embedded water

Embedded water is an essential part of our daily lives. Embedded water is in many things that one would not expect such as, burgers, clothing, wine, and hydropower just to name a few. According to National Geographic one pound of beef uses 1,799 gallons of water. To break that number down as to where the water is going 6.6 pounds of grain for feed including irrigation water, 36.2 pounds of roughage or grasses for feed, including irrigation water, and 18.6 gallons of additional water for consuming and processing. Embedded water is essentially water used to produce food and non-food products. About 65% of the water we consume is in our food. If our world continues the present level of consumption it is said to believe that two thirds of the global population will live in areas of water stress by 2025.  According to http://www.angelamorelli.com/water/ the average person eats 3,496 liters of water a day. The average domestic consumption consist of 137 liters a day, this is the water people use in their homes for  cleaning which equates to 5%, cooking and drinking stands at 10%, laundry 20%, flushing the toilet 30% and bathing 35%.   We consume both visible and invisible water, and the visible is just a small percentage of our overall consumption. Our invisible part of consumption is around 167 liters a day. The first invisible water aspect is used for the industrial production of things that we use every day and the second is associated with the food we consume. All of these together amounts to 3496 liters per day which means 92% of the water we use are invisible.

Embedded water is also known as virtual water. According to http://21stcenturychallenges.org/what-is-virtual-water/  embedded or virtual water is defined as “the total volume of water needed to produce and process a commodity or service.”  An important factor in virtual water is that of global trade. The global trade in goods has allowed for countries with limited access to water resources to rely on the water resources in other countries to meet the need of their citizens. With trade happening internationally, their water footprint follows them. The water footprint as said by http://www.gdrc.org/uem/footprints/water-footprint.html “is the volume of the water used.” This is important because as nations work toward securing food, water, energy and other essential inputs for peoples well-being, livelihoods  and the country’s economic  development, most countries rely on imports as well as exports of goods and services. A country may aim to be self-sufficient by relying primarily on goods that can be produced within its borders. Or a country may choose to reduce the burden on the natural resources within its borders by importing water intensive products. Virtual water helps us understand the dependencies our economies have on others resources.

There are many ways to save water, and many things that people can do to make changes. Every day people are wasting tons of water in all different settings. We can start asking for providers to give us information about the amount of water that is embedded in goods. If we made simple changes in our lives we could save a large amount of water each day. We must start thinking about how much we really rely on this finite and shared resource.

SOx & NOx

There are many sources of SOx that refers to all sulfur oxides, the two major being sulfur dioxide and sulfur trioxide. Sulfur dioxide also known as SO2 is a colorless gas with a strong, irritating odor and taste.   The major source of sulfur oxide emissions are dominated by stationary sources mostly by electric utility fuel combustion, industrial processes such as chemical preparation, refining, pulp making and solvent extraction, and also by industrial fuel combustion. SO2 is also used in the preservation and preparation of food, it prevents bacterial growth. The energy industry is responsible for 81% of SOx emissions. Some natural sources of SOx consist of volcanoes and hot springs. Man-made sources of SOx include gas processing, oil sands production, coal combustion, ore refining, chemical manufacturing and other fossil fuel processing and burning. Nitrogen oxide also known as NOx, consist of nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide and nitrous oxide and is formed when nitrogen combines with oxygen. NOx has no color, odor or taste and is nontoxic. NOx emissions are dominated by non-stationary transportation related sources. Nitrogen dioxide is a red/brown gas with a strong irritating odor; NO2 absorbs light and leads to the haze or smog seen over cities. Natural sources of NOx are a result of bacterial processes, biological growth and decay, lightning, and forest/ grassland fires. The primary source of man-made NOx is from burning fossil fuels.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency also known as the EPA it is stated that the “current scientific evidence links short term exposures to SO2 ranging from 5 minutes to 24 hours, with an array of adverse respiratory effects including bronchoconstriction with increased asthma symptoms.” Being exposed to large quantities of SOx has its effects on at risk populations such as children because their lungs are still developing and they are more likely to have asthma, which can be caused by exposure to SO2. The elderly or older adults may be more affected by exposure to SO2, because they possibly may have pre-existing lung or cardiovascular disease. Another group that has a higher chance of being affected is active people, these are people of all ages who exercise or work outdoors who have higher exposure to SO2 than less active people.  Sulfur dioxide can irritate the skin, eyes, nose, throat and lungs. Higher concentrations of sulfur dioxide can cause inflammation and irritation of the respiratory system, specifically during physical activity. The EPA also states that for NOx, “Current scienti People who spend time on or near major roadways can experience short term NO2 exposures considerably higher than measured by the current network. NO2 exposure concentrations near roadways are of particular concern for some individuals, including people with asthma, asthmatic children, and the elderly. NOx reacts with ammonia, moisture, and other compounds to form small particles. These particles penetrate deeply into sensitive parts of the lungs and can cause or worsen respiratory disease, such as emphysema and bronchitis, and can aggravate existing heart disease, leading to increased hospital admissions and premature death.

