1) Water management
- Fresh water is defined by UNESCO as water that can be used for drinking by human beings and that can be used by animals and crops. Human being gets their fresh water from ground water and surface runoff. Surface water is rainwater that has not yet infiltrated into the ground while ground water refers to the water stored in spaces found in-between rocks in the earth’s crust. However, fresh water is not necessarily safe for drinking as it might have some impurities and pollutants in it as it made its way into the streams, springs, rivers or even as it infiltrates into the ground.
- Although 70% of the earth’s surface is covered with water, only finite sources of fresh water are found, and that small percentage is what human beings rely on for their survival. This creates pressure on water as a resource to cater for the expanding world population with the situation worsening in poor countries where people lack clean water for drinking with outbreaks of water related diseases due to poor sanitation. According to the World Bank, about a billion people globally lack access to clean and safe water for drinking.
- Water conservation is a holistic term that entails strategies, causes of actions and activities geared to managing freshwater resources while at the same time protecting the environment. The purpose of conservation is to meet the demands of the current generation while ensuring that the needs of future generations are also met.
- Water use refers to the utilization of water for a specific purpose or task by an individual, community or country. Global water use has increased sharply over the recent past as the demand for the same increasing with the growing population.
2) Effects of water use on the environment
- Short term effects of water use on the environment include emptying water bodies such as rivers and lakes while long term effects include denting the natural water cycle thus destabilizing the equilibrium of living organisms that depend on water for survival.
- Types of environmental pollution
- Air pollution
- Air pollution is the introduction of particles and chemicals into the atmosphere. This subsequently causes diseases, discomfort and destruction to human beings, living organisms and physical structures such as the built environment. Air pollution is caused by various factors that include;
- Natural occurrences such as forest fires, volcanoes, erosion by wind, evaporation of organic materials, and natural radioactivity.
- Industrial emissions and burning of fossil fuels from transportation vessels.
Treatment
- Use of green energy to minimize burning of fossil fuels, which releases harmful pollutants to the atmosphere. Investing in the wind and solar energy can go a long way in mitigating causes of air pollution. (Shah, 2013)
Car manufacturers can produce more energy efficient cars that minimally pollute the environment.
Government intervention on industries that cause air pollution through imposed levies and taxes.
- Effect on ecosystem health
Acidification of rain water formed from the pollutants found in the atmosphere harm vegetation and even buildings. The effects of acid rain cut across ecosystems and destabilize them. When acid rain occurs, it affects trees, harm aquatic animals, and wildlife hence affecting negatively on the health of ecosystems.
- Effects on human health
Short term effects include eyes, nose and throat irritation, allergies, respiratory infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia. Long term effects are lung cancer, heart diseases, and kidney damages.
- Water pollution
- Causes
- Industrial waste e.g. sculpture, mercury, asbestos, oils, nitrates and phosphates
- Lack of proper treatment of sewage and waste water leading to spread of water borne diseases.
- Through septic tanks when the liquid part is released into land drains and infiltrate into the ground.
- Ocean and seas dumping where trash and wastes are directly or indirectly dumped into these water bodies and take a long time to decompose.
- Oil spillage is a major cause that brings about the detrimental effects to marine life.
- Treatment
Stringent laws on effluent treatment by industries, hospitals before release into the environment.
Proper waste disposal which is a source-prevention measure whereby rubbish are kept in a bin and not left exposed to surface runoff and end up in water bodies.
Proper handling of chemicals, oils and medicals waste that are hazardous to the human health through the development of chemical disposal plans by the local authorities can go a long way in curbing water pollution.
- Effects on ecosystem health
Water pollution can destabilize an ecosystem through the death of aquatic life which could be part of a delicate ecosystem. Their living environment is destroyed by these pollutants and hence creates a void in the entire relationship chain (ecosystem)
- Effects on human health
Water pollution brings with it water borne diseases that affect humans mainly through drinking of contaminated or polluted water.
3. Land pollution
a) Causes
- Chemical leftovers from pesticides and fertilizers are major sources of land pollution.
- Mining activities that often leave the ground in the open after clear cut activities have taken place exposing the soil to erosion which then destroys the quality of land. Chemicals left from mines leach overtime into the soil, causing pollution.
- Deforestation leaves the land exposed and to soil erosion and direct sunlight.
- Treatment
People to embrace reduce - reuse- recycles principle, which will help in waste management.
Avoid the use of pesticides if possible and buying of biodegradable products from the market.
- Effects on ecosystem
Land pollution may harm an ecosystem through destruction of habitat, chemical leftovers from mine stations that affect soils and are washed to water bodies leading to further downstream pollution.
- Effect on human health
Polluted land surfaces might cause skin cancer and respiratory diseases.
Foul smell causing discomfort among human beings.
- Global warming
- Background
- The atmosphere of the earth refers to the layer of gases that are held together by the earth’s gravity. It contributes to life support on earth by absorbing ultraviolet rays, retaining earth heat and regulating temperature extremes during the day and night.
- Earth’s energy budget refers to the amount of energy produced by the sun and the amount of that energy received by the earth.
- Green house gases are the cause of global warming as they retain heat reflected from the earth’s surface causing increased temperatures.
- Green house effect refers to a situation where short wavelength light that are visible are transferred over a transparent medium and absorbed while the longer wavelengthsof infrared re radiation are unable to transfer through the same medium leading to retention of heat.
- Carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide are primary gases involved in global warming.
- Methane gas is one of the anthropogenic gases that contribute to global warming.
- Future
- Oceans are vulnerable to the adverse effects of global warming as they are major heat and carbon sinks. Increased acidification, rise of sea levels due to ices melting and fluctuations in water temperature and waves all impact negatively on the aquatic life of the oceans. This also leads to changes in weather patterns leading to extremes such as floods, droughts and storm surge
- Increased global warming has the potential to affect the environment through many ways including extreme weather conditions that will lead to storms and heat waves. All these extreme weather conditions affect human beings directly causing poverty and natural disasters.
- Evidence of increased global warming is seen in the melting of ice in the arctic region and the subsequent rise of sea levels. Extreme weather conditions are also evident through the rise of global temperatures in some regions with droughts and floods characterizing affected areas.
- Prevention
- Global warming can be mitigated through five major ways which include
- Investing in green energy toreduce harmful emissions.
- Driving energy efficient cars with reduced emissions, embracing green construction and green homes.
- Setting limits on industrial emissions and imposing taxes on defaulters.
- Having better transportation networks and better communities (Natural resources defense council).
- Individual efforts to mitigate global warming would be driving more energy efficient cars and embracing green products and services that do not contribute to increased global warming.
- Lack of political will on issues pertaining to the environment can be a major setback in the development of policies on global warming. This might be through impunity where industries that pollute the environment get away with the crime hence constraining efforts of mitigating global warming.
- Mitigation of global warming is the responsibility of governments and individuals in general. Through political will and environmental stewardship from the society, global warming can be greatly reduced and effects mitigated.
Reference
Carroll, C. (n.d.). Dear EarthTalk. How could there ever be a “water scarcity?” Isn’t water the most plentiful thing on Earth?
Natural resources defense council. (n.d.). The earth's best defence. Global warming solution .
Shah, A. (2013, March). Social, Political, Economic and Environmental Issues That Affect Us All. Climate Change and Global Warming .
