The source of life on planet Earth is water, and the quality of life of the creatures that inhabit the planet depends on its purity in water bodies. In all living cells, up to the smallest, a certain percentage is occupied by water. In humans, this figure is approximately 70%. So that humanity does not die out, and the Earth does not turn into a desert, that’s why you need to protect water and monitor the cleanliness of water bodies.
Man and water
All people on the planet know the expression "water is life (or the cradle of life)", but few people think about its meaning. Indeed, everyone knows that a person without water will not “last” more than five days, and sometimes even less. Why, then, are people so irresponsible about the planet’s water resources? There are several answers to this question, but the main ones are related to human activity:
- “After us, even the Flood” (quote from the Marquise de Pompadour). So say people who, for the sake of personal gain today, do not think about the consequences of their actions for the next generations of people on the planet. For several decades, factories and plants in many countries have been polluting sewage bodies with sewage until environmental disasters begin. Only after that did the world understand why water should be protected. The same applies to the agricultural activities of people when, in pursuit of the crop, they introduced chemicals into the soil that poisoned groundwater or fell into bodies of water with torrential streams.
- After the seas began to plow not diesel ships, but diesel ships, tankers and nuclear powered ships, pollution of the oceans became a worldwide problem. Their crashes and the release of tons of oil products into the water also caused environmental disasters.
- The release into the atmosphere of thousands of tons of harmful chemicals has led to the formation of such phenomena as acid rain, which poison both the soil and water bodies.
Why it is necessary to protect and preserve water on the planet, today they begin to explain to children in environmental studies from the 3rd grade. Perhaps this will help to grow a new generation of people who will consciously approach the use of natural resources, because they are not infinite.
Water uniqueness
All people know what water is:
- As a chemical element, this is a compound of 20% hydrogen and 80% oxygen, but at the same time it is a liquid, although in all respects it should be a gas.
- This is a transparent liquid, which is the only of all chemical elements on Earth that can be in all three forms: gas (in the form of vapor), liquid and solid form (as ice).
- Water is present in all metabolic processes of living cells.
- It dissolves many substances.
- Without it, all life on the planet will die.
This is not the whole list of properties, but it is already becoming clear why water and water should be protected.
Unique structure
The most surprising was the cluster structure of water, which was discovered recently. Recent research by scientists has proven that this fluid is capable of not only recording information, but also storing it for a long time.
This discovery inverted all ideas of scientists about the structure and origin of life on Earth. If earlier the phrase “water is the cradle of life” meant that everything that was born in it, which even the Bible confirms (the second day of creation), today it has acquired a different meaning. On the water cluster, you can record any information that will rearrange its original structure, which makes it possible to change the state of living matter.
That is why it is necessary to protect water, because when it enters the human body, it brings into its liquid medium the information that is recorded in it. For example, it can be data on adverse conditions in which the source of water is located. In this case, a person who does not even live near this reservoir, but receives water through the long pipe highways to his apartment, is able to get the same ailments as the residents of this area.
The main characteristics of water
Schoolchildren receive their first scientific knowledge about this chemical element in environmental studies in the 3rd grade. “Why you need to save water” - this is the theme of the lesson, devoted to the basic properties of water. Children get acquainted with this fluid from the point of view of science and find out what role it plays in the development and existence of living matter.
Water is characterized by:
- Dissolve various substances, so in nature there is no truly pure water. Not so long ago, Russian scientists isolated a few grams of such a liquid, but its production took a lot of water and required special equipment. Not only salts dissolve in this medium, but it also contains gold and other precious metals.
- Depending on the amount of salts - divided into layers in the oceans. Since the saltier the water, the harder it is, which means closer to the bottom. Due to this property, each layer of water in the oceans has its own percentage of salt in which certain microorganisms, fish and marine animals “live”. It is this feature that allowed evolution on Earth to develop in the direction that we are observing today. That is why it is necessary to protect water bodies and protect water, because if you break this balance, a gradual global extinction of all living things will occur on the planet.
- Do not dissolve some chemical elements and substances. It is this property that contributed to the birth of life. Fats, insoluble in water, are the basis of cell membranes, which became the first prototype of all things. Indeed, according to scientists, it was in the ocean that unicellular organisms were born, from which, after millions of years, the animal and plant worlds originated.
- To turn into ice when freezing, which is not something outstanding, since many chemicals can take this form. Surprisingly, water is the only liquid that, in the solid state, is lighter in weight than as a solution. Thanks to this feature, people and all other creatures are still alive, because if the ice was heavier than water, it would sink to the bottom of the reservoirs, destroying everything in them. Homo erectus would hardly survive the ice ages if it had other properties, because at that time its existence depended largely on water and the fish and animals living in it. Little has changed since then and people still depend on water bodies, which is why you need to protect and protect water.
- When heated, turn into steam, which is typical of many liquids, but water is modified not only in this way. It also evaporates from the surface of water bodies, and even ice, which makes this process continuous. Due to this feature, the water cycle in nature occurs, which students learn about in nature studies. But at the same time little attention is paid to the fact that it is this property of water that creates a favorable climate on the planet. That's why you need to save water. A brief discussion of this will be given below.
Everything in nature is based on the properties of water, and if this balance is upset, environmental disasters are inevitable. This should be understood by children from school, in the 3rd grade. The project “Why water should be protected”, done by them alone or with their parents, helps them realize their part of the responsibility for the quality and quantity of water bodies on the planet.
Causes of Water Pollution: Heavy Metals
Everyone knows that without water, all life on Earth will die, but few people think that in a fresh state there are only 3% of it. And, despite such a meager amount of it in the total volume of the planet’s water surface, mankind continues (consciously or not) to destroy and reduce this indicator. That is why it is necessary to protect water bodies, rivers, protect water, because its lack is acutely felt already in many countries, especially on the African continent.
The main cause of water pollution are industrial enterprises. Heavy metal contamination is what happens when sewage is discharged not only into water bodies, but also into the soil. They seep through it and, reaching groundwater, become potentially dangerous to the human body. History knows many facts when, due to artesian or well water, people were sick, mutated, or died. When such water was taken for analysis, then nickel, mercury, lead, cadmium and other metals were found in it, which form the basis of the wastewater of industrial enterprises.
Radiation contamination
With the development of nuclear production, water pollution from its waste has increased. This type of energy harms not only water, but also all life on the planet. This happens in the form:
- Radiation Precipitation. Vapors formed at nuclear test sites subsequently rain even in regions located hundreds and thousands of kilometers from the source.
- Wastewater. Nuclear enterprises, disposing of production waste, “bury” them in the ground. Even the best concrete sarcophagus is not able to retain radiation for a sufficiently long time. Today everyone knows about the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, and the consequences and damage that it caused to people and nature.
Accidents on nuclear submarines and ships powered by nuclear fuel. The waters of the oceans suffer more from this, but fumes with their poisoned surface radiation can also harm rivers and lakes, located far from the source of infection.
It may be difficult for schoolchildren of the 3rd grade to understand how harmful radiation is to all living things on the planet, but teachers, asking them to write a story as to their homework, why water should be preserved, should mention the existing problem.
Inorganic Infections
Every year, people go deeper and deeper underground, extracting minerals from its bowels. Wastes from the production of mines, oil and gas towers destroy fresh water bodies with inorganic compounds of alkalis, metals and salts.
An example is the severe ecological state of the Sea of Azov.
Problems of sewage
The consequences of global urbanization are sewage sewage, which daily brings food waste, detergent residues, human waste products and much more to fresh water bodies.
Once in the water, these substances contribute to the development of pathogens that can lead to diseases and even deaths of thousands of people living in cities if they get into their taps through water pipes. History knows examples of epidemics of dysentery and typhoid fever.
Synthetic waste
Nitrates and phosphates, which are used for the production of fertilizers and detergents, getting into the aquatic environment, provoke the formation of blue-green algae. She tends not only to grow very quickly, but also to completely destroy all life in the pond.
In place of the lakes there are swamps in which there is no life.
Compliance with laws
The problem of pollution of fresh water bodies, like sea water, is very relevant today. Most countries have adopted laws to protect nature and water at the state level. Subsequently, special bodies monitor compliance with environmental standards in the regions. All violators will face fines and legal proceedings. In most European countries, the United States, Canada and other highly developed countries, environmental laws are enforced by the population, as the penalties for non-compliance are quite severe.
The composition of the water to which enterprises or farms dump their waste is constantly checked, and if it does not meet the permissible norm, the consequence may be the complete elimination and closure of the “culprit” with payment of all penalties and legal costs.
Water and human health
Scientists have long been talking about the relationship between the physical and mental condition of people and the water they drink. It is believed that up to 90% of diseases are associated with the quality of fresh water that a person consumes. This is not surprising, since the human body consists of 70% water, which is also able to record and store information, like its analogues in the seas, rivers and lakes.
When a liquid enters the body containing harmful substances in its composition, the human internal environment is rearranged, which causes various diseases, up to cell mutations and DNA changes. That is why it is necessary to protect water, because it is on its composition that the quality and life expectancy of people depends.
The emergence of deserts
Not a single plant on Earth can survive without water. An exception is seeds, which for many years in a dry environment can retain their properties, but even they require liquid for further growth.
According to archaeologists, once upon a time there were no deserts on the planet, but on the site of the existing ones today there were seas and lakes. Climate change and human activities have led to their emergence. The most striking example is the Aral Sea.
