I found an article which I was shocked on AllAfrica and here is the link http://allafrica.com/stories/201306181760.html.  The goal of the article is that let all of people know and let as many as people realize that don't dry our future up by ourselves.  Drought and water scarcity are the main problems mentioned in this article. The case discusses why we need to pay more attention to the water scarcity and the status quo of water scarcity in the Africa. Wasting water or polluting water not only run counter to the sustainable development, but also hurt this generation's need for water and the health. For example, the freshwater will not be renewable anymore if the ecosystem is getting hurt; and then the drought will result thousands of death. Also, the case points out that there only one policy about drought which is in Australia. 

B.

http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/scarcity.shtml

I don't know whether you guys think about that how serious water scarcity is now. I didn't realize that until I read this article. I would never know that around 700 million people suffer from water scarcity which is defined as annual supplies drop below 1,000 m3 per person. And half the world's population will be living in places of high water stress, water supplies drop below 1,700 m3 per person, in 2030. The first case I read is, an activities of United Nations, focuses more on the current situation; however, the second on focuses more on the future of our water resources.  

C.

I live in Beijing, China now and here is the place where I grew up. It can be said that Beijing is an area under water stress. There are more and more people in Beijing, which means that the demand for water is increasing. The water scarcity is not a local problem, only in Arica or China, it is a global problem.  I will live under high water stressed condition after some years, and some of you guys will as well. Obviously, the goal in the first case will be the goal for China. The supply of water can satisfy our demand for water now, but how about the next generation? We need to have a plan for long-term, a sustainable development plan. 

1.       This is a report from World Bank, which briefly state some basic information of the poor sanitation project in Liberia and the inappropriate aspect of this project. The title itself states the fact that the Liberian government spent 17.5 million US dollars annually on improving sanitation. But the context of the report mainly states the unfair condition that poor Liberian have to face. The costs of the project "are inequitably distributed with the highest economic burden falling disproportionately on the poorest". There is one aspect we can draw from this report that are related to the course. That is that we can see the gap between high income countries and the low income countries. One from a high income country cannot imagine that open defecation still exists in a civic society, neither can he believe open defecation can cause other criminal cases such as physical attack and sexual violence.

2.       http://www.china.org.cn/china/2012-06/01/content_25541700.htm

The National Report on Sustainable Development is written on June 2012 by the official. It states that Chinese government had put effort on the sustainable development since 2001, and how does Chinese economy benefits from the process. From this article, one acknowledge some persuasive date such as "From 2000 to 2010, China's poverty population decreased from 94.22 million to 26.88 million, with the poverty rate dropping from 10.2 percent to 2.8 percent". This report demonstrates the importance of the sustainable development, as convinced in the course.

3.       My hometown is Nanjing, China. I proved the development of this city within the very recent decade. As mentioned in the second paragraph, the change is huge. The rising of the economy brought people have better life. The city expanded quickly; while the new district came out, the old one became unpopular immediately. My parents and I moved many times--from the old district to the new district. And the living environment changed too. Ten years ago, we didn't have a car, and few people had car except government officers. The streets was very narrow and the common people only travelled by bicycle and on foot. Sanitation gets better; I still remember the old-fashioned faucet, and most of them could not be screwed tight enough so water drops always came out. My grandmother would put a tub under it to save the water. Now, everything becomes different. People become wealth, and western technology and products are introduced to Chinese market. I would say that it could not become realistic without the management of sustainable development.

http://www.colby.edu/personal/t/thtieten/sc-ca.html

This case study I found to be pretty interesting was off of the Colby College case studies website.  It talked about long-term policies for sustainability in Santa Monica, CA, which kind of ties into what I'd like to address in my individual project.  The goals of this case study are focused on creating a sustainable city by addressing the eleven issues the city found to be damaging to the environment. These issues consist of: community & economic development, construction & development, education, energy, hazardous materials, housing, purchasing, solid waste, storm water & wastewater, transportation, and water. For each of these issues a goal is determined according to the sustainability principal and then projects are implemented to achieve those goals.

