A BETTER WORLD

Whatdoesit mean?

� Sustainable communities and cities are to make sure that people everywhere in the world can have access to clean, safe and affordable housing basic services, safe roads and transportation systems.

� Humans and other life forms have depended on things that exist freely in nature to survive. These things include water (seas and fresh water), land, soils, rocks, forests (vegetation), animals (including fish), fossil fuels and minerals, which called Natural Resources and are the basis of life on the Earth.

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It is important because it is needed for life to exist. Many uses of water include agricultural, industrial, household, recreational and environmental activities.

Virtually all of these human uses require fresh water. Only 2.5% of water on the Earth is fresh water, and over two thirds of this is frozen in glaciers and polar ice caps.

Climate change will have significant impacts on water resources around the world because of the close connections between the climate and hydrologic cycle.

Due to the expanding human population competition for water is growing such that many of the world major aquifers are becoming depleted.

In certain parts of the world, especially in developing countries, wastewater is pumped directly into the sea or into fresh water bodies without any form of treatment. In other parts of developed countries the consume of the water requires an exhausted treatment . Nowadays wastewater is a big health issue, as it carries and transports a myriad of diseases and illnesses. It is believed that about 2.2 million people die each year from diarrhea disease.

Yellow water This is basically urine collected with specific channels and not contaminated with either blackwater or graywater.

Greywater This comes from non-toilet and food fixtures such as bathroom sinks, laundry machines, spas, bathtubs and so on.

Types of Wastewater

Blackwater It is originated from toilet fixtures, dishwashers, and food preparation sinks.

H E A L T H In many developing countries, people are forced to drink low quality water from flowing streams, many of which are contaminated.

E D U C A T I O N Water and education are intimately connected. It is easy to see the important role water plays in the daily lives of students. If the school has no water on its property, students will take long breaks to fetch water form a nearby location.

H U N G E R Farm animals will die and others will not do well without water. The result is constant hunger and thirst and low quality of life.

P O V E R T Y Access to quality water is the key to economic prosperity and better living standards. People come to work on time and they do not have to spend too much time looking for water. Lack of water means no economic activities will happen and people will be in constant poverty.

� Sometimes the magnitude of a problem can make one feel that there is nothing that can be done. But there is a lot we can do for water.

•*Awareness: Talk about it with family and friends. Look out for news and facts on water shortages •*Take part: Be part of competitions, organizations and societies that aim to preserve and defend natural resources including water. •*Use water wisely: If we do not acquire the right attitude towards water. In effect, everything that you can do to save water, do it. •*Industries and Governments: Join pressure groups that stop individuals, industries and governments from cutting down trees and doing other things that pollute and degrade the environment.