What the world should be doing!

The earth is a self-contained biosphere unit. According to LennTech.com fresh water makes up only about 2.5% of the earths total water, and of that 2.5% the majority is locked up in glaciers and permafrost. Of the 2.5% of freshwater only 1% is drinkable (LennTech.com). With the recent population explosion the earth has been undergoing, water is “changing form”, and becoming less accessible for all people. Water is being lost to pollution, overuse, and disease. With a more controlled population, the stresses on water, and all of earth’s resources, would be greatly reduced. According to About.com, China’s one child policy has “been estimated to have reduced population growth in the country of 1.3 billion by as much as 300 million people over its first twenty years”. Although these are seemingly draconian measures, we live in a world where choices like these could mean the difference between survival of mankind, and extinction.
Aside from overpopulation, waste and unsatisfactory water management are the main reasons for our increasing water problems. Here is a breakdown of the world water distribution:

(BBC NEWS)
As you can see, agriculture dominates our world water usage. There is plenty room of improvement in irrigation, as well as other water conservation techniques.

Water is a right. We should all be sharing equally between social classes with all. In South Africa, they are privatizing water. Many are allowed 6,000 liters of water a month for free, paying for anything over. But privatization does not work for everyone. It doesn’t fit the lifestyles of most. 6,000 liters a month means 50 liters a day for an entire family. On average, a American uses 19 gallons of water daily. (www.mindfully.org/Sustainability/ Americans-Consume-24percent.htm). that equals to 602.61 gallons. Despite Americans being wasteful, it is unrealistic to give a South African family not enough water for all of them.( BBC NEWS

In developed, urban countries, water shortage mainly stems from inefficient agricultural laws. They use 85% of the world’s water and are shortfalls that need to be addressed by the governments of each nation. (Usa Today)

A California entrepreneur designs Spragg bags. He hopes that the White House will help mediate and negotiate floating fresh water to Palestinians and Israelis. This deal begins in Turkey by filling 20 to 30 Spragg bags with fresh water. Transportation is pennies to the gallon because the bags would float a few hundred miles to those who are in need.

Less than 2.5% of the world’s water is fresh. It is the essence of life. At any given time, half of the world’s hospitals are people who are effected by a water-borne disease. Pollution and global warming threaten this vital resource and with it becoming scarce, we are all fighting for our rights for water. (Christian Science Monitor)

An alternative to fresh water is desalinated water. The United States has be reprimanded for not investing more into research for water purification. So far there are more than 11,000 desalination plants in 120 countries around the world with Japan and Saudi Arabia spear heading. 60% of these are in the Middle East. Our global water problem is getting worse everyday. The world needs to unify its people by slowing population growth, controlling pollution and the supply and demand to the different countries. We all need to start conserving water. And above all, everyone needs to start caring about this issue and about others. Reduce waste, care more. Efficiency is key for moving into a secure future.