http://www.developmentprogress.org/progress-stories/costa-ricas-sustainable-resource-management-successfully-tackling-tropical-deforest 

After reading about sustainable development and our use of our natural/nonrenewable resources, I wanted to learn more. Whenever I think of sustainability, my main concern is the situation with the natural world.  The first case study I read was from the Development Progress website and it dealt with the sustainable development issue of deforestation in Costa Rica.  It focused on the direct effects and "side" effects on the environment and the native people while discussing the alarming rise in deforestation.  The 3 primary impacts are the loss of biodiversity, cultural diversity, and carbon storage capacity. The goals of the development are long-term and consist of promoting conservation and battling the forces that lead to deforestation.

In my hometown of Hershey, PA, there are obviously problems with the use of resources on a local scale, but no issues like deforestation, but I have seen smaller-scale forest clearings for building houses. A lot of the goals Santa Monica was trying to reach, in the first case study, are goals that could easily apply to help make Hershey a sustainable town.  The same goes for State College, which is where I'm currently living.  From these case studies we can learn that we need to think about long-term goals and not just short-term gains.

1. This case study involves "Lighting up Rural Communities" in Bangladesh from the World Bank Profiles link.  The link is http://www.worldbank.org/en/results/2013/04/15/bangladesh-lighting-up-rural-communities. 

                This case focuses on the goal of the government of Bangladesh to get electricity to all homes by 2020 and how its use of grid electricity cannot support this due to generator capacity, the locations and geography of more rural homes and power outages due to the increasing demands for this electricity.  This lack of electricity was such a problem because for most of Bangladesh all work must stop by sun down, putting it's already low developed economy at an even further disadvantage; thus affecting the country as a whole and the individuals simply trying to feed their families.  The case discussed a solution by using grid options for more populated areas and off-grid options (such as renewable energy) for more remote or hard-to-reach villages.  This effort comes with refinancing, credit and a fixed subsidy options to allow for low income households to be able to be included in this effort.

2. This case study involves getting clean water to rural locations in India.  The link is http://www.wateraidamerica.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/india/plans_for_india_20052010.aspx.

This case is sponsored by WaterAid, a foundation designed to provide clean water to rural and low income communities around the world.  This particular case is working to benefit rural areas in India.  There is a large gap between the goals and the resources of the Indian government when it comes to getting clean water to its population.  This is where WaterAid comes in by aiding in "civil society organizations' " attempt to get the attention of their local governments.  By providing a map of water pointing, discussing issues they may face and holding forums for the people and local government officials this case allows the people to get their voices heard in India.  WaterAid also raises money, for these households who otherwise would not be able to spare money for the cause.  This case is important because of the increase in health that this could provide.  While there still is a long way to go in providing clean water to all parts of India this case is taking small steps towards this greater goal. 

3. When comparing places that I have lived to the second case I am very fortunate to say that I cannot relate.  As I researched in the last module, my drinking water is provided by a safe company and if a drought occurred, there are other options.  The first case (getting electricity to rural places in Bangladesh) is an issue I can relate to a little more.  I think we have all experienced a power outage and as soon as the sun is down what you are doing must stop: a real inconvenience.   A family friend resides in a rural area and has a generator due to power outages.  Their location allows for one main way for electricity to get to their house and if something happens there is no other options.   If a storm were to hit, because of their geographic location, it takes much longer for the electricity to come back for them compared to people living in the city.  This relates to that first case because in Bangladesh that is a problem they were facing; that their normal electric was not able to reach rural areas.  

The water I use at my home in Bellefonte gets its tap water from the Bellefonte Borough Big Spring. My address is Bellefonte but I live in Milesburg area. I learned that Milesburg gets their water supply from the Bellefonte Borough Big Spring through a 16-inch gravity fed line. When my water is disposed it going directly to the same place we get our tap water from. This water source supplies to over 800 people in the Milesburg Borough and Boggs Township.

