Environmental Issues: Water Scarcity
Introduction to Topic: Question
Refer to the Final Research Project guidelines for your topic selection. For your introduction, you should write a 150-word paragraph which clearly explains the topic, the importance of further research, ethical implications, and how the topic relates to one’s academic and professional pursuits. Make sure you effectively inform the reader of the rationale behind your topic. Thesis statement: Write a direct and concise thesis statement, which will become the point or perspective you will argue or prove in the Final Research Project. A thesis statement should be a single declarative sentence that makes one point in 25 words or less. The thesis statement must appear within the introduction paragraph. Annotated Bibliography: To help prepare for your Final Research Project, write an annotated bibliography to indicate the quality of the sources you have read. The bibliography must include no less than five scholarly sources that will be used to support the major points of the Final Research Project. Critical thinking skills need to be demonstrated by accurately interpreting evidence used to support various positions of the topic. Please make sure to provide full reference information in accordance with APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. Write a brief paragraph (around 150 words) summarizing the source and explaining how it is pertinent and relevant to the topic of the project and how each source will support your thesis statement. The Final Research Project will present research relating the responsibilities of a critical thinker to contemporary society. In this assignment, you will do the following: Research one aspect of a contemporary social problem. Define the problem. Propose a possible solution for the problem. Create an argument that supports your thesis position. You should take on the perspective of a critically thinking researcher. The argument must present a thesis statement and evidence to support the thesis statement. Evaluate the ethical outcomes that result from the position you take on the issue and explain how those outcomes would influence society and culture. Interpret statistical data from at least two peer-reviewed scholarly sources. Evaluate evidence using the following standards: validity, reliability, and bias related to the chosen topic and accurately identify strengths and weaknesses.
W3-Final Research Project Preparation
WATER SCARCITY
Echoing the words of Leonardo Da Vinci, water is perceived as the force that drives nature. Unfortunately, the planet’s supply of it is running low at a disturbing rate. As the population continues to rise, the numbers do not coincide with the availability of freshwater. The scarcity is in the list of global concerns together with climate change meaning it practically occurs in our neighborhoods and backyards. The element is amongst the natural resources and is vital for the survival of all living creatures. It has driven the earliest forms of civilizations such as turning agricultural communities into metropolitan cities. Hence, beyond any doubt, the issue of water shortage is detrimental to the society. This article conceptualizes on the environmental problem of water scarcity to comprehend the effects of the issue and the techniques that can address it effectively.
While it is challenging to place oneself in the shoes of an African boy or girl struggling to get fresh water, it is essential to understand that the problem affects everyone. It appears impossible for powerful rivers in different regions like the River Colorado to run dry. It also looks farfetched that a large mass of water such as Lake Mead in the city of Arizona will become obsolete, but there are many uncontrollable changes affecting various countries. There are both demand and supply-side threats affecting the availability of the natural resource. Some supply threats include that the water is not adequate to meet the requirements of human beings. It is not good enough since most of the freshwater sources have been degraded. Another factor is that apart from the physical shortage of the mineral, there is an economic inaccessibility of water to the poor individuals (Çiftçi, Çakmak, Gökalp & Şahin, 2014).
The last supply threat arises when people withdraw clean water from its source at a higher rate than the recharge or replenishment. Demand-side concerns, on the other hand, include the fact that human beings are increasing steadily, technologies seem to waste most of the water, inadequate legal rules and price mechanisms that limit the excessive use of the resource. According to Gedo & Morshed (2013), the depressing climatic patterns threaten the rivers and lakes, and the primary sources that people extract the water are being tainted by pollution and overdrawing. Dirty water is a prominent health risk in many nations since it threatens public health and the quality of life. When water from melting snow or rain comes into contact with the roads or roofs and drains into the rivers, it carries dirt, toxic chemicals, disease-bearing organisms, and dirt.
Most water resources lack strict protections making them susceptible to pollution from practices such as fracking, industrial spills, and farming activities. The conditions can lead to beach closures, habitat degradation, and contamination of drinking water. Various organizations and laws have emerged to protect the water sources such as WHO and the Clean Water Act. The effects of water shortage can be grouped into four categories: poverty, hunger, health, and education. Plenty of water is required to grow food and nurture animals. Scholars say that people use 70 percent of water in irrigation and agriculture while 10 percent is directed towards domestic uses. Less water suggests that the crops and animals that need the resource will give lower yields. Some of them will eventually succumb to the shortage and die. Therefore, hunger and thirst will be the ultimate consequences of the water shortage (Jiménez-Cisneros, Demuth & Mishra, 2013).
