How Choices I Have Made That Impact The Earth s Water Cycle

The Water Cycle This essay examines choices I have made that impact the earth’s water cycle. I have focused primarily on water conservation and acknowledged my greenhouse gas contributions. I have a new appreciation for the hydrologic cycle. I had not previously thought about the world’s water supply in terms of 1.39B cubic kilometers or that only one percent of this is available as fresh water for humanity to work with (not accounting for the polar icecaps, glaciers or ocean desalination efforts).This sounds less, more finite then saying water covers seventy-five percent of the Earth. It was disturbing to learn that the United States used on average 355 billion gallons of water each day in 2010 and that almost half of this water was used for thermoelectric power production. I was surprised to learn that the many American households use upwards of one hundred thousand gallons of water a year (Graham, Parkinson Chahine, 2010; Barber, 2014). Initially, I approached the writing assignment thinking about my impact on the water cycle in terms of consumption. While exploring the topic, it quickly became apparent that my indirect water consumption was equally significant. I was familiar with the concept of a carbon-footprint for many years, and was fascinated to learn about the notion of a water-footprint and viewing agricultural products in terms of their net virtual water value (Hoekstra, 2008). This starts adding ethical questions. Is it morally right to consume productsShow MoreRelatedLife Cycle Of A Car1903 Words   |  8 PagesChristian Osso Rough Draft Steffen Holt Writ 102 The Life Cycle of a Car It s hard to believe, but there are over a billion cars on the road today, and estimates predict that number will increase to 2.5 billion by the year 2050. The life cycle of a car has several different phases, and each has a greater impact on the environment than most people realize. 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