How much water I used in a day:

1 15-minute shower: 37.5 gallons

2 Teeth brushings: 2 gallons

7 Toilet flushes: 21 gallons

Hand washed dishes: 5 gallons

10 Hand washes: 10 gallons

3 loans of laundry: 30 gallons

Total: 105.5 gallons

Until I completed this assignment I didn't realize how much water get used for simple tasks. Using a gallon of water just by washing my hands really surprised me. It is a simple task that uses a lot of water. I was surprised at how low my water usage was for taking a shower. It average to 2.5 gallons a minute. I always thought it used 5 gallons a minute. 2.5 is still a lot but t is better than what I thought was used.

Looking at my water usage it would be hard to cut down to 2 gallons a day. I would have to decrease my water usage by 103.5 gallons, which would take a lot of daily life changes to be able to live off the 2 gallons. When I tried to only use 2 gallons a day I ate foods that didn't have water included. I also drank tea for the day so I wasn't consuming my 2 gallons (I generally only drink bottled water).  I love the outdoors and when I had no water source camping one time I had to put on my bathing suit and shower in a lake. If I were restricted to only 2 gallons that is how I would take my shower. As for brushing my teeth I would only take one sip of water to rinse my mouth out and just enough to clean off my toothbrush. If I had to do dishes I would only use enough water to get them clean. I would even consider resorting to disposable plates and silverware. Laundry I only do 3 loans once a week so that would be hard to not do. As for using the toilet...well u know the rule. If I had to live off of 2 gallons a day I could do it, but it would take a lot of change in how I normally use my water.

I think geography matters in how you use water, because for me over 800 other people use my water source as well. There may be droughts were we can't use water like we would like too. It is god to also know where your water source comes from because I was able to look up the water report that was done for my water supply. Therefore, I was able to look over the review to see how clean my water is. I think people who like the outdoors it is easier for them to bath in a lake or go to the bathroom outside in order for them to save water. Other people may not approve of having to bath and use the bathroom outdoors. After completing this module I learned where I use the most water and how I can decrease my water usage. 

I read about an environmental justice case about an elementary school sitting on contaminated soil in Detroit Michigan, from the Michigan- Environmental Justice (http://www.umich.edu/%7Esnre492/Jones/beard.htm). The case study explained that the Detroit Public Schools decided to build a new school. However, the location of this new school is on soil contaminated with lead, arsenic, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), benzo(a)pyrene, and trichloroethylene. The study also stated that the school is within a two-mile radius of a total of 58 polluting facilities, 40 of which handle hazardous waste. The goal was to provide a safe and healthy environment for the children of this school by removing one foot of the contaminated soil around the school and replacing it with four inches of crushed concrete and eight inches of new soil. The estimate cost for this cleanup would be $150,000. This relates to the ideas from Module 5 because it is a great example of environment injustice, whereas development (industrial) has reduced the health and quality of life for citizens of this neighborhood and the children of the school.

            The second case study that I read was about the Bayer Group in Baytown, Texas from The Berkeley Daily Planet (http://www.cbgnetwork.org/3617.html). According to the University of Massachusetts, the Bayer Group was listed as the most toxic company in the U.S. in March 2010. The study found that the contamination in the neighborhoods of low-income minority families was largely due to the incineration from the Bayer Group. Something interesting about this case is that the Bayer Group originally wanted to locate this plant site in Taiwan. However, the people there protested about more toxic pollution being added to that area, and denied Bayer Group access to locate there. One goal for Bayer Group is to sell its waste stream to companies which can use that waste in their own manufacturing processes. By doing this, they believe they will bring in additional revenue and reduce incinerator transfers. This case study relates to the ideas from Module 5 because, again, they decided to locate the manufacturing site in a poor area. It is also shows that the presence of this chemical factory poses health threats to the people living near it.

