Memorandum

MEMO TO: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT:

Dr. Diane Carter Allyson Paradee January 29, 2013 Topic Proposal for Portfolio

I purpose to focus my portfolio on educating and engaging the general public on water resources issues. Water resource issues are a major concern in todays world. Climate change, pollution, and lack of water conservation all have serious consequences to our diminishing water supply. About 0.5 percent of the water in the world provides for all the worlds water supply (WBCSD 2006). Water use has been growing at twice the rate of population growth in the past century (UN 2006). I became interested in water resources while working for a soil scientist in Central Minnesota. A research project s/he was conducting required me to take water samples from waterways in our area and examine them for nutrients--most importantly, nitrogen. I also took measurements and charted the flow, depth, and width of these waterways. Throughout this research I became increasingly curious about the state of our nations water resources and began to ask questions to other scientists in our region whose focus was water research. In the past 5 years, water has been linked to crises of climate change, energy supply, food shortage, the economy, and troubled financial markets (WWAP 2009). Many geographic regions in todays world are facing challenges of water scarcity. Water scarcity can be attributed to social problems as well as to altered supply patterns. Thankfully, most of these causes can be cured or improved (UN 2006). The public can become educated at various levels on water resources. A basic understanding of water conservation could improve public participation in water resource issues such as water resource conservation. Educating the public at deeper levels on issues such as water recycling, desalination, water privatization, and other water topics is doable but will require a greater effort to make the information understandable and engaging. Because there are many water resource issues it may be best to identify several topics that the public would likely be most interested in participating in such as water recycling or water conservation. Educating the public on water resource issues is a valuable step in developing better public participation in preserving and conserving water supplies. Providing interesting, accessible, and engaging information is a step toward a more informed

public. Engaging the public in understanding water resource issues will hopefully help members of the public not only to become more aware of water resource issuesbut also to actively engage in water resource management by conserving water and looking into new or more effective water management technologies.

References UN-Water. (2006) Coping with water scarcity. Retrieved from http://www.unwater.org/downloads/waterscarcity.pdf World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). (2006) Facts and trends in water. Retrieved from http://www.unwater.org/downloads/Water_facts_and_trends.pdf WWAP (World Water Assessment Programme). (2009) The United Nations World Water Development Report 3: Water in a Changing World. Paris: UNESCO, and London: Earthscan. Retrieved from http://www.unesco.org/new/en/naturalsciences/environment/water/wwap/wwdr/