{"id":3286,"date":"2013-12-06T12:25:27","date_gmt":"2013-12-06T07:25:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cawater-info.net\/all_about_water\/en\/?p=3286"},"modified":"2013-12-05T16:33:22","modified_gmt":"2013-12-05T11:33:22","slug":"facts-about-fresh-water-resources","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.cawater-info.net\/all_about_water\/en\/?p=3286","title":{"rendered":"Facts about Fresh Water Resources"},"content":{"rendered":"

GLOBAL FACTS<\/strong><\/p>\n

There\u2019s a word for water in every language. \u2013 American Museum of Natural History [Hereafter, AMNH]<\/p>\n

The shortage of fresh, clean water is the greatest danger to which mankind has ever been exposed. (Human Rights Commission)<\/p>\n

All Earth\u2019s lakes and rivers constitute less than 1\/50th of 1% of the water on the planet. (AMNH)<\/p>\n

\"001\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The human population is now 6.7 billion, projected to grow by 1\/2 billion by 2015, and to rise to 9 billion by 2040. The UN Population Fund predicts global consumption of water doubling every 20 years –twice as fast as the world\u2019s population is expanding. — Wall Street Journal, March 29-30, 2008, page B-1. [Hereafter WSJ.]<\/p>\n

Global water use has tripled since 1950. — BBC\/Cosmos Magazine. [Hereafter BBC.]<\/p>\n

On a global scale, we only use 20% of available freshwater, but in many arid regions, 95% of available water is used. –Africa Geographic, June 2005, p 47.<\/p>\n

Once a year in Stigomta, Sweden, citizens observe \u201cPee Outside Day\u201d during which they save 50% of the muncipal water used on a typical day. — Troubled Water: Saints, Sinners, Truth And Lies About The Global Water Crisis. [Hereafter, Troubled Water]<\/p>\n

The three largest water corporations will control 70 percent of the water in Europe and North America by the end of the decade. — Troubled Water<\/p>\n

AFRICAN FACTS<\/strong><\/p>\n

Women in sub-Sahara Africa walk 15-17 hrs \/week getting water and up to 6 miles per day. \u2013 AMNH.<\/p>\n

The average person in the US uses 100-175 gallons of water every day at home. In Africa, the average family uses 5 gallons a day. –Blue Planet Run, 2007.<\/p>\n

Currently 300 million people in Africa do not have access to safe water supply and adequate sanitation: that\u2019s about the population of the US. \u2013 \u201cWater of Life 2007-2015\u201d by Diageo (UK corporation)<\/p>\n

The weight of water that women in Africa carry on their heads is commonly 20 kg, the average UK airport luggage allowance. \u2013 \u201cWater of Life 2007-2015\u201d by Diageo, UK. [Hereafter \u201cWater of Life.\u201d]<\/p>\n

AMERICAN FACTS<\/strong><\/p>\n

More than 450,000 miles of US rivers are under mercury advisories. nearly 40% of America\u2019s freshwater fish are threatened with extinction. www.oceansalert.org<\/p>\n

40% of fresh water in the U.S. is consumed in industrial applications. — WSJ<\/p>\n

Pine park beetle infestation, begun in 1996, has thus far infected 1.5 million acres in British Columbia \u2013 an area<\/p>\n

the size of Louisiana. Since 2004 close to 300,000 acres of Colorado aspen have died.<\/p>\n

NATURAL RESOURCE FACTS<\/strong><\/p>\n

The amount of living matter in a wetland may be 10 to 1,000 times that of dry land nearby<\/p>\n

The volume of groundwater ranges from 30 to 100 times more than is in all Earth’s rivers, lakes and streams.<\/p>\n

One gallon (3.8 liters) of gas can contaminate 1,000,000 gallons of groundwater (3,700,00 liters). -\u2013 AMNH<\/p>\n

WATER-RELATED HEALTH ISSUES<\/strong><\/p>\n

More than one in six people lack access to safe drinking water, according to the World Water Council. \u2013 WSJ.<\/p>\n

90% of wastewater in developing countries is discharged into rivers and streams without any treatment. — UNDP, UNEP, World Bank, and the World Resources Institute, \u201cWorld Resources 2000-2001,\u201d pg. 25-26.<\/p>\n

Over 1 billion people worldwide must walk at least 30 minutes to get clean water. — Troubled Water<\/p>\n

Every 15 seconds a child dies from a water-related disease. Two million children die a year from lack of water and proper sanitation. — Blue Planet Run, 2007.<\/p>\n

CLIMATE CHANGE<\/strong><\/p>\n

Emissions of greenhouse gases have risen 70 percent since 1970 and could nearly double from current levels by 2030 if nothing is done. — \u201cThe Warming Challenge,\u201d New York Times, Editorial, May 5, 2007.<\/p>\n

Science magazine reported in March [2007] that Antarctica and Greenland are both losing ice overall, about 125 billion metric tons a year between the two of them \u2014 and the amount has accelerated over the last decade. — \u201c The Big Melt\u201d By Nicholas D. Kristof, New York Times, August 16, 2007 [Hereafter, \u201cBig Melt\u201d]<\/p>\n

Per a May \u201807 article by five scientists who analyzed the extent of Arctic sea ice each summer since 1953: Computer models anticipated a loss of 2.5 percent of ice per decade, but the actual loss was 7.8 percent per decade \u2014 three times greater. The article notes that the extent of summer ice melting is 30 years ahead of where the models predict. \u2013 \u201c Big Melt\u201d<\/p>\n

DAMS IMPACT<\/strong><\/p>\n

More than 60 percent of the world’s rivers have been dammed or diverted. Over the last 50 years, humans have built more than 47,000 large dams around the world. Today, dams generate 20 percent of the world’s electric<\/p>\n

power, and provide needed water to cities and for irrigation. \u2013 AMNH.<\/p>\n

The profusion of dams worldwide has changed the shape of the Earth\u2019s gravitational field. — Troubled Water<\/p>\n

AGRICULTURE FACTS<\/strong><\/p>\n

Agriculture consumes 70% of Earth\u2019s fresh water use. \u2013 AMNH.<\/p>\n

Drip irrigation uses 30 to 70% less water than traditional methods \u2013 National Geographic March 2009<\/p>\n

It takes over 700 gallons of water to produce one medium-sized cotton t-shirt. \u2013 AMNH<\/p>\n

It takes 260 gallons of water to produce 2.2 pounds of wheat and 3,380 gallons of water to produce 2.2 pounds of beef, according to the World Water Council. — WSJ.<\/p>\n

View or download<\/strong>\u00a0Fresh Water Resources fact sheet<\/a><\/p>\n

Source: http:\/\/nowater-nolife.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n

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