"Tapped Out"

My overall reaction to the presentation was that it was very long, but interesting. Atlanta has had a recurring history of droughts, but actually Atlanta is currently in a water crisis. The presentation mainly focused on the factors contributing to the water shortage, and how we can even stop it. Most states receive most of their water from water shed, and rainfall, but lately our demand has progressively exceeded our supply. Atlanta is an exception though because we receive the smallest amount of water shed than any other metropolitan area. Hard manmade structures in Atlanta have prevented the absorption of rain, so our water supply has diminished significantly.  A legal issue with other states has also decreased Atlanta’s water availability. For 20 years Atlanta has been in a dispute with Alabama and Florida over the operation of dams. Fortunately Atlanta has come up with long term sustainable solutions to combat our growing population and diminishing water reserves. We have adopted various strategies to save water. These strategies include fixing leaks, retrofit plumbing, the utilization of water efficient appliances, and even harvesting rain water. The culmination of these efforts will hopefully help restore Atlanta’s water supply. We cannot afford to waste water through our development, but if we work together to live sustainably we can begin to reverse the effects. 

Facing the Freshwater Crisis

The contingency in the world's water supply is very real as detailed in the article "Facing the Freshwater Crisis" by Peter Rogers. The article focused on the availability of freshwater in the world and the factors contributing to its  accessibility as well. The scarcity of water can be atrributed to global warming, faulty waste disposal, and even fertilizer runoff. This lack of freshwater can also lead to starvation, disease and even conflict. Freshwater is one earth's most valuable resources, if not the most valuable. Freshwater's importance is integral to the sustainability of the environment, and it supports both flora and fauna in ecosystems around the world. Unfortunately freshwater allocation is only accessible to those who can afford it, and because of this most underdeveloped countries and societies face dehydration at the rich's expense. Although freshwater is continually becoming more scarce due to periodic droughts of certain river basins there are solutions. Solutions such as virtual water is one of the many factors contributing to the conservation of freshwater that will help our environment.


Volcanic Eruptions-
The Tambora volcano in Indonesia erupted on April 10 1815 and lasted two days. It killed 92,000 people and resulted in tsunami's, disease and starvation.
The Krakatoa volcano in Indonesia erupted on August 26, 1883 and also lasted two days. It killed 36,000 people and resulted in a tsunami as well.
On January 10, 1997 a volcano in Congo erupted and killed hundreds of people who died from sudden lava flow.