[ENG-ESP] The water between my fingers. A look at the planet's water // El agua entre mis dedos. Una mirada al agua del planeta
Photo by drfuenteshernandez on Pixabay
Greetings dear hivers. Today, paying tribute to water, I would like to present you my essay called "The water between my fingers".
In my professional development I have always felt sensitive to the subject of water, a vital liquid that not everyone has. It is very strong to see images of Africa, where they give water with a spoon to surrender it. It is incredible to think that populations do not have access to a glass of water.
Part of the urban design, contemplates the water facilities, both in white water services, such as sewage and rainwater; in this case I will highlight the white water.
It is a commitment to provide water to a population, hence the importance of what we call "urban planning". To the extent that the city grows in an orderly manner, it will be easier to plan the supply of basic services.
Sunset in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Photo by ligiera on Pixabay
However, this is not the reality for all countries, especially for those in the third world, which despite having their development plans, present disorderly growth, which makes it difficult or impossible to provide services, apart from creating other problems of a "social" nature.
The truth is that while some people have water in their homes and others lack it, fresh water is running out. And many will think - but if there are so many rivers and lakes -, well I tell you that fresh water on the planet does not even reach 3% and most of it is frozen in glaciers, only 0.3% of the total water on the planet is available in rivers and lakes.
Trüebsee Lake, Switzerland. Photo by suju-foto on Pixabay
And you will say- but there is no problem because with the hydrological cycle it is guaranteed that there will always be water - and the reality is that water is a resource that is becoming increasingly scarce... but why, is an important question that leads us to reflection.
The reasons are several but among them is pollution, it is incredible how surface waters are contaminated with plastics, chemicals, industrial waste, oil spills, among others, affecting water quality and ecosystems. In places where they cannot install a water treatment plant, people get sick and even die from drinking contaminated water.
Another reason is the population growth, the population density is increasing and therefore the demand, also remember that within the urban management not only supplies water for residential areas, but also for industrial, commercial, recreational, educational, religious, which considerably increases the necessary flow.
Additionally, the #climatechange, produces droughts that reduce the amount of water available and on the other hand, floods contaminate surface waters that were clean and damage the water network system that was in place.
Photo by Wickedgood on Pixabay
Faced with the scarcity of fresh water, we could remember that the planet is composed of 75% salt water and it leads us to think about the desalination plants; however, this type of plants cause a great environmental impact, since at the end of the process, they return the extracted brine to the sea, negatively affecting the marine ecosystem, according to a study conducted by the Institute for Water, Environment and Health of the UN University (UNU-INWEH).
After this journey of words and reflections, you will understand why I called my essay "the water between my fingers", and the answer is definitely because the water that we sometimes feel and feel in our hands when we bathe, cook or simply wash, is a precious liquid that leaves without knowing when it will return, but it fulfilled the function we gave it, perhaps a useful one, perhaps an irrational one, but the truth is that it is a resource that is becoming increasingly scarce, and that at present many are dying for not having it, while to you and me it goes between our fingers.
Written for you by Alexandra Torres. On Hive.Blog @xandra79
Separator source: Own
Photo by drfuenteshernandez on Pixabay
Saludos queridos hivers. Hoy rindiendo tributo al agua, quisiera presentarles mi ensayo denominado "El agua entre mis dedos".
En mi desarrollo profesional siempre me he sentido sensible con la temática del agua, un vital líquido del que no todos disponen. Es muy fuerte ver imágenes de África, donde dan agua con cuchara para rendirla. Es increible pensar que poblaciones no tengan acceso a un vaso de agua.
Parte del diseño urbano, contempla las instalaciones de agua, tanto en servicios de aguas blancas, como de aguas servidas y aguas de lluvia; en este caso destacaré las aguas blancas.
Todo un compromiso dotar de agua a una población, de allí la importancia de lo que llamamos "planificación urbana". En la medida que la ciudad crezca de manera ordenada, en esa medida será más fácil planificar el suministro de los servicios básicos.
Atardecer en Sao Paulo, Brasil. Photo by ligiera on Pixabay
No obstante, esta no es la realidad para todos los países, sobre todo para los del tercer mundo, los cuales a pesar de contar con sus planes de desarrollo, presentan crecimientos desordenados, lo cual dificulta o imposibilita la dotación de servicios, aparte de crear otros problemas de índole "social".
Lo cierto es que mientras algunos tienen agua en sus casas y a otros les falta, el agua dulce se está acabando. Y muchos pensarán - pero si hay tantos ríos y lagos -, pues les digo que el agua dulce en el planeta no llega ni al 3% y su mayoría se encuentra congelada en los glaciares, solo el 0,3% del total de agua en el planeta se encuentra disponible en ríos y lagos.
Lago Trüebsee, Suiza. Photo by suju-foto on Pixabay
Y ustedes diran- pero no hay problema porque con el ciclo hidrológico se garantiza que siempre haya agua - y la realidad es que el agua es un recurso que cada vez se vuelve más escaso... pero por qué, es una pregunta importante que nos lleva a la reflexión.
