each Year." Www.washingtonpost.com. Washington Post. Web. 10 Oct. 2015. <http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/03/17/the-incredibly-stupid-way-that-america-wastes-1-trillion-gallons-of-water-each-year/>.
"U.S. Drought Monitor." Drought Monitor. The U.S. Drought Monitor Is Produced through a Partnership between the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the United States Department of Agriculture, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration., 13 Oct. 2015. Web. 5 Oct. 2015. <http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/>.
Howard, Brian Clark. "Worst Drought in 1,000 Years Predicted for American West." Nationalgeographic.com. Nationalgeographic.com, 12 Feb. 2015. Web. 13 Oct. 2015. <http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/02/150212-megadrought-southwest-water-climate-environment/>.
"Waste Water...waste the Planet - 2." Http://www.dropbydrop.eu/. United Nations Regional Information Center., 2012. Web. 17 Oct. 2015. <http://www.dropbydrop.eu/40602>.
"Water Waste Prevention." Www.marinwater.org. Marin Municipal Water District. Web. 14 Oct. 2015. <http://www.marinwater.org/171/Water-Waste-Prevention>.