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Personal Impact On The Water Cycle Essay

Decent Essays

WA-4

ENVS 1301 – PERSONAL IMPACT ON THE WATER CYCLE

Although I live in the United States, contrary to the image given through Hollywood movies, less than one percent of Americans live in wealth akin to kings or queens or other monarchies. For example, as a child I lived in a home sans modern plumbing. Such homes were called “dry homes”, which were built during the depression era. As children, my siblings and I transported water from a faucet in the front yard into the house for drinking, washing dishes, and bathing. The sole plumbing indoors was the toilet; and, similar to those depicted in western movies, we had a wash-pan and water pitcher inlieu of a bathroom basin. For winter months, we were always careful to insulate the faucet pipes to prevent freezing so we would have water during the cold seasons.

Needless to say, as an adult, I have a respect for water and an appreciation for modern plumbing. In light of these facts, I would reason that my personal impact on the water cycle are at most minimal. In our home we are careful not to waste water. For example, a filled half gallon BPA-free bottle displaces about one-third of the water in the toilet tank, which conserves water with each use. Another example would be the use of a dishpan instead of the dishwasher that conserves substantial quantities of water. (However, the dishwasher is utilized weekly – on an energy efficient setting, to sanitize clean dishes.)

When considering the human processing of “grey water”

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