            Right now I live in a small town, Berwick, PA. Here, they have a few factories, but I don't think any are chemical factories and I know they usually try to recycle the waste that they have. We also have a nuclear power plant in this town. This town is not necessarily high-poverty and does not have a high minority rate either. I don't think this is a case of environmental injustice, but it could potentially be. I think the local government does a good job at maintaining the town's safety from the power plant. However, there is always a chance that something horrible could go wrong. No one here has suffered any harm due to the power plant or any other factories, to my knowledge. I think my case is very different from the cases I've read about, thankfully. 

1.      Case Study:  Paving the Way for Solar Thermal Power in Egypt

Link to the case: http://www.worldbank.org/en/results/2013/04/23/paving-the-way-for-solar-thermal-power-in-egypt

This case caught my eye because it mentioned solar thermal power. This, to me, is newer technology that has yet to be fully explored. I wanted to see what they were doing in Egypt to further the technology. Egypt has growing demand for power, and the demand is growing at a very rapid rate. Most of the energy needs are met through natural gas resources. The goal of this development was to provide a variety of energy sources that would help to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions. This relates to the idea of whether development is good or bad. Some may say that the development in Egypt is bad given that the greenhouse gas emissions are one the rise due to the energy demand. However, some could say that this new solar energy technology is helping to make development a good thing in that it provides energy while reducing the greenhouse gas emissions.

2.      Case Study: Ashton Hayes Going Carbon Neutral

Aiming to become England's first carbon neutral village

Link: http://www.goingcarbonneutral.co.uk/background/

            The village of Ashton Hayes in England had a goal to reduce their carbon footprint, thus living a 'low carbon lifestyle.' It was a community movement that has grown over time with tremendous effects. The goal was to have each person individually make changes to their lifestyle on a daily basis. Some of the changes that were made include: turning off lights when you leave the room, creating better housing insulation, and having low energy light bulbs. Within two years they reduced their carbon emissions by 23%, and some people have cut their energy bill in half. This can be related back to the module discussion of how humans impact development. In some cases humans degrade the natural environment like in the video we watched from Chester, PA. However, some humans try to have positive impacts on the environment through development shown in this case.

3.      As I learned about these two different case studies taking place on completely different locations on Earth I began to think about my home in Raleigh, NC. There are aspects of development in these cases that are similar to where I'm from. For one, there are a slowly growing number of houses in the area that have installed solar energy panels like the ones discussed in the Egypt case. While the energy panels are only supplying energy for one house and not a whole environment, it is still showing the advance in technology. There are also differences. I feel that many people in my area are starting to put a focus on energy conservation. However, no community-wide movement has been put into action like the village in England. I think that both of these cases have valuable information that we can incorporate into our own society. I think the biggest thing that we can start doing today is individually put a focus on reducing our carbon footprint.

Part I-a:

I've always wondered where the water I use comes from, but I never looked into it.  In my hometown, Hershey, PA, the water supply can be traced to its source, Pennsylvania American Water. The pumping facility extracts raw (untreated) water from the source, such as an aquifer or river, using large pumps, pipes, and a power source to drive the pumps.  The water travels through three main channels, the pumping station and the distribution system. It then leaves the treatment plant and makes its way through the network of pipes to homes and businesses.  Approximately 65% comes from surface supplies such as lakes, creeks and rivers and about 35% comes from wells. I don't think there would be any kind of issue with availability, but my water use has definitely been influenced now that the amount that I use daily has been brought to my attention.

Part I-b:

Average day of my consumption of water:

2 teeth brushings...........................2 gal.

2 toilet flushes...............................6 gal.

3 hand washes...............................3 gal.

2 face washes...............................2 gal.

32oz. drinking water.....................1/4 gal.

1 20 min. shower.........................50 gal.

Rinse dishes (5 min.).....................2 gal.

