Monday Week One

...some questions to ponder from today's lecture...

1. What is water? What is a resource? How does the addition of "resources" to the title of this course limit our discussion of water (or does it)?

2. How much water (in a general sense) do US residents use on a daily basis? When considering water use, why is it important to conceptually differentiate between water that we use and water that is used on our behalf? What is an example of someone using water "on our behalf"? Does the US import or export virtual water? What is "virtual water"?

3. Are all water resources challenges local? (the short answer is yes- we will spend the rest of the term augmenting your ability to expand upon this)

4. What are the global trends in global population growth, global access to improved sanitation, and global access to improved water source. How are improved sanitation and improved water source defined by the WHO? How might these respective definitions differ from our 1st world ideas about water and sanitation access?

5. How would you describe the relative access to improved water and sanitation at the nation-state level? Are improvements in the percent of population with access to improved water and sanitation facilities universal at the nation-state level?

6. Why is an understanding of natural processes and systmes essential to understanding how humans can use those systems most effectivelty and sustainably? (your understanding of this should grow considerably throughout the term...)

7. What are the three water resource challenges?

Bonus question: do you prefer "water resources problems" or "water resources challenges"?

Your reading for Wednesday is The Water Cycle (October 1, 2010) by Steve Graham, Claire Parkinson, and Mous Chahine with design by Robert Simmon. Go to Sakai for the homework assignment and to find slides shown in lecture this morning.