World Water Day 2023 – Accelerating Change

 [With AI contribution from Bard.]

World Water Day 2023: A Call to Action (https://www.worldwaterday.org/). Act like the humming bird, be the change you want to see in the world.

Approximately 750m people worldwide do not have ready access to clean water. Double that for people without clean septic/sanitation. The health and wellness of these 2b people can be improved dramatically with clean water and safe septic.

World Water Day is observed on March 22 each year to raise awareness of the importance of water and to advocate for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. This year's theme is "Accelerating change." This means that we need to take action to address the water crisis. We need to find ways to use water more efficiently, and we need to protect our water resources.

World Water Day 2021 Quiz

World Water Day 2021 (March 22) Quiz    Name/Team: ____________ 

(See SustainZine blog post related to this quiz and World Water Day.)

1.      Approximately what percentage of the adult human body is water (H2O)?

a.       10-15%

b.      20-30%

c.       40-50%

d.      55-65%

World Water Day: 2021 Valuing Water (Quiz your Water Knowledge)

It’s World Water Day, March 22, 2021 (www.WorldWaterDay.org).  

Time to test your water knowledge with a World Water Day Quiz. 

Some days we wish it would rain. Some days, we wish it would stop. But every day, not just March 22, we should stop and appreciate the importance of water. How important it is to out our being, to our lives, to our living and to our existence.

The Volusia County Water Summit – Stetson Today

The Volusia County Water Summit – Stetson Today:

The water summit discussed here, turned out to be a rather big event. Really good information & analysis. The right people thinking about the right issues.

It seems that everyone agreed to do something about improving water management and water quality in the county. Although this is a non-binding agreement among the players, it is a really big step forward.

Once everyone realizes those few areas where most of the efforts should be focused, it really helps get a concerted effort from all of the players, private, public and individuals.

When we have these wicked algae blooms, that demonstrates a massive overshoot of what our waterways can handle. Such blooms cause problems all the way out to the reefs, accelerating the reef kill-off that has already been accelerating from record warm temperatures and increase acidification.

The quality of life as we know it, is being eroded by the quality of our water and waterways.

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Lagoon faces unprecedented peril | News-JournalOnline.com

Lagoon faces unprecedented peril | News-JournalOnline.com:

Henderson does a great job of addressing the issues, the sources of the problems and various solutions.

Volusia County is not alone in dealing with these problems. Tampa Bay, St Lucy and more have similar problems. Lawns and septic tanks are mentioned. Many people have their lawns on automatic, so it gets irrigated, rain or shine, winter or summer. They want to have beautiful green lawns year round in Florida. Especially in the rainy season, the fertilizer washes off so they add even more.

Fertilizing at the right time, and careful water management is critical to avoiding all of the runoff of fertilizer. Systems are starting to get really smart, in fact, by sensing the moisture in the ground and checking weather forecasts. No need to water if it is likely to rain tomorrow.

But what do you do with people who won't be proactive in water management. In Florida, you have snow birds who are gone a lot. Renters who are less attentive and vacant houses.

Septic is another issue. Passing a law that everyone has to have it pumped and inspected every couple years is overkill. Probe tests are ineffective, the last I heard, so opening it and pumping it, is the only sure way. And moving to a mandatory municipal service has lots of problems.

In most of these areas, it seems that a combination of carrot and stick must be used.

And that's just two of the sources. There's Ag, industrial, traffic, boating and other sources of pollutants.

At the source types of remedies are always easiest. Identifying the biggest issues and concentrating on those big issues and are actionable is a critical place to start.

Imagine that almost every community everywhere (Flint, Michigan) is have medium to major water issues. Droughts, floods, contaminants, and aging water systems.

There are some good sources on the topic(s):

• Out of water: From abundance to scarcity and how to solve the world's water problems by Chartres and Varma (2011).
• Aqua Shock: The water crisis in America by Marks (2009)
• World Water Day (at UN): http://www.unwater.org/worldwaterday 

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World Water Day Quiz?

All,

World water day slipped by without a splash! http://www.unwater.org/worldwaterday/ 

Check the blog here on the topic: World Water Day 2014 blog post.

Most people don't realize the Nexus of water and energy.

Most people don't realize the Nexus of water and energy and plastics.
Most people don't realize the Nexus of water and energy and paper.
Most people don't realize the Nexus of water and energy and trash.
Most people don't realize the Nexus of water and energy and clothes (say cotton pants).
Most people don't realize the Nexus of water and energy and food... (virtual water).

Quick quiz:

1. How much of the earth's water is available fresh water (like rivers, streams and fresh lakes)?
2. What percentage of the bottled water we drink is from a municipal water source (i.e., fine Miami tap-water)?
3. How many gallons of water (typically) does it take to power a light bulb per year (in the US, based on 12 hrs per day, 60w incandescent)?
4. How many gallons of water does it take to make a serving of cereal? of beef? of cotton clothes?
5. How many gallons of water does the average (per capita) American use per day? All things considered, how much water per day?

Go here to find most of the answers to these questions: http://sustainzine.blogspot.com/search?q=world+water+quiz 

Key: Out of about 100% correct, where do you stand?

• 5% right? Low average. You probably should know a little more about our earth systems.
• 10% right? About average. You probably should know a little more about our earth systems.
• 20% right? Above average. Pretty good! You probably should know a little more about our earth systems.
• 30% right? You read too much or you are a closet environmentalist.
• 40% right? Genius and a full fledged environmentalist. You probably should be blogging about sustainability issues.
• 50% or more right? No... You cheated! You looked up the answers and were actually lucky enough to find sources that were accurate/right!

Tracking water on the move « The Cost of Energy

Tracking water on the move « The Cost of Energy:

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Check out this blog about water.

Video about GRACE and tracking water from space. They analyze land-water depletion with increased rise in ocean levels.

Note the discussion by Famiglietti about the areas of drought: above and below ground water levels... Since the change in water is the primary difference that impacts (land)mass, the GRACE satellites can measure the changes. And it seems with a whole lot of precision.

There's more to come from the lecture series on water that's upcoming.

Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink. One argument is, that the the next wars will be over water? ...

Well... Let's toss our coins over the edge... and make a big wish! ...

for a more sustainable productive New Year in 2012.