Interaction Between the Atmosphere and the Hydrosphere

In approximately 250 words, please respond to the following questions. Refer back to the Syllabus for important reminders about forum discussion etiquette.

Week Four Discussion Forum: Interaction Between the Atmosphere and the Hydrosphere

How might your life be different if you lived in an area where water was scarce, or there were strict water regulations?

List at least four suggestions for the global community to decrease water pollution. Keep in mind this is a world wide effort!

Peer Response 1

Jenn

If I lived in an area where water was scarce, my life would be very different. First, since water is needed to grow crops, I would not be able to keep my garden. Second, I would have to decrease the frequencies of my family member’s showers. Next, there would not be as many restaurants, stores and other businesses open in the area since they rely on good water supply too. Finally, without enough water, some of the local ecosystems would be destroyed. Many plants and animal can’t survive without water.

Water pollution is one of the big problems in our times. In addition to people getting water that is contaminated, many animals suffer from polluted water too since they depend on water for survival.

There are different ways to decrease water pollution. One of them is developing a habit of not disposing oils in the sink. Instead, we should pour oils in a bottle that can be thrown away later. Also, when emptying cleaning chemicals containers, it’s a good idea to do that in the trash can instead of the sink. It’s better not to use garbage disposal system in the sink too often since some items that we throw there might be polluting water supply as well. Instead, we can to throw some items in the trash.

In addition, we should try not to use pesticides in the yard. Instead, we can learn about and try to use environmentally friendly products. When chemical go into the soil, they can spread through the water. Finally, in order to decrease water pollution, we should perform regular car maintenance to make sure it is running smoothly and not causing too much pollution in the environment. Air pollution can really impact water supply.

Sources:

https://www.eartheclipse.com/environment/causes-effects-and-solutions-to-water-scarcity.html

https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/25-simple-and-easy-ways-to-reduce-water-pollution-now.php

Peer Response 2

Chris

Today I live in Maryland and I have access to safe drinking water whenever I so desire it. I can also use water to wash my clothes, clean my dishes and house and water my garden if there hasn’t been rain for a few days. This is a very different environment than where I grew up. I grew up in Saudi Arabia and even thought we lived in modern houses we only had one tap in the house which we could use for drinking and cooking. The other taps in the house such as in the bathrooms were only used for washing. The regular tap in the kitchen sink was only used for washing. Even though it was a different from living in the US we still had easy access to water for drinking, washing and even watering plants and yards. Compared to areas of the world where it is difficult to access water much less safe and clean drinking water we had it pretty good. Today in many areas of the US it is shocking to hear that people do not have access to drinking water in their homes. Many of these areas are suffering because of public and private human actions from decades of water mismanagement.

After reviewing our class resources and checking websites such as the United Nations and The Nature Conservancy many of the things we can do locally need to be implemented world-wide. One way it to reduce plastic use and make sure plastic that is being used is recycled or disposed of properly. Chemical pollution from manufacturing, agriculture, storm water runoff and our everyday household use is a major source of water pollution. Reducing water use and capturing rain water in rain gardens and water barrels can reduce water pollution. Growing sustainable food crops can reduce water use and water pollution. Modernizing and improving water waste management facilities is also an important factor in water pollution. Restoring wetlands and forests is also crucial to reducing water pollution.