We often don't see water as the precious resource it is....

but this miracle may not last forever if we are not careful.

A lot of people are confused as to why we should conserve water. I mean - the oceans are huge! How could we be running out of water?

The problem is that less than 0.3% of the water on earth is available for human consumption and most of this is ground water.

This water supply is decreasing fast and most people in the U.S., or anywhere else in the industrialized world are not taking the crisis as seriously as they should nor do they realize how it directly threatens them.

Water tables are falling, lakes are shrinking and demand is increasing. In fact, demand has tripled over the last half-century. Cities (including U.S. cities) are starting to take irrigation water from farmers to meet their needs. As water becomes scarcer it will become more expensive. The price of water will (and has in some places) far exceed the value of the food that can be produced with it. This will produce a food shortage.

Water scarcity is due to overpumping of fresh water. Water supplies are decreasing or have been exhausted with no hope of replenishment. Water is sustainable only as long as we use as much as is available (conserve) respecting the hydrosphere cycle process.

Another reason water is declining is the widespread use of fresh water for various human uses (water mixing with pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, chemicals, cleaning agents, etc.). This has led to polluted groundwater systems which ultimately leads to a decreased water supply.

Governments need to limit aquifer pumping to sustainable levels, but they have failed to do so. There has been a huge mismanagement of this resource... a "free ride" attitude that will have extreme consequences. Future international conflict over water is a real danger.

So, until governments intervene- it is up to us to conserve.

Steps we can take include: turn off the water, take shorter showers, eat less meat (it takes more water to produce meat than a vegetarian diet) and promote the education of girls (birth control) in developing countries, use greywater in your home, support water-efficient irrigation, etc. Click here for more tips.

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