What is Causing the Depletion of Fresh Water?
“…even
though water is a renewable resource that can be managed sustain-ably and
equitably, the global water supply is in fact rapidly declining due to misuse,
pollution and for-profit privatization gambits. Meanwhile, as the human
population continues to grow, water consumption is doubling every 20 years,
and other factors (like global warming) will also have major impacts on
future freshwater reserves. With population experts projecting that
two-thirds of the human race will live in water-stressed areas of the globe by
2025, political analysts speculate that wars will be fought over
dwindling water resources in the coming decades.” (FEP, 2014)
Over the last few decades as the population on the earth has increased, so has the water use. The need for agricultural production of food and products to make goods (such as cotton and rubber) increases as the population does. With the population growing, but the water decreasing, we are encountering a problem.
Over the last few decades as the population on the earth has increased, so has the water use. The need for agricultural production of food and products to make goods (such as cotton and rubber) increases as the population does. With the population growing, but the water decreasing, we are encountering a problem.
As of today, many places around the world are already struggling to meet their fresh water needs, see image above, for varying reasons. These issues will only grow as the earth's population expands and we suffer the continued global warming effects. "Inadequate access to safe freshwater contributes to waterborne disease, malnutrition, poverty, economic and political instability, and conflict—potentially violent conflict—between countries or groups within countries.” (Levy & Sidel, 2010)
A large amount of our fresh water is also lost to pollution from inadequate sanitation, industrial factories and manufacturing plants in some countries. In poor countries located in the Southern half of the world, they can also lose up to 50% of their fresh water through leaky infrastructure. Many of these countries are so in debt to Northern hemisphere countries, that they cannot even begin to address these issues (Barlow, 2007).
As industry and consumerism continues to grow, so will the misuse of fresh water. When there is a profit to be made, the general good of the world is being tossed out the window. There is mass pollution happening from production and factories and water is being diverted from areas it is needed to survive.
A large amount of our fresh water is also lost to pollution from inadequate sanitation, industrial factories and manufacturing plants in some countries. In poor countries located in the Southern half of the world, they can also lose up to 50% of their fresh water through leaky infrastructure. Many of these countries are so in debt to Northern hemisphere countries, that they cannot even begin to address these issues (Barlow, 2007).
As industry and consumerism continues to grow, so will the misuse of fresh water. When there is a profit to be made, the general good of the world is being tossed out the window. There is mass pollution happening from production and factories and water is being diverted from areas it is needed to survive.