Climate Change and Water
Here's a quote from NASA's Global Climate Change website: "Earth's climate has changed throughout history. Just in the last 650,000 years there have been seven cycles of glacial advance and retreat, with the abrupt end of the last ice age about 11,700 years ago marking the beginning of the modern climate era — and of human civilization. Most of these climate changes are attributed to very small variations in Earth’s orbit that change the amount of solar energy our planet receives."
The difference now is that since the dawn of the industrial age in the 19th century, our consumption of the earth's resources, exponential population growth, and our reliance on fossil fuels has accelerated the warming of our planet and impacted water resources across the globe.
And, as many of you already know, we are in the midst of a drought. According to a study in the journal Nature Climate Change, "The drought that has enveloped southwestern North America for the past 22 years is the region’s driest megadrought—defined as a drought lasting two decades or longer — since at least the year 800.. " Water scarcity is a real issue that may not be affecting you directly at the moment, but it is impacting agriculture and communities that are experiencing water shortages. The social and economic consequences are huge, not only in your backyard but globally.
Water News
From the Patagonia Regional Times, the headline Local Water Company Customers Facing New Charges, Uncertain Future, "In papers filed with the Arizona Corporations Commission (ACC), Gary Wene, owner of SVW, testified that the well servicing the Papago Springs/Los Encinos area of Sonoita has been drawn down significantly. By May 2021 it was producing less than ten gallons per minute..."
From the Nogales International: City water helps supply parched neighborhoods in Nogales, Sonora, "For the second year in a row, the City of Nogales, Ariz. is selling water to the municipal government of Nogales, Sonora to help it meet the needs of residents during the hottest and driest time of the year.
Juan Francisco Gim, mayor of Nogales, Sonora, was quoted this week in the newspaper El Diaro de Sonora as saying that approximately 60 neighborhoods had been without water, though 50 were expected to have their service resumed shortly. The other 10, he said, were being serviced by 25-30 water trucks that were reaching 1,500-1,700 customers per day with water from the spout at the border wall." Courtesy Nogales International: "A tanker truck operator fills up with water from Nogales, Ariz. on south side of the border fence..."
From the New York Times: Colorado River Reservoirs Are So Low, Government Will Delay Releases, "With long-term severe drought continuing to take a toll on the Colorado River, the federal government announced on Tuesday that it will retain some water in one of the river’s major reservoirs, describing it as an extraordinary action to temporarily stave off increased uncertainty in water and electricity supplies in the West..."
Of course, you could take the longer view. A friend recently mentioned that Carl Sagan's oft-quoted "billions and billions" of galaxies was woefully low. One older estimate put the number at ~ 170 billion galaxies in our universe. Now, based on better technology and data, cosmologists think it's more like two trillion galaxies within the observable universe!
Let that sink in... Galaxies. Personally, that jars the hell out of my worldview. IMO, our collective cares and woes don't amount to a hill of quarks--or beans--whichever analogy works for you. So next time you get tangled up in the mundane, think galaxies.
So back to the drought and what to do about all of this on our very teeny, teeny planet. You may think that it isn't your problem, or you may feel powerless to do anything about it, or you may be hoping that someone, or a group of "someones", will figure it out and save the day. Let's face it, this is "an everyone's" problem and there are steps that we can take to help protect this precious resource.
Becoming Better Informed
There is a lot of information available on the web. I have posted several links at the bottom of this blog. If you have other resources you would care to share, please post a comment. See links below.
Your Water Footprint
As individuals, and families, do we know how much water we use in a day, week, or month? Do you have any idea how much water you consume in a day? Are you currently taking steps to reduce your water consumption? Do you leave the tap running when you brush your teeth? Do you have a water-thirsty lawn? Etc...
Things you can do to make a difference
2_ Know Your Water Footprint - it's not perfect but should give you a general idea
3_ NASA's Vital Signs of the Planet - keeping track
4_ Contribute - this is but one example of many
5_ Vote for individuals who believe in science and accept global warming as a reality
Links
... many more
Commentaires