Deforestation:
Throughout history forested area’s have been removed for human use in industries such as agriculture, farming and maintaining wood for industrial purpose. But in spite of this their is an extremely bad side effect because of this on the environment and the water cycle.
A major effect that deforestation has on the water cycle is the lose of a key component of water cycle, transpiration. Transpiration is a process where trees soak up ground water through their roots and through the process of changing carbon dioxide into oxygen water vapor from the tree is released into the atmosphere. Transpiration counts for almost 10% of the water vapor released into the atmosphere and deforestation reduces this amount resulting in changing climates. This can result in change of river flow and water levels, a study has shown that the amazon needs 80% of its trees to sustain its hydrological state.
Oil Spills
Oil spills happen when a vessel carrying oil or petrol breaks in the ocean resulting in an oil slick spreading across the sea killing marine life and polluting the ocean. Just one litre of oil spilt into the ocean can contaminate millions of litre of water.
Oil spills effect the water cycle by contaminating water throughout our seas and oceans. This affects humans making water unusable for drinking and for many other purposes such as for crop irrigation and factory purposes. Oil spills also have an affect on the natural environment around them for many years after they occurred. For instance when an oil spill happens an oil slick is formed over the ocean making life in that area almost impossible to live in. Oil coats animals and other marine life eventually killing them. Oil then washes onto beaches which not only effects human life around that beach but kills and contaminates even more of the already decimated environment.
Grey Water Recycling
Grey water recycling is an initiative formed to reduce the amount of water that we use. Grey water is water used in everyday lives for all uses apart from sewerage. Grey water recycling systems are installed in homes which filter grey water through them cleaning the water and making it suitable for reuse. This is an extremely efficient way of saving water and stopping unnecessary water being taken to the sewers.
Grey water recycling is also an initiative for Global Goal 6 clean water and sanitation. This is because of the reuse of dirty water through cleaning and filtering the water.
