Sci 219 Module Four Activity Guidelines And Rubric Overview ✓ Solved

Sci 219 Module Four Activity Guidelines And Rubric Overview: This A

This activity prompts you to evaluate your personal resource consumption related to an environmental issue you have selected for your final project. You will monitor and record your resource use over a period or utilize existing data to estimate your annual consumption. This includes analyzing how your resource use impacts environmental issues such as air or water pollution, and comparing your consumption to national and global averages. You are also asked to propose alternatives to reduce your resource use and reflect on potential changes to lessen your environmental impact.

Specifically, your submission should include: an explanation of how your resource use impacts the environmental issue, a discussion of how typical your consumption is compared to U.S. and global rates, a list of at least three alternatives to reduce your resource consumption, and a discussion of potential changes you would consider making. Data presentation (tables or figures) is required, and your responses should be succinct (2-3 pages, double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font, with proper citations in APA format).

Sample Paper For Above instruction

The increasing levels of water pollution pose significant threats not only to aquatic ecosystems but also to human health and local communities globally and locally. Personal resource consumption, such as water usage and pollutant discharge, directly contributes to this environmental issue. This paper analyzes my personal water use, compares it to national and global consumption patterns, examines its impact, and explores potential strategies to reduce my environmental footprint.

My household's water consumption primarily stems from daily activities such as bathing, laundry, dishwashing, and gardening. According to utility bills, my average monthly water use is approximately 12,000 liters. Extrapolated annually, this amounts to roughly 144,000 liters of water used per year. The primary pollutants from household water use include detergents, chemicals from cleaning products, and waste water that, if not adequately treated, can enter local water bodies, contributing to pollution. This excess water use and associated pollutants increase the strain on local water treatment facilities and exacerbate eutrophication in nearby water bodies, leading to algae blooms, hypoxia, and loss of aquatic life.

Compared to national data, the average American household uses about 300 gallons (approximately 1,135 liters) of water per day (EPA, 2020). My household’s water consumption exceeds this average, partly due to gardening habits and water-intensive appliances. Globally, water usage varies significantly; in water-scarce regions such as parts of Africa and Asia, per capita water use is often less than 50 liters daily (UN Water, 2021). Therefore, my personal consumption is considerably higher than some global averages and aligns more closely with, or exceeds, U.S. averages. Such high water use contributes to environmental stress, emphasizing the importance of conservation.

Potential strategies to lessen my water resource consumption include installing low-flow showerheads and faucets, prioritizing water-efficient appliances, and reducing lawn watering frequency. Additionally, capturing rainwater for outdoor use and practicing xeriscaping could significantly reduce dependence on municipal water supplies. These alternatives would decrease strain on local water resources and reduce pollutant discharges into water bodies.

In considering changes to my habits, I am inclined to adopt water-saving appliances and reevaluate my outdoor watering practices. Although installing rain barrels may not be feasible in my urban environment, reducing shower times and avoiding unnecessary water use are practical steps I plan to implement immediately. Transitioning to greener water management practices could help mitigate my environmental impact. Recognizing that some resource-efficient options may have cost or infrastructure limitations, I aim to progressively incorporate these changes to align my consumption with sustainable practices.

References

• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2020). WaterSense at Work: Facts for Utilities. https://www.epa.gov/watersense
• United Nations Water. (2021). Water Scarcity. https://www.unwater.org/water-facts/scarcity/
• Haseena, M., Malik, M. F., Javed, A., Arshad, S., Asif, N., Zulfiqar, S., & Hanif, J. (2017). Water pollution and human health. Environmental Risk Assessment and Remediation, 1(3). https://doi.org/10.4066/100020
• Denchak, M. (2018). Water Pollution: Everything You Need to Know. National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/water-pollution/
• Gleick, P. H. (2014). The World's Water Volume 8: The Biennial Report on Freshwater Resources. Island Press.
• World Health Organization (WHO). (2017). Drinking-water. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/drinking-water
• Sharma, P., & Kumar, R. (2020). Water pollution and its control. Journal of Environmental Management, 268, 110714.
• Carpenter, S. R., & Mooney, H. A. (2013). Environmental Science: Earth as a Living Planet. W. H. Freeman.
• Bartram, J., & Cairncross, S. (2019). Hygiene, Sanitation, and Water: Forgotten Foundations of Public Health. PLOS Medicine, 16(11), e1002815.
• Vorosmarty, C. J., Green, P., Salisbury, J., & Lammers, R. B. (2010). Global Water Resources: Vulnerability from Climate Change and Population Growth. Science, 289(5477), 284-288.