Introduction to Water Conservation
Today, 70% of the Earth's surface is covered by water. Only 2% of that water is fresh. Of that 2%, 1.6% of fresh water is trapped in the glaciers, leaving only .4% available for the 7 billion people living on this planet. Since the beginning of time, humans have been dealing with limited resources, water being one of them, and have learned how to use them wisely (Saving the Water, 2015). Water is an extremely scarce resource. With the population growing and water supply remaining stagnant, it is clear that something needs to be done.
According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, the term water conservation refers to the preservation, control and development of water resources, both surface and groundwater, and prevention of pollution (Glossary of Statistical Terms, 2001). Today, people have been taking the world’s limited water supply for granted which has led to the depletion of conserving it.
Water conservation is an important concept that is being stressed upon younger generations. In order to show the importance of saving water, it is imperative that the youth are educated on behavioral practices that support water conservation. These behaviors involve changing current habits connected to water usage to promote efficiency. Behavioral change is inconvenient for many which is why water conservation has been at a standstill. Most people do not want to change their daily behaviors or habits even if it is something as small as turning the water off during oral hygiene practices. Another obstacle is the time and mental awareness needed to break a habit. It takes weeks and strong mental awareness to establish a new behavior without relapse. It may take some time for one to configure a blueprint on how to take