fic evidence links short-term NO2 exposures, ranging from 30 minutes to 24 hours, with adverse respiratory effects including airway inflammation in healthy people and increased respiratory symptoms in people with asthma.”

A relationship between lichen presence specifically between, Physcia Millegrana and Candelaira Colcolor and, Sulphur Dioxide SO2 and Nitrogen Dioxide NO2 levels. Areas with high sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide had low to non-existent levels of lichen present, and areas with low levels of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide had high levels of lichen present.  SO2 and NO2 are good indicators of airborne pollution; we can assume that areas with a high lichen presence have better air quality than those with a low lichen presence.

http://dwb.unl.edu/teacher/nsf/c09/c09links/www.casahome.org/sulphur.htm

http://www.epa.gov/airquality/sulfurdioxide/health.html

http://www.paperenvironment.org/soxnox.html

State Implementation Plans

State Implementation Plans also known as SIP, is a plan for each state which helps identifies how that state will attain and or maintain the primary and secondary National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).  State Implementation Plans take many forms, the plans are supposed to provide people with how far an area is re-designated to attainment from non-attainment will maintain acceptable packages or revisions by the EPA.

The six criteria pollutants are:  carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, particle pollution, and sulfur dioxide. Under the Clean Air Act each state must develop plans describing how it will attain and maintain the NAAQS, this means that the EPA draws up a plan on how to clean up polluted areas and how to continue to keep them clean. The first pollutant is carbon monoxide, and the multiple ways to implement a reduction in the emissions in the air.  One way that this can be watched is through a monitoring program, which takes measurements of the concentrations in the air, to identify if it is meeting the quality standards.  The second pollutant is lead. Lead is a metal that is found naturally in the environment but also is seen in products that are being manufactured. The largest sources of lead emissions historically have been seen from fuels steaming from vehicles, and also from industrial sources. “The major sources of lead emissions to the air today are ore and metals processing and piston-engine aircraft operating on leaded aviation gasoline.” The third pollutant is nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen dioxide forms quickly from emissions from vehicles, power plants and off road equipment. Nitrogen dioxide has many adverse effects on the respiratory system.  The first standards were set in 1971 setting both a primary and secondary standard. Primary standards are to protect health, and secondary standards are to protect the public health and welfare. The fourth pollutant is ozone. Ozone is not directly emitted into the air, but is created by chemical reactions between oxides of nitrogen and volatile organic compounds in the presence of sunlight. Emissions from industrial facilities and electric utilities, motor vehicle exhaust, gasoline vapors and chemical solvents are some of the major sources. Breathing in ozone can create many health problems. The fifth pollutant is particulate pollution also known as particulate matter is a complex mixture of extremely small particles and liquid droplets. It is made up of a number of components including organic chemicals, metals, and soil or dust particles. The size of the particles is linked to causing health problems because they generally pass through the throat and go straight to the lungs. The last pollutant is sulfur dioxide. Sulfur dioxide is a highly reactive gas. The largest source of sulfur dioxide is emissions from fossil fuel combustion at power plants and other industrial facilities.

A geographic area in which levels of a criteria air pollutant meet the health based primary standard, National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for the pollutant. An area may have an acceptable level for one criteria air pollutant but may have unacceptable levels for others; this is called an attainment area. A non-attainment area is a geographic area in which the level of a criteria air pollutant is higher that the level allowed by the federal standards. Yes, Ohio is an attainment.

The Division of Air Pollution Control develops and enforces rules in the Ohio administrative code. Ohio is to attain and maintain the NAAQS contained in the Clean Air Act. They are to fulfill the requirements set forth by the Ohio General Assembly in Ohio Revised Code, and they are to protect and maintain healthy air quality for the citizens of the state of Ohio. 

http://www.epa.gov/airquality/montring.html