More than 70% of the Earth's surface is covered with water, yet 884 million people (1 in 8) lack access to a clean, sustainable source. So where is it all going?
97.5% of the Earth's water is saltwater.
Of the 2.5% of freshwater, only 1% is easily accessible. The rest is trapped in icecaps or deep underground aquifers.
Therefore, only .007% of water is available for use by its billions of inhabitants.
That doesn't seem like enough.
However, it's important to remember that this is, more or less, the same amount of water that has always been available to humans since the beginning of time. The hydrologic cycle continues to recycle this same water to satisfy the planet's needs century after century. But now we are in trouble. Why?
A combination of immense population growth, water pollution, climate change, wasteful consumption, water intensive agricultural practices, overconsumption by industry, and water pollution make this precious resource even harder to get. Demand is up and supply is down- we are actually running out of clean water.
Limited access to a life-essential element is a problem. It's more than a problem - it's a crisis! We need solutions and we need them now. Perhaps this means better distribution of the available water. Perhaps it means investing in cheaper desalinization techniques. Perhaps it means learning more and using less.
I don't know the answer, but I would like to be part of the solution.
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