Part I-c:

One important measurement of water use is how much water one person uses in one day.  It's the first step in beginning to conserve one of our most precious resources, our natural fresh water supply.  Before tracking how much water I use in one day, I never realized how much I was using.  My per capita use is about 70 gallons a day, which is crazy to me.  I plan to start saving by turning off the faucet as soon as I'm done using it when washing dishes, washing my face, brushing my teeth, etc.  I also plan on making my showers much shorter. After tracking my consumption and seeing how much each activity uses up, I came to the conclusion that I would not be able to do all of the things I want to using only 2 gallons of water.  I imagine that amount would be used up in the morning before I even left my apartment.  I feel like the infrastructure (i.e. toilets, sinks, showers) impact my use in that they make water so easily accessible in large amounts that I don't even take the time to think about how much is going down the drain whereas other people may try to conserve every last drop.  I feel like so much water is wasted and now that I know how much water I go through each day, I definitely plan to conserve as much as I can.  

I've learned that I get my water from the Pennsylvania American Water Company Berwick District which serves about 16,000 people throughout Columbia and Luzerne counties. The water comes from four drilled wells along the Susquehanna River. After we use the water, it goes to the Berwick Area Joint Sewer Authority which serves the Berwick Borough and four other surrounding boroughs. The water is cleaned and filtered at this treatment plant in Berwick and then put back into the river. The importance of this is that in 2011, the Susquehanna River flooded, so it shows that this river is really important to us and that it's really important to keep it clean.

For one day, here's the water that I used:

-Toilet flushes: 5

-Hand washes: 7

-Shower (about ten minutes): 1

-Dish wash (by hand): 1

-Teeth brushings: 2

-Glasses of water: 2

Total: 54.12 gallons per day

I was very surprised with this number because I really didn't think I used too much water throughout the day. I try to be mindful about how much I'm using and try to avoid wasting any (leaking faucets, not keeping the water running while doing the dishes or brushing my teeth, etc.).

            To live off of only two gallons of water a day seems almost impossible for me. Seeing how it takes about 2.5 gallons of water per minute for a shower and 3 gallons for each toilet flush, I would already be way over the limit. This puts into perspective just how fortunate I am to have clean water pretty easily available to me, as I know this isn't true for everyone in the world. I would feel very unsanitary if I only had two gallons of water to live off of for each day.

            It's also interesting that I, alone, consume about 54 gallons of water (that's without doing laundry that day), and I'm only one person inside one house. It's outrageous to think of just how much water is being consumed by Americans each day, and how much of that water is being wasted. It drives me nuts when people let the water run while they're not using it, and I constantly remind people to turn it off, but I know lots of people probably do that and waste tons (literally) of gallons of water each day. I really don't know how I could consume any less because like I mentioned before, I try to be modest with my water usage to begin with.  

            I'm very fortunate to be in a geographical location that has modern technology and has toilets and faucets readily available to everyone. Because it's such a social norm to use these technologies and important to stay sanitary and healthy, I, like a lot of other people in my town, don't think twice about using water so frequently. Someone who lives in a different environment and has less access to clean water will have a very different experience than I do. They will probably use water less and maybe use the same water for multiple uses. 

From Source to Tap and Back Again

Chicago, IL.  It's lucky enough to have one of the largest sources of fresh water in the U.S. at its beck and call, Lake Michigan.  The Jardine pumping station and purification plant is located just north of the city about 2 miles out into Lake Michigan.  Strategically placed off shore water cribs collect water and send it to the Jardine station, which is the largest of its kind in the world.  The water is then piped via deep tunnel (about 60ft down) to various locations onshore.  After use, water in the Chicago system is funneled into a pipeline system that combines both storm and sewer water.  The current system is easily flooded during large storms, forcing some of the water to be diverted into lake Michigan before it is treated.  Not ideal.  A deep tunnel and reservoir project is currently under way to alleviate this problem.  After the combination catch system, the water makes its way to a retention field before it is drawn off to a series of treatment plants, the largest of which is located several miles south of the city.  After treatment, the water is sent back into the canal system where it flows to the Gulf of Mexico.  Sludge produced by the treatment facility is dredged and sold as fertilizer to farmers.  There is an excellent video describing Chicago's stages of waste treatment: Before the Faucet, After the Flush.

