1. What did you learn about water?
Hydrogen bonding
Water properties
We learned that water had all those special traits
We learned how automobiles pollute water
We learned about eutrophication
We learned how scarce water is in different areas of the world
We learned how industrialization has impacted water and its quality. We also learned how agriculture pollutes water.
Global warming and how it affects climate
We learned about pollutants, nutrient, sediments. We learned how phosphorus and nitrogen pollute water.
2. Sustainability
Economic growth comes before sustainability. So far it is an idealistic discourse since developing world is struggling.
In order to have sustainability you have to constantly adjust the policies.
It requires global agreement and cooperation due to globalization. It does not stop at borders. Pollution, global warming, water scarcity is all about globalization and sustainability.
It takes a longtime to renew resources.
Sustainability should include all organisms and not just humans.
1. What did we learn about water during this quarter? Main things:
We are running out of fresh water…
How many people in the world don’t have access to fresh water
Less than 1% of all water is freshwater
The volume of water used for irrigation
Hydrologic cycle…how it worked.
Chemistry of water (latent heat of vaporization)
That we pump crap into our aquifers
The amount of water pollution
How clouds work…
That pumping can actually drain a river dry
The idea of “virtual” water
How our country creates so much food for the rest of the world
2. What have we learned about sustainability?
Definition of sustainability
It’s not easy and it’s never immediate
1. Water
The Coriolis Effect on water
Water is severely undervalued. It is seen as something that will always be there when it will not be
Even in the Pacific Northwest we can experience a shortage in water
Citizens in developed countries (especially the US) use more water than the developing countries
By the end of the century that the cost of water per barrel will be twice that of oil
Global climate change can have a severe effect on growing seasons, rainfall, etc
The effect of pollution on marine systems
Estuaries and wetlands filter. They are the kidneys of the Earth
Eutrophication
Water in its solid form is less dense than in liquid form
Polarity of a water molecule
Hydrology
Water pollution
2. Sustainability has many different definitions
Sustainability has a large effect on a country’s economy
Virtual water
Sustainable practices are important to future generations to ensure their quality of life
1. Water
Vanishing resource
Water properties
Regulation of water quality, governing
Climate change effecting water
Using too fast
Contributing to global warming
Sea level rise affecting (1 m) couasts
Eutrophication – algal blooms
Temperature of water importance
2. Sustainability
That we can replumb our houses to use water that is wasted
Hotly debated term – hard to define – subjective
Beliefs – who’s sustainability – what you’re willing to do – some places are more desperate than others
More awareness – business products getting on board
We all have a part and can help
1. Water
We realized water is an issue
How little fresh water is available for us – 97% ocean 2% ice < 1% for us
Learned different water types (estuary, watershed) and terms (eutrophication, biomes)
Water is the life blood of the planet in that it circulates and transports a variety of good and bad things
2. Sustainability
It will be very difficult to achieve
How it has become a hot topic globally
Often debated on how to go about achieving it
1. Water
Keystone element to life
Damaging water and life seriously!
2. Sustainability
More toward chages in our lifetime
“Pennies” theory
Incremental changes
Everyday life
We now realize other things (e.g. agriculture)