THE OMNIPRESENCE OF H2O
From an ocean to the sea, to a lake, pond, river, stream or creek, from raindrops to snow crystals to hail. Water comes in all different shapes and sizes.
Our beautiful planet is comprised of 71% of water. Our human body is made up of 60% of water on average and our brain is even 75% water. We use water to prepare our food & beverages, including our hygiene. Humans cease to exist after one week without this precious liquid (though we can stay alive a whole month without food).
Certainly, we all see the importance and significance that water plays in our lives, keeping us alive and nourishing us. It is essential for our survival yet few of us give H2O a second thought. We are so used to not only having it ‘on demand’ straight out of the faucet but also in quality save for drinking. A luxury few people get to indulge in.
Further still, we don’t realise that every act of pollution ends up in our water and ultimately in ourselves.
THE WATER CYCLE (or how everything is interconnected)
Evaporation: The sun heats up the various bodies of water on our planet such as oceans and rivers. Water then becomes vapour, rising up in the air.
Condensation: This rising vapour reaches the sky and turns into tiny droplets of water. Together with different substances (such as various gases and dust particles), they form clouds.
Precipitation: What we experience as snow, rain or heal is when the collected water inside these clouds becomes too heavy and can’t be contained any longer.
Now the water – once again – gets collected in our oceans and rivers to undergo the same cycle, or it seeps through the soil and becomes groundwater. As such it nourishes (or poisons) our crops, the animals we breed for consumption and, of course, ourselves.
FACTS ABOUT WATER (some fun, some serious)
- to create half a litre of beer it takes 75l of water
- 80% of all illness in developing countries are water-related
- a jellyfish and a cucumber are 95% water each
- unsafe water kills 200 children every four hours
- 300 tons of water are required to manufacture 1 ton of steel
- 200 million work hours are consumed by women collecting water for their families, in just one day
- There is more fresh water in the atmosphere than in all of the rivers on the planet combined
It seems unfortunate that so little awareness surrounds H2O. This article is an appeal to all of us to consciously and respectfully handle the very substance that keeps us alive. Not only on this day but every day.
Do you fancy a more environmentally friendly lifestyle? Check out our article here on how to do your laundry by using chestnuts.
Did this information about water make you cry? Here’s an article about happiness, giving you tips on how to boost your feel-good level.
Share your thoughts with us in the comment section. As always, FAB-team loves to hear from you!