One Day Water

In terms of my water use, I have two types of days.  The first is related to a day of work, and the second is based on a day without work.  In general terms, I use much more water during a workday than I do on a day that I do not work.  Since my workday water can be attributed more so to the business than to my personal use, I have decided to report on my water use during a workless day.  When I first plugged my criteria into the water usage calculator, it estimated my water usage at nearly 37 gallons per day.  At first I was far from convinced that those numbers portray an accurate estimation of anyone's actual usage, but then I broke down the numbers from my own water bill.  In a 3-month period, my roommate and I averaged about 2000 gallons per month (household), which breaks down to about 68 gal/day.  The numbers made further sense to me after comparing the calculator estimate of 37 gal/day; Even if my roommate and I were at an even split, that would still put us at 34 gal/day.  Take away the dog washings, dishwasher and washing machine, and it is easy to see where my feelings of overestimation come from.

Two Gallons a Day

This is an interesting exercise, however, I spent nearly 5 years on the road with little to no money, sleeping in tents and on the bench seat of my van.  I remember clearly thinking that my sense of mindfulness as it pertained to water consumption was extremely heightened, especially during those times travelling through the barren landscape of west Texas.  (Actually, travelling anywhere in Texas.) Obviously, there were days when I could take a shower at a camping facility but, there were also many days spent brushing my teeth with a mouthful of water or less.  Living on a water budget also makes you very appreciative of lakes, rivers and streams.  As far as reducing my water intake, it can come down to flushing the toilet only once a day, or turning off the faucet while brushing my teeth.  My father is a plumbing contractor and as a result, was a valuable source of reference for this assignment.  One thing I found interesting from our conversation was the use of something called a "gray water" system, which is more popular out west.  This is where individual buildings are fitted with dual sets of pipes, allowing runoff water from the sink and bathtub to flow to an in-house treatment system.  The treated water is then recycled back into the building and used for toilet water. 

Part B

shower (20 min)=2.5*20=50 gallons

Teeth brushing (2)=1*2=2 gallons

Hands/face washing (6)=1*6=6 gallons

Dishwashing by hand (2)=5*2=10 gallons

Toilet flush (6)=3*6=18 gallons

water drunk(6)=8*6=48 oz.=0.38 gallons

Totally=86.38 gallons per day

Part C

I am shocked by the amount of water I need to use per day. I would never know that until I did this calculation. And I think it is an irresponsible behavior to the people who live in the water shortage area. And I really thanks for this opportunity to realize where our water comes from and how much water we used per day.

It is impossible for me to live on 2 gallons of water for one day. I attempt to brush my teeth only 1 time, 1 time hand/face washing, 1 time toilet flush and 3 glasses water per day and I need 5.18 gallons per day as well. It is totally IMPOSSIBLE. I can't image the life which is lived on 2 gallons per day. If I take a shower for 15 minutes, I will save 12.5 gallon per day and 375 gallons per month. What an amazing number. Actually, it is possible for me to cut down the shower time because I usually splash water during shower time. I can use some small equipment which can put in toilet the to reduce the amount of toilet flush. I also can turn off the tap when I am brushing my teeth or using soap to stop the water running. 