Las razones son varias pero entre ellas está la contaminación, es increible como las aguas superficiales se contaminan con plásticos, químicos, desechos industriales, derrames petroleros, entre otros, afectando la calidad del agua y los ecosistemas. En los lugares donde no pueden instalar una planta potabilizadora, las personas se enferman y hasta mueren por ingerir aguas contaminadas.
Otra razón es el crecimiento poblacional , la densidad poblacional va en aumento y por ende la demanda, además recordemos que dentro de la gestión urbana no solo se suministra agua para la zonas residenciales, sino también para las industriales, comerciales, recreativas, educativas, religiosas, lo cual aumenta considerablemente el caudal necesario.
Adicionalmente, el cambio climático, produce sequías que disminuyen la cantidad de agua disponible y por otro lado, las inundaciones contaminan las aguas superficiales que estaban limpias y dañan el sistema de redes de aguas que estaba emplazado.
Photo by Wickedgood on Pixabay
Ante la escasez de agua dulce, pudieramos recordar que el planeta está compuesto por 75% de agua salada y nos lleva a pensar en las plantas desalinizadoras; no obstante, este tipo de plantas causan un gran impacto ambiental, ya que finalizado el proceso, devuelven la salmuera extraída al mar, afectando negativamente el ecosistema marino, según estudio realizado por el Instituto para el Agua, Medio Ambiente y Salud de la Universidad de la ONU (UNU-INWEH).
Despues de este viaje de palabras y reflexiones, entenderás el por qué llamé a mi ensayo "el agua entre mis dedos", y la respuesta es definitivamente porque el agua que en ocasiones palpamos y sentimos en nuestras manos cuando nos bañamos, cocinamos o simplemente lavamos, es un líquido precioso que se va sin saber cuándo retornará, pero cumplió la función que le dimos, quizás una útil, quizás una irracional, pero lo cierto es que es un recurso que cada vez se vuelve más escaso, y que en el presente muchos están muriendo por no tenerlo, mientras a tí y a mí se nos vá entre los dedos.
Escribió para ustedes Alexandra Torres. En Hive.Blog @xandra79
Fuente del separador: Propio
Hello @xandra79, this is such a thought-provoking post that inspires one to reflect on whether we have utilized water effectively and how urban planning, design, and management play a huge role.
Hello @discoveringarni. This is the way it is and it is an issue that affects us as human beings and we should not continue to avoid it.
Su post ha sido valorado por @ramonycajal
Gracias @cervantes y @ramonycajal por tu valioso aporte
Management and specially urban planning have a vital role to play to save the nature's gift i.e water. A very interesting article,
Keep flouirshing.
you are right, urban planning and management is the tool. Thanks for reading and commenting @praditya
Water is life! It's the universal elixir and it's said that a human being's physical body is made of 70% water. So, why is it becoming scarce, and why have people turned it into a business? Should this life-giving liquid be free for all? There should be more answers than questions. Thank you @xandra79 for this eye-opening post!
Hello @storiesoferne. We are water and the planet is water and yet the water we need is scarce and in the post I try to explain why by way of reflection. Water is a right of every citizen and the state should guarantee it, I am not going to say that it should be free because there are many associated costs but it should be affordable to all. I understand that Chile is the only country that dared to completely privatize this service, I am not going to create a debate about it and I do not live there, but I do wonder, do the poorest and most vulnerable have access to water? On the other hand, I see the reality of other countries, including my own, where the State is in charge of the water sector, but it does not guarantee this right to all. This is a critical and fundamental issue for everyone.
You have a great point there @xandra79. If water could not be made free for all, it should at least, become affordable to everyone. We hope this global water crisis gets resolved soon, most especially for the world's poorest nations.
Hopefully, but the road still looks very rough. Let's hope that sooner rather than later the authorities will do more to secure the right to water. Thank you @storiesoferne for your valuable comments that lead to a necessary reflection.
I really appreciate your comments because you always ask interesting questions. You know here in Venezuela the time is 10:00 am. If you are in the Philippines the time is 22:00, that means that while people there are getting ready to sleep here we are in full swing, hahaha. So, Good evening!
Yes, that would be a 12-hour difference. Our community is a global platform so, it's really fun engaging with different nationalities. Having said that, enjoy your lunch and have a great afternoon there @xandra79! I'm a curious person so, I ask lots of questions hahaha. 😀
hahaha, thanks!... Have a good rest!
Water is really a precious commodity.
Well said @fruityfruitz. Thank you very much for stopping by, reading and commenting. Good luck!
posh https://twitter.com/aletorres1112/status/1379446383812476932
Hello @xandra79, just dropping by to congratulate you. Continue to inspire us with these scintillating design conversations while highlighting crucial issues.
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