Sci275

If I were an environmental researcher and were given funding to assist with one environmental issue, I would choose to spend my funds on water resources’ choose water resources because of a documentary I saw on MTV called" Kilimanjaro-climb-for-clean-water." The documentary was about raising awareness that more than 1 billion people worldwide don’t have access to safe, clean drinking water. By airing the documentary MTV hoped to mobilize a new generation of young people who may not be aware of this global cause to take action and get involved in helping find solution to the water crisis. Supply of fresh water will be a critical issue in the years to come. Information, assessment and monitoring of global water resources will be priority. Here are a few facts about what is happening with the world’s water supply: around the world, 884 million people do not have access to clean drinking water and 2.5 billion are without adequate sanitation facilities. Diarrhea causes 2.5 million deaths/ year, accounting for around 21 of all cause mortality for children fewer than 5. This is the equivalent of one child dying every 12 seconds. Up to30% of fresh water supplies are lost due to leakage in developed countries, and in some major cities, loses can run as high as 40 to 70%. The average amount of water it takes to produce 1 kilogram of potatoes is 1000 liters, wheat is 1450 liters and rice is 3450 liters. Agriculture accounts for over 80% of the world’s water consumption. Lack of safe water and sanitation costs sub Saharan Africa around 5% of its GDP each year. The UN suggests that each person needs 20-50 liters of safe fresh drinking water a day to ensure their basic needs for drinking, cooking, and cleaning. The daily drinking water requirement per person is 2-4 liters, but it takes 2000-5000 liters of water to produce one person’s food. My ultimate goal would be to bring more awareness to the young generation so they can be aware of the crisis and implement change.