My estimated amount of water usage in a day

Showers (1) for 20 minutes: 50 gallons

Teeth brushing (2): 2 gallons

Hands/face washing (3): 3 gallons

Leg shaving (1): 1 gallon

Dishwashing by hand (3): 15 gallons

Clothes washing (2): 20 gallons

Toilet flush (3): 9 gallons

Total: 100 gallons

I tried to use 2 gallons of water for one day and that was very difficult! When I woke up I used a little to brush my teeth and that was good. I microwaved food throughout the day and used plastic utensils so I didn't have to waste my water. At night when I was taking a shower is what really gave me trouble. I really struggled washing my long hair because I was using up a lot of my water and I couldn't finish my shower, so I ended up turning the shower on to finish. I realized that I was unable to live life off 2 gallons for one day. That did not include washing dishes, cooking, or washing clothes. Going from using an estimated of 100 gallons to 2 was very difficult and I could not do it! Geography matter to how I use water because I live in an area that provides me with fresh water and I can easily access it in my home. For someone who lives in a different environment where they don't get tap water or don't have access to water, it would be very frustrating and hard for them to use water throughout the day. Some people have to travel to get their water. I could not even make it a day, so I can't imagine living like that on a daily basis. I can't reduce my water usage to 2 gallons a day, but I can help save water by turning off the faucet when I'm brushing my teeth and only turn it on to rinse my mouth out. I could also try to take shorter showers.

Part 1 A

Back in my hometown of Jim Thorpe, which is located in the Poconos, I live just up from the town on the mountainside. My house was built shortly after the community was created. Almost all of the older houses have underground wells. The well travels straight down 150 to 200 feet, which supplies all of the water to my house. Since the well is so deep, my family has never run out of water. The summer seasons pose a concern some years where the water is short and the dry dries up. It is very rare for the water supply to run out but it is not impossible. There has been times were other houses around the community have to watch their water usage in the summer so they don't dry out their well. There is a pipe from the well that travels 100 feet to my basement that supplies the water we use. There the water goes into a supply tanks both hot and cold. After the use of the water supplies from the shower, toilet, sink, etc, it flows into a tank where sediments fall to the bottom and the water travels to a drain field.

Part 1 B

Showers (2)- 20 min------2.5 gallons per min

Teeth Brushing (2) -------1 gallon

Hands/face wash (4)------1 gallon

Dishwashing (2)---------- 5 gallons

Toilet Flushes (3)---------3 gallons

Water drunk---------------1 gallon

Total Gallons per day-----------------61 Gallons Per Day

After I did the calculations on the amount of water I use was a little shocking. I actually did a similar exercise like this one year's ago, and I was glad I did it again. I think its crazy on how many gallons you use in just a ten-minute shower. I never would have thought I use 61 gallons a day just in my day-to-day activities. Just think 61 gallons could save so many people from dying of dehydration. 

Part 1 C

Previous to this activity, I have already gone through this task. A couple of years ago there was a bad ice storm in my town and the power was shut down for at least a week. My family and I filled up gallons of water and even buckets just to get by for a day. This task was very hard especially with all the things we had to do from cleaning, brushing teeth and going to the bathroom. I did try this activity another time and found it quite difficult. I work long days out in the sun and I always fill up with a gallon of water before I leave to home. One gallon down: and one to go. After I brushed my teeth, washed my hands, did the dishes, and went to the bathroom I was over my limit. Its crazy on how fast water can be used. Many of us take it for granted on the water we have, and don't realize how much we really waste and I am one of those.

Comparing the experience of only using two gallons of water a day, to the average amount of gallons of water I use in a day was crazy. I think depending on where you live will determine your consumption of water usage. Geography if you live in a city and the water is controlled you will use less because you pay for it or have a short supply. In my situation, I am fortunate enough to have a endless amount of water and can use as much as I need. Although I believe and know that this shouldn't be taken for granted. Today toilets are being made to use less water and I think that's a great thing. Although this depends a lot on the amount of water pressure you have. Showerheads are also being created to use less water then older ones. If I moved somewhere where water had to be paid for or there was a certain amount I was allowed to use I think it would be hard at first. I try to conserve the amount of water I use but sometimes I just don't think about it, when I leave the water on while brushing my teeth the whole time for example. Trying to only use two gallons of water for all of my needs was hard to complete. Like I stated above I use a gallon of water to just drink for the day, leaving all of my other uses only to one gallon. To reduce my water usage, I know a couple of ways I could do to help. For example, when I'm brushing my teeth I need to shut off the water when I don't need it, cut down the time that I shower, and when I'm washing dishes don't run the water the whole time. This activity was really interesting, and I'm glad that I was able to do it again. From now on I will try to cut down the amount of water I use, and think of ways in which the saved water could be used.