The earth is made up of 70% water so why is water conservation so important? Only 0.014% of all the earth’s water is available for human (and most animal) use yet we use the water as if we had access to all of it..
As described in the March 2009 issue of Underground Construction, water problems are not limited to third world countries. Here in the United States, Las Vegas, Atlanta and California are all experiencing water shortage problems. Professor of atmospheric science at the University of Alabama, John R. Christy, states that unwise agricultural practices and rapid population growth are to blame for our water shortage. Water demand has increased in desert environments, such as California and Nevada, to cultivate non-native crops at a pace that the region’s water delivery system cannot sustain. With agriculture sucking up about two-thirds of the world’s water, there is a real need for native and local farming.
With an expected population increase from 7.7 billion to more than 9 billion by 2050, it is imperative that water conservation efforts begin today. There are many small steps individuals can take that have a big impact.