GEF

8 Introduction UNIT4 | TheGlobalWaTerCrIsIs 79 GROWYOURKNOWLEDGE You turnon the faucetandwatercomes out.Doyoueven thinkabouthow much itcosts?Howmuchdoyou think water shouldcost?Doyou think it shouldbe free? Is there anywhere in theworldwherewater is free?Why? In this activityyouwillexplore thecostofwater. 1. Research thecostofwater inyourcommunity. 2. Research the reasonswhy there isacharge forwater, andwhatotheroptionsmightbeavailable inother communitiesaround theworld. 3. Asaclass, form threegroupsandhaveadebate aboutwhetherwater shouldbe freeornot.Group 1 willarguewater shouldbe free.Group2willargue water shouldnotbe free.Group3will listen to the debateand select thewinner. Essential Concept Therearemanypressingglobalchallengesofwater sustain- ability.Waterpollution,unsustainableuse,climatechange, andwaste impactpeopleandecosystems. 4.1 Water Scarcity, Health, and the DevelopingWorld Evenpeoplewhoarenotpersonallysuffering from waterscar- city ,havemanyreasons topaycloseattention to thegrowing globalwatercrisis.Waterresearcherspredict thatwaterscarcity is increasing.Somescientistsuse the term peakwater toemphasize the fact thatwater isbeingusedