The question is how a closed system containing finite resources – particularly water – can support an ever-increasing level of consumption and use?
With a global population that is fast approaching 7 billion people, the answer is that it can’t be done without a more knowledgeable understanding of water conversation.
Scientists who specialize in the fields of hydrology, geology, biostatistics, agriculture, ecology and many other fields are hard at work to discover ways to conserve water and make what the planet has to offer go further than it does now.
The following five water studies from the last five years help provide an inside look into where humanity is heading when it comes to water sustainability.
1. The Green, Blue and Grey: Water Footprint of Farm Animals and Animal Products
This report from the UNESCO Institute of Water Education was published in 2010 and has seen a lot of use as a resource for explaining how water consumption is measured in the things humans consume.
The report details how global meat production has doubled from 1980 to 2004, and that the increase equate to an incredible increase in water use. For example, a dairy cow requires 2,056 cubic meters of water per year for its entire life.
http://www.waterfootprint.org/Reports/Report-48-WaterFootprint-AnimalProducts-Vol1.pdf
2. Water: A Global Innovation Outlook Report
IBM set out to create a comprehensive examination of the world’s water outlook in 2009 and this exceptionally detailed report is the result.
The 5-part report uses case studies to summarize various aspects of water conservation. Its case study of Dow Chemical Company and its use of water is one example of its critical look into how businesses play into the industrial consumption of water. http://www.ibm.com/ibm/gio/media/pdf/ibm_gio_water_report.pdf
3. More with Less: Agricultural Water Conservation and Efficiency in California
California is the largest agricultural producer in the United States and has been so for some time. At the time this study was published in 2008 by the Pacific Institute, California’s farm receipts totaled $36.1 billion.
That combined with California’s robust water requirements for other uses in industry, and for domestic purposes, means the state faces many challenges in water conservation. This report details how California’s agricultural community can use new methods and technology to improve yields with less water. http://www.pacinst.org/reports/more_with_less_delta/more_with_less.pdf
4. Global Monthly Water Scarcity: Blue Water Footprints versus Blue Water Availability
University of Twente (Enschede, Netherlands) water management expert Arjen Hoekstra spearheaded research for this 2012 report on water scarcity, which has revealed that 2.7 billion people are impacted by water scarcity at least once a month per year.
The study also states that 92% of humanity’s water footprint is consumed in agriculture and that irrigated water operations use more water than cities or industry. It is a fact that draws attention to the importance of improved water conservation in the agricultural sector.
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0032688
5. Residential Water Use Trends in North America
This report on the evolution of North America’s water use and how water utilities measures that use was published in February 2011 in the peer-reviewed American Water Works Association Journal.
The most compelling revelation of this study is that utilities are reporting declines in household water use in the U.S., which is attributed to the growing use of water-saving appliances, different use patterns and changes in climate and precipitation. Even so, the conclusion that is drawn is that new methods need to be developed to measure water use and that using old assumptions about average use moving forward could lead to significant problems in terms of managing supply and cost. http://www.awwa.org/files/Resources/Waterwiser/JAW0211rockaway.pdf
James Madeiros writes for Seametrics, a creator of water flow meter technology that helps manufacturers, farmers, and utility companies to measure and conserve water.
Tags: science fair projects, water conversation
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At the heart of all sports battled on ice, there lies a physical concept grounded in science.
It is commonly believed that when significant pressure is brought to bear on frozen ice, it changes states and converts to liquid. Its fairly simple to accept, but understanding it is a whole other issue.
Why is this important? Because it is the key aspect of all skating sports where players, competiters and ballerinas slide their samurai-like blades and glide in such grace, that if this physical property did not exist, the grace of glide will be the crunch of friction. You see, ice, in its most sold liquid state creates tremendous friction and is called slow ice. When it is frigid, it is harder and it is called fast ice.
Fast Ice
Ice in general, all ice, have a layer of liquid water at its surface. This is even observed at extreme temperatures. The only change over the varying temperature us the thickness of the liquid layer. At almost absolute zero the liquid layer is only one molecule thick. This is fast ice. Sharp blades on fast ice have the least amount of contact – imagine razor sharp edges gliding on water only a molecule thick. Lesser contact – lesser friction – greater speed.
In arenas where speed is required, friction is reduced by planning for hard ice. Hard ice offers less water layer to come in contact with the blade edge. The blade edge of a skate is another illustration in science and math. Each blade actually has two edges. It’s like a yacht with two hulls. Instead of one large hull that creates more resistance; two blades in parallel leave a gap in-between. When the sharpening radius of the blades is increased, it gets to a point where the edges become flatter and more singular. This provides more surface contact and thus less speed.
Tricky Maneuvers
When taken together, the physical properties of ice and the nature of the blade, it is possible to control to precision the effect that is needed for a particular maneuver. If the game is to be played on very a colder surface, it’s possible to grind the edge with less radius, then it will have the same effect as playing on a softer surface.
Whatever the sport, understanding the reason, and thus, the science of it is always fun. It’s not fun in a laugh out loud way but it’s fun in a way that the epiphany of understanding brings about better grasp of matters. In a competitive sport like skating knowledge is the last edge you need.
Blogger Linda Evans enjoys writing on her favorite sports and roller skates as well as ice hockey skates.
Tags: ice skating, physics, physics of skating, science fair projects, skates
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Well it has finally happened. After years of searching space for possible earth-like planets, a couple have been found. The tool used to find these new planets was the Kepler Space Telescope. What this indicates is that earth-like conditions are possible on other planets, however, size alone does not indicate the possibility of life.
In addition to having the right size for supporting life on an alien planet, the right chemical properties are also necessary. For example, on earth we know that life needs oxygen and water, therefore, we assume that life on other planets will also need these chemical components. However, recent findings on the planet earth also found life being supported on other chemical foundations. Extremophiles found in the darkness of deep oceans, are living off of silicates and other chemical bases.
Temperature also plays an important role in the likelihood that life exists on other planets. The “Goldilocks Zone” is a term that is used to describe the temperature range that can support life. The temperature cannot be too cold or too hot. It has to be “just right.” To ensure the right mixture of hot and cold, the planet has to orbit so that its entire surface is exposed to periods of star thermal energy and deep space coolness. It also means that the planet cannot be too close or too far away from the star that it orbits.
With all of these requirements it is easy to see why so many scientists do not think that life on other planets is probable. However, if life can survive in non-earth-like conditions then the probability of life increases. For this year’s astronomy science fair project, think about what life would be like if it evolved in an environment unlike what is found on earth. What physical adaptations would be necessary?
Tags: astronomy for kids, earthlike planets found, emerging astronomy findings, planets found, science fair projects
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Holiday gift idea #14 is one of my favorites. It is the Wireless Science Fair Project Kit. This kit explores the science behind wireless technology. Your kids can use it to develop remote controlled vehicles, robots and other machines and tools!
Tags: science fair projects, technology, wifi, wireless, wireless science, wireless science fair project kits
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The Detectolab Science Kit is today’s gift of the day. This is a great gift for kids that are interested in forensic science, in becoming a detective or who just have curious minds. This kit comes with everything that you need to complete over a dozen experiments and it is the perfect accessory for developing a project for the upcoming science fair.
Tags: detectolab, detectolab science kits, gift, gift ideas, gifts, holiday, holiday gifts, kids, science, science fair projects, science kits
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