As we toss garbage away, it is easy to ignore or forget the garbage’s long life cycle after we use it. For instance, most garbage ends up in the ocean or freshwater system. Meanwhile, garbage can also transform into deadly microscopic pieces of plastics. As we battle pollution, fresh water systems are also facing shortage issues due to overuse. The mismanagement of waterways is negatively impacting the health of both animals and humans. However, there are solutions capable of solving the current mismanagement of the world’s marine and freshwater systems.
One form of mismanagement is the government allowing and subsidizing irresponsible water use. If this mismanagement continues to progress, it can soon result in a mass water shortage. A solution to this mismanagement includes regulating water use by implementing full-cost pricing of freshwater. In South Africa, they implemented full-cost pricing, but also established “lifeline rates” in the face of raising water prices. Lifeline rates are providing a household the free or low-priced water to meet basic needs, but when the user exceeds the allotted amount they pay increasingly higher prices (Miller 2018, 342). This is an effective measure because it deters people from being wasteful, while not disproportionately effecting people of low-income. Another strategy the government can impose is providing subsidies to farmers that wish to improve water use efficiency. Instead of subsidies for cheap water prices, a more efficient alternative is to eliminate or reduce the need for more water (Miller 2018, 342). For instance, only about 60% of the world’s irrigation crops reach crops due to water loss during transport (Miller 2018, 342). Investing in methods, such as drip irrigation, can both lower the demand on freshwater and diminish how much farmers spend on water. Drip irrigation systems have proven to reduce water waste by 90 to 95 percent (Miller 2018, 342). Another solution to prevent irresponsible water use is by creating recycling systems for grey water across cities or suburbs. For instance, about 50 to 75 percent of gray water used in a typical household can be recovered and stored. The grey water introduced through bathtubs, showers, sinks, and washing machines, can then can be reused to irrigate lawns, flush toilets, and wash cars (Miller 2018, 345). If more cities were able to reuse greywater, it will greatly diminish the amount of water required to be pumped from outer city reservoirs. More importantly, there will be more available water in reservoirs to help recharge the system and be readily available for future generations. Overall, governments across the world have been mismanaging water use due to irresponsible subsidizing or lack of water sustainability policies, but there are so many available solutions that can be taken advantage of in order to prevent mass water shortage.
Preventing mismanagement of water use can also begin at the individual level. One can do this my measuring their water footprint and make steps towards turning it into a sustainable amount. My total water footprint is 1,149 m3 per year. In comparison, an Olympic sized pool is 2,842 cubic meters. I believe the main reason on why my water footprint is so low is because I live in a city. For instance, I do not have a pool or need to wash my driveway. Although I have a car, I do not wash it as much as I should. But, the fact I wash my car maybe once every other month is good for the environment!
Although this may be controversial, dams are arguably also a form of mismanagement of freshwater systems. For instance, dams are hailed for providing hydroelectric power and help manage stormwater, but they also cause a host of environmental problems for freshwater biotas. For example, dams can cause the collapse on delta ecosystems. The Colorado River once emptied into a delta that hosted forests, lagoons, and marshes rich in plant and animal life. Since the delta’s collapse, the wildlife have fled and the coastal fishery is quickly disappearing (Miller 2018, 336). However, this mismanagement can be solved by no longer building new dams and taking down old or noncritical damns. Opening floodgates or taking down dams have shown to recuperate wetlands. For example, the floodgates for the Morelos Dam in Arizona were opened for 2 months in 2014. The water from the dam was released through the delta into the Gulf of California. Then, the release led to thousands of trees beginning to grow along the river’s bank and the groundwater became partially recharged (Miller 2018, 338). Due to the harmful impact of dams, it is necessary to switch tactics on using dams for stormwater management and energy.
Asides from freshwater, the oceans is also suffering from mismanagement. For instance, unsustainable and copious amounts of pollution are being constantly released into marine waters every day from countries all over the world. As a matter of fact, there are actual garbage patches floating in the middle of the North Pacific Ocean near the Hawaiian Islands. The garbage patches consist of plastics and solid wastes. The deadlier waste is plastic because it cannot biodegrade, accumulates, and breaks into smaller microscopic pieces. Microplastics can also contain and release potentially hazardous chemicals, such as PCBs, DDT, and BPA (Miller 2018, 559). This is dangerous to the marine fishes, birds, and other animals that ingest these plastic bits unknowingly. Meanwhile, it can be harmful to humans due the fact that when these animals die or are captured by fisherman, the plastic remains in their digestive tracts. Therefore, humans who eat fish or other marine life are also consuming microplastics (Miller 2018, 560). However, the true victims of pollution are marine animals. In 2007, a dead whale with 180 kilograms of plastic in its stomach washed ashore in California (Miller 2018, 560). Although this problem is vast and continues to grow, there are possible solutions available. One of the more efficient and seemingly simpler solutions is to reduce plastic use world-wide. In NYC, they have recently implemented a cost on plastic bags in order to limit plastic use. The Bag Waste Reduction Law is expected to be as successful as other similar laws put in place throughout the United States and other parts of the world.
In conclusion, there are solutions available for managing ocean and freshwater systems properly. It is simply a matter of pushing ourselves, our government, and other countries to unite in reducing wasteful water practices and minimizing water pollution.
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Environmental Studies 