Essay on Water: Essential for Food Security, Sustainability and Ecosystems

Water is needed for domestic, industrial, and agricultural uses (Amiri, Eslamian, Arshadi, & Khozaei, 2016). Because of its vital role in agricultural production, it affects food availability and security (World Economic Forum, 2020). It is also worth noting that water is essential for sustainability and continuity of the ecosystems, such as wetlands, lakes, and forests. Additionally, water is crucial for current and future food security needs (Marttunen, Mustajoki, Sojamo, Ahopelto, & Keskinen, 2019). Despite the critical role played by water in our daily living, freshwater sources are diminishing at a fast rate.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Water shortage is a growing concern and one of the primary hindrances of sustainable development (World Economic Forum, 2020). It is worth noting that the problem of water scarcity will keep growing because of the rising world's population and the impact of climate change worsens (FAO, 2020). To appreciate the need to address the issue of water shortage, it is crucial to understand its causes, effects, and possible solutions. One of the leading factors associated with water scarcity is the overuse of water. People tend to excessively use water in various ways without thinking of the detrimental effects such use may have on their surroundings.

Water shortage is also attributable to the degradation of water sources through pollution- thus rendering most of these sources unfit for human consumption while some dry up (du Plessis, 2019). Climate change is also to blame for water scarcity because it has exacerbated droughts in some regions and flood in others. It is also projected that a rapidly growing human population will increase consumption rates and elevate water stress and shortages around the globe (du Plessis, 2019). Currently, 1.6 billion and 2.4 billion people are living in water-stressed and water crowded areas, respectively, hence exposed to water shortages (Gosling & Arnell, 2016). Using the Water Stress Index model, it is estimated that by 2050, up to 3.1 billion individuals will be living in water-scarce areas because of climate change (Gosling & Arnell, 2016). Moreover, water shortage will continue to rise because of increasing global mean temperatures of between 2 C to 4 C (Gosling & Arnell, 2016).

Water shortage has adverse effects on the daily lives of human beings and their health. For instance, lack of access to safe and clean drinking water has been linked to waterborne diseases such as cholera and diarrhea (Nabi, Ali, Khan, & Kumar, 2019; Rehman & Baig, 2017). Another worrying negative effect of water scarcity is increasing risk armed conflicts leading to loss of lives (Levy, 2019). Food-energy-water security has also been found to be significantly correlated with social and political stability (Abbott, Bazilian, Egel, & Willis, 2017). Specifically, in the absence of food, energy, and water security, there is an increased risk of political and social instability and related conflicts.

The Core Principles of the Ecological Model, the Multiple Levels of Influence, and Their Contribution to the Problem and their Interaction.

The central concept of the ecological model is that a person's behavior has many levels of influences. These levels include policy, interpersonal, community, organizational, and intrapersonal influences (Owen & Fisher, 2020). Ecological models are the most comprehensive models that can be used to understand and the various factors linked to health behavior and their interactions (Owen & Fisher, 2020).

One of the influences of water scarcity is policy. In the absence, there is an increased likelihood of having water problems. For instance, even though Pakistan has robust policies and laws related to environmental management and water pollution, lack of stringent enforcement of these laws and procedures has resulted in contamination and deterioration of water quality. Consequently, human health has been adversely affected (Jabeen, Huang, & Aamir, 2015). Another influence of behavior in the ecological model is interpersonal factors, e.g., interaction with other individuals which can act as a source of social support needed to adopt a healthy practice (Rural Health Information Hub, 2020). For example, a person's peers, friends, and family can promote poor water habits such as excessive use of water.

Community factors, including social norms among members, can promote or deter healthy behaviors (Rural Health Information Hub, 2020). An example of a social norm that may elevate the problem of water scarcity is an expectation that women must use a lot of water for domestic purposes. Such a norm encourages water wastage. Next, organizational factors include informal structures, regulations, and rules that enhance or inhibit healthy behaviors (Rural Health Information Hub, 2020). For example, in the absence of strict rules and regulations governing water usage, there is an increased likelihood of water shortage. Lastly, intrapersonal influences of behavior include personality, beliefs, and knowledge. In the case of water scarcity, a negative attitude towards water conservation promotes water wastage leading to a shortage.

Essential Environmental Health Intervention and explain how it might be applied at each Level of Influence.

One of the environmental health interventions for water scarcity is the recycling of water. For instance, kitchen water can be used in gardening. In the ecological model, a local government policy demanding recycling of water can be enforced. Next, interpersonal factors e.g., role modelling, can aid in the adoption of conservation of water practices. Third, a community factor that helps conserve water is improved farming factors. Lastly, at the intrapersonal level of influence, knowledge of various water reuse methods can help reduce water wastage.

References

Abbott, M., Bazilian, M., Egel, D., & Willis, H. H. (2017). Examining the food-energy-water and conflict nexus. Current Opinion in Chemical Engineering, 18, 55-60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coche.2017.10.002

Amiri, M. J., Eslamian, S., Arshadi, M., & Khozaei, M. (2016, January 5). Water recycling and community. Urban Water Reuse Handbook. https://doi.org/10.1201/b19646-32

Causes, effects and solutions of water scarcity. (2015, September 17). Conserve Energy Future. https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-effects-solutions-of-water-scarcity.php

du Plessis, A. (2019). Current and future water scarcity and stress. In A. du Plessis (Ed.), Water as an Inescapable Risk: Current Global Water Availability, Quality and Risks with a Specific Focus on South Africa (pp. 13-25). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-03186-2_2

FAO. (2020). Water Scarcity - One of the greatest challenges of our time. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. http://www.fao.org/zhc/detail-events/en/c/880881/

Gosling, S. N., & Arnell, N. W. (2016). A global assessment of the impact of climate change on water scarcity. Climatic Change, 134(3), 371-385. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-013-0853-x

Levy, B. S. (2019). Increasing risks for armed conflict: Climate change, food and water insecurity, and forced displacement. International Journal of Health Services, 49(4), 682-691. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020731419845249

Marttunen, M., Mustajoki, J., Sojamo, S., Ahopelto, L., & Keskinen, M. (2019). A framework for assessing water security and the water-energy-food nexus-The case of finland. Sustainability, 11(10), 2900. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11102900

Nabi, G., Ali, M., Khan, S., & Kumar, S. (2019). The crisis of water shortage and pollution in Pakistan: Risk to public health, biodiversity, and ecosystem. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 26(11), 10443-10445. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-04483-w

Owen, J. F. S. N., & Fisher, E. B. (2020). Health behavior and health education | part five, chapter twenty. https://www.med.upenn.edu/hbhe4/part5-ch20.shtml

Rural Health Information Hub. (2020). Ecological models-Rural health promotion and disease prevention toolkit. https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/toolkits/health-promotion/2/theories-and-models/ecological

World Economic Forum. (2020). Water scarcity is one of the greatest challenges of our time. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/03/water-scarcity-one-of-the-greatest-challenges-of-our-time/