Access to freshwater depends on the living standards and economic prosperity of individuals. Schools and businesses will prosper if people can report to their respective areas on time instead of spending most of their morning looking for water. Shops, hotels, and restaurants need to be clean for them to attract visitors. Hence, the lack of mineral means that the economic operations will not take place and people will suffer from abject poverty. In most of the developing regions, citizens are forced to consume low-quality water from flowing sources that are highly contaminated. The level of sanitation is also affected leading to health issues. Lack of water makes children miss out on lessons in school since they have to wake up early to fetch water. They also arrive in the learning institutions very tired. The aspect affects their education and the cycle of poverty continues (Zakar, Zakar, & Fischer, 2012).
The identification of the implications of water scarcity necessitates that something needs to be done to control the outbreak. Based on Chebly’s (2014) statistical representation, 1.1.civilians in the globe do not have access to the natural resource. A further 2.7 billion people find the commodity scarce for at least a month in every year. Inadequate sanitation affects 2.4 billion individuals exposing them to illnesses such as typhoid fever and cholera. Approximately two million kids die annually due to the diseases. When faced with the water variability, shortage, and quality problem, the way we choose or anticipate the issue defines our growth capacity. The scarcity can be alleviated using the appropriate water management techniques. The society and the leadership have shown a complete lack of attention to efficient usage, legislation, recycling, infrastructure, and conservation of the water (Jiménez-Cisneros, Demuth & Mishra, 2013).
Historically, water had been viewed as natural and unlimited commodity that did not require any management. The notion has to change if we are to eliminate the problem. Some of the attempts to control water supply to prevent misuse have not been fruitful. For instance, the privatization of the sources of water to institute efficiency in the service management only led to limited access for the poor people due to the high prices. The primary solution targets the freshwater sources that are mostly affected by the crisis. Whatever the application of the natural resource, water management, and saving is crucial. The decision makers in different countries are the best suited to impose the restrictions and saving strategies. They should ensure that they improve and increase financing, decentralize water responsibility, monitor and evaluate the water sources, develop adequate preservation skills at the local levels, and guarantee citizens the right water (Gedo & Morshed, 2013).
There are also other low-costs and immediate solutions suggested by environmentalists such as underwater receptacles and digging ponds. The low technology techniques have proved their worth by assisting subsistence farmers in various regions. The volume promotion and water conservation needs to be a joint effort between conservationists, governments, landowners, and environmentalists. One agency’s interests might affect the functioning of the other. The facts highlight the usefulness of cooperative effort and shared information. The wasteful practices that lead to water shortage must be eliminated. Examples of such activities include generous showerheads, non-insulated pipes, and flush toilets (Çiftçi, Çakmak, Gökalp & Şahin, 2014).
According to Chebly (2014), more research is warranted to include the depletion of the groundwater surface and provide adjusted mechanisms to reduce water scarcity. Climatic changes also need to be addressed since there are the main causes for the problem. The adaptation to the disparities in climate should be discussed in international conventions to help in the restoration and preservation of the wetlands. Through this, people can bear the responsibility of preserving the ecosystem of water to better their survival chances in the future. They need to develop a society and culture that believes in the conservation of the important natural resource.
References
Chebly, J. E. (2014). The Value of Water: Economics of Water for a Sustainable Use. Economic and Social Review, 45(2), 207-222. Retrieved from http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.proxy- library.ashford.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=5&sid=12c73e05-36ef-4a04-89bd- 605b358ed843%40sessionmgr4001&hid=4208
Çiftçi, N., Çakmak, B., Gökalp, Z., & Şahin, M. (2014). Water Management and Water Use Strategies In Turkey. Agronomy Series Of Scientific Research / Lucrari Stiintifice Seria Agronomie, 57(2), 37-40. Retrieved from http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.proxy- library.ashford.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=11&sid=12c73e05-36ef-4a04-89bd- 605b358ed843%40sessionmgr4001&hid=4208
Gedo, H. W., & Morshed, M. M. (2013). Inadequate accessibility as a cause of water inadequacy: a case study of Mpeketoni, Lamu, Kenya. Water Policy, 15(4), 598-609. doi:10.2166/wp.2013.009. Retrieved from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.proxy- library.ashford.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=8&sid=cc086bbe-2a3d-4ef2-87af- e4cf66dbcff7%40sessionmgr113&hid=126
Jiménez-Cisneros, B., Demuth, S., & Mishra, A. (2013). Water Cooperation to Cope With Twenty-First Century Challenges. UN Chronicle, 50(1), 16. Retrieved from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.proxy- library.ashford.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=cc086bbe-2a3d-4ef2-87af- e4cf66dbcff7%40sessionmgr113&hid=126
Zakar, M. Z., Zakar, R., & Fischer, F. (2012). Climate Change-Induced Water Scarcity: A Threat to Human Health. South Asian Studies (1026-678X), 27(2), 293-312. Retrieved from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.proxy- library.ashford.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=7&sid=cc086bbe-2a3d-4ef2-87af- e4cf66dbcff7%40sessionmgr113&hid=126