Questions below refer to the following article and e-mail.
Excerpt from “The World's Water” by Anton Sauvignon, published in Geo's March issue
As a vital natural resource, water covers more than ninety percent of the surface of our planet. But, of this amount, only three percent can be used by humans, as ninety-seven percent of the world's water supply is made of saltwater.
Because of its seeming abundance, people do not value water as an important commodity. It is widely used for everyday human needs such as cooking, washing, farming, and gardening. This continuing reliance on water, along with the world's rising population, puts the planet's water supply in danger.
But any problems ahead in terms of water supply can be solved simply by making changes in how humans consume water.
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To: anton.sauvignon@geomag.com
From: heidilevnik@science.com
Re: Your water supply article
I've just gone over your article in Geo Magazine's March issue, and I thank you for trying to be informative about water consumption. However, I do not agree with certain data you mentioned.
1. Some of your facts are wrong. Water does not cover 90% of the planet, but only 70%. You correctly stated that 97% of the global water supply is saltwater. But you forgot to mention that, of the remaining 3%, two percent of these are frozen water or ice in the polar regions. That means only one percent can be used by humans.
2. Aside from the everyday uses of freshwater, it is also needed by businesses for manufacturing all kinds of products, including cleaning and treating waste. The amount of water consumption, however, depends on the industry.
3. I agree that we must change how we consume water to preserve the world's water supply. To do this, we need to use technology properly, for example, in developing efficient irrigation systems. I believe that in the future, we can ensure to conserve our water supply by resorting to technological advances in saving water.
I await your article in Geo Magazine next month.
Sincerely,
Heidi Levnik