Water Degradation in the Pacific
Geography3 | MAJOR ESSAY ANDFIELD RESEARCHWater | Discuss four major causes of environmental degradation experienced in your community. Also discuss four major reasons why It’s very important for us to protect and conserve our environments.Use relevant examples and pictures in your essay write up. | |
Fig. 1: A bar graph depicting the distribution of the world’s water.
Source http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/graphics/earthwheredistribution.gif
Water is a very precious earthly resource that must be protected for the survival of the entire human race. In fact, according to the United States Geological Survey, only 3% of the world’s water is actually available as freshwater and only 0.3% is accessible for human consumption. This essay will unfold in two parts. Firstly, it will consider some of the main causes behind the degradation of hydrological resources. Then it will go into a number of reasons why we as people desperately need to safeguard our water resources.
Fig. 2: A diagram showing the process by which acid rain is formed.
Source http://simonmccormack.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/p0013033-acid-rain12.gif To begin with, the industrial sector in Fiji is one of the major causes of water pollution. The World Book Encyclopedia states that industries are the largest consumers of water. Further, many industries dispense harmful pollutants into water systems, which can eventually lead back into homes. In addition, the burning of fossil fuels creates pollutants such as sulphur and nitrogen oxides. These toxins lead to what is called acid rain2, which can poison water supplies, kill plants and harm animals. Therefore, there is a large amount of industrial waste generated by these activities, and this waste is polluting our water, among other things.
Secondly, the increasing global demand for water is taking its toll on water supply. Shortages have begun to occur in various places all over the world, and with increments in the population, this problem may only be
Fig. 1: A bar graph depicting the distribution of the world’s water.
Source http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/graphics/earthwheredistribution.gif
Water is a very precious earthly resource that must be protected for the survival of the entire human race. In fact, according to the United States Geological Survey, only 3% of the world’s water is actually available as freshwater and only 0.3% is accessible for human consumption. This essay will unfold in two parts. Firstly, it will consider some of the main causes behind the degradation of hydrological resources. Then it will go into a number of reasons why we as people desperately need to safeguard our water resources.
Fig. 2: A diagram showing the process by which acid rain is formed.
Source http://simonmccormack.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/p0013033-acid-rain12.gif To begin with, the industrial sector in Fiji is one of the major causes of water pollution. The World Book Encyclopedia states that industries are the largest consumers of water. Further, many industries dispense harmful pollutants into water systems, which can eventually lead back into homes. In addition, the burning of fossil fuels creates pollutants such as sulphur and nitrogen oxides. These toxins lead to what is called acid rain2, which can poison water supplies, kill plants and harm animals. Therefore, there is a large amount of industrial waste generated by these activities, and this waste is polluting our water, among other things.
Secondly, the increasing global demand for water is taking its toll on water supply. Shortages have begun to occur in various places all over the world, and with increments in the population, this problem may only be
Bibliography: Barnhart, C. & Barnhart, R., 1994, Water. The World Book Encyclopedia, William H. Nault, New York, p.69, 88-89. Duaibe, S. T., 2010, ‘Pacific Islands Geography I: Course Book’, The University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji, p. 6.10. Perlman, H. 2002, Water distribution: Where is water on, above and in the earth?, (Online), Available: 2010, http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/waterdistribution.html, (2010 May 17). Why Conserve?, (Online), Available: 2010, http://www.conservewater.utah.gov/WhyConserve, (2010 May 20). [ 2 ]. Perlman, H. 2002, Water distribution: Where is water on, above and in the earth?, (Online), Available: 2010, http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/waterdistribution.html, (2010 May 17). [ 3 ]. Volume 21, 1994, in The World Book Encyclopedia, William H. Nault, New York, p.69, 88-89. [ 4 ]. Duaibe, S. T., 2010, ‘Pacific Islands Geography I: Course Book’, The University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji, p. 6.10. [ 5 ]. Ministerial Conference on Environment and Development in Asia and the Pacific 2000, (Online), Available: no date, http://www.unescap.org/mned2000/pacific/background/climate.htm, (2010 May 20). [ 6 ]. Kikau, R. 2010, ‘$36m water arrears’, Fiji Times, (Online), Available: 2010, http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=143433, (2010 May 18) [ 7 ] [ 8 ]. Why Conserve?, (Online), Available: 2010, http://www.conservewater.utah.gov/WhyConserve, (2010 May 20).