Water 101

Photo Source: uncle_rich0101

We all know that although water seems to be everywhere, fresh water is scarce around much of the world.  Conservation of fresh water sources will be of the upmost importance in the coming years.  To underscore this point, last year Yes Magazine published 16 facts about water.  The following six are the most humbling.

1. Almost 20 % of the world’s people live in areas where water is scarce.
2. Water managers in 36 states expect shortages by 2013.
3. Desalination plants produce less than 0.5% of the water used by the world.
4. One quart of motor oil can contaminate 250,000 gallons of water.
5. 30 % of the U.S. groundwater used for crop irrigation comes from Ogallala aquifer, which runs under eight states.
6. Each day, a U.S. household uses about 400 gallons of water.  You can save more than that by skipping one quarter-pound hamburger.

For few easy tips on how to conserve water in your household check out our article on water efficiency.