Environmental Science: January 2015

Water Blog 4

Disease Write about a water born disease Cause, symptoms, treatment, picture,
reference i.e. cholera

Cholera is an infection of the small intestine caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are watery diarrhea and vomiting. This may result in dehydration and in severe cases grayish-bluish skin. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking water or eating food that has been contaminated by the feces (waste product) of an infected person, including one with no apparent symptoms. The severity of the diarrhea and vomiting can lead to rapid dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, and death in some cases. The primary treatment is oral rehydration therapy, typically with oral rehydration solution, to replace water and electrolytes. If this is not tolerated or does not provide improvement fast enough, intravenous fluids can also be used. Antibacterial drugs are beneficial in those with severe disease to shorten its duration and severity. The primary symptoms of cholera are profuse diarrhea and vomiting of clear fluid. These symptoms usually start suddenly, half a day to five days after ingestion of the bacteria. The diarrhea is frequently described as "rice water" in nature and may have a fishy odor. Cholera is typically transmitted to humans by either contaminated food or water. Most cholera cases in developed countries are a result of transmission by food, while in the developing world it is more often water. Food transmission occurs when people harvest seafood such as oysters in waters infested with sewage. Although cholera may be life-threatening, prevention of the disease is normally straightforward if proper sanitation practices are followed. Undeveloped countries, due to nearly universal advanced water treatment and sanitation practices, cholera is no longer a major health threat. There are several points along the cholera transmission path at which its spread may be halted: Sterilization, Sewage, Sources, and Water purification. A number of safe and effective oral vaccines for cholera are available. Dukoral, an orally administered, inactivated whole cell vaccine, has an overall efficacy of about 52% during the first year after being given and 62% in the second year, with minimal side effects. Doxycycline is typically used first line, although some strains of V. cholerae have shown resistance. Other antibiotics proven to be effective include cotrimoxazole, erythromycin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, and furazolidone.

Water Blog 3

Write a law to address a current threat to water

A Resolution to Reduce Water Pollution

WHEREAS, the creation of dams and water-diversion systems blocks migration routes for fish and disrupts habitats; and

WHEREAS, water withdrawal for human use shrinks and degrades habitats; and

WHEREAS, runoff from agricultural and urban areas hurts water quality; and

WHEREAS, overexploitation and pollution threaten groundwater supplies; and

WHEREAS, global warming may lead to devastating floods and droughts; and

WHEREAS, draining of wetlands for development depletes habitats; and

WHEREAS, invasion of exotic species can harm native animals and plants; and

RESOLVED, by the Congress here assembled that we Restrict the construction of dams and Regulate water withdrawal for human use

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that first time violators will receive a warning. However, the following consequences shall be passed and will be held accountable to all companies that violate them:
*2-3 violations shall have to pay a fine of $100,000
*4-5 violations shall have to be under probation for 1 month and pay $100,000 for each of violation
*6-8 violations shall have to pay half of all profits made and be on probation for 1 year and shall be supervised
*9+ violations shall be shut down and be fined for all profits made

Water Blog 2

Career Water Related Career Day in the Life, training, salary, picture, reference

Hydrology is the scientific study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth and other planets, including the hydrologic cycle, water resources and environmental watershed sustainability. A practitioner of hydrology is ahydrologist, working within the fields of earth or environmental science, physical geography, geology or civil andenvironmental engineering. Hydrologists study how water moves across and through the Earth’s crust. They can use their expertise to solve problems in the areas of water quality or availability. Hydrologists work in the field and in offices. In the field, hydrologists may have to wade into lakes and streams to collect samples or to read and inspect monitoring equipment. In the office, hydrologists spend much their time using computers to analyze data and model their findings. For most jobs, hydrologists need a master’s degree with a background in the natural sciences. Hydrologists may need a license in some states. The average salary of a Hydrologist is $79,260. Salaries start from $49,040 and go up to $113,070.

Water Blog 1

Why is water essential for life on earth? In your opinion is water a renewable or non renewable resource? why?

Every organism we know of needs water to survive. In fact, without water, life on Earth would have never begun. From simple organisms to complex plants and animals, water has played a critical role in survival. In humans, it acts as both a solvent and a delivery mechanism, dissolving essential vitamins and nutrients from food and delivering them to cells. In addition, our bodies use water to flush out toxins, regulate body temperature and aid our metabolism. Besides being essential for our bodies to function, water also promotes life in numerous other ways. Without it, we couldn't grow crops, keep livestock or wash our food. Water has also advanced civilization, providing a means for travel for entire parts of the world and a source of power for factories. Because water can also exist as a vapor, it can be stored in the atmosphere and be delivered as rain across the planet. Earth's oceans also help regulate the planet's climate absorbing heat in the summer and releasing it during the winter. And of course, those same oceans serve as a home for countless plants and animals. In my opinion, water is a nonrenewable resource. Although Earth is mainly water, only 3% of that water is drinkable which will slowly decrease in amount as living beings continue to drink it. In addition, since there is exponential growth in population, we will use up more water even faster. Thus, water should not be considered as a renewable resource due to its temporary vast amount, but rather as a nonrenewable resource that is steadily decreasing as time go by.