Quote:Water withdrawals from lakes and rivers has doubled in the last 40 years. Humans now use between 40% and 50% of all available freshwater running off the land.
And after use, all that water is teleported to another galaxy? The hydrologic (renewal) cycle no longer exists?
I'm not sure if you really read this article or just making light of it. There is no problem with using water. Even if humans used 100% of it-I would have no problem with it. The problem in most countries-(read third world or communist) is that that water is not being treated when it is dumped back into the rivers from either human or factory use. Also like china where environmental concerns are nil the factories just dump their waste contaminants back in. If these countrie are only using say 5-10% that would be o.k. but they are using way more and more each year and not cleaning it and it's having a bad effect on their environment.
I live near the cuyahoga river and remember when it actually caught on fire and I also remember the creek that runs next to our farm when it was flourescent orange. Today it is clear and the fish have come back.
Too many people on FR make fun of these articles because they are so anti/rapid environmental due to percieved politics. It also has alot to do with in the US we have cleaned up our act and people don't see or rememeber what pollution is doing or how bad it can get. I've talked to people that have gone to china and in some towns you go outside and the air pollution is so bad when you blow your nose it's black and you get an acrid taste in your mouth. I'm not a environmental wack job but want to drink clean water and not have to worry about my health. BTW I think there is global warming but also only think humans have maybe only 10-15% part of it. Mostly it is cyclical or caused by the sun etc.
BTW: The same people that make fun of these articles are the most rapid at city council meetings if a dump is being built next to their house or want to file a lawsuit against some factory for making their kids weird.
The problem in most countries-(read third world or communist) is that that water is not being treated when it is dumped back into the rivers from either human or factory use. Also like china where environmental concerns are nil the factories just dump their waste contaminants back in. If these countrie are only using say 5-10% that would be o.k. but they are using way more and more each year and not cleaning it and it's having a bad effect on their environment.
Reduction in the mass of mountain glaciers (Andes, Alps, Himalayas) mass is also seen as a threat to the fresh water supplies that many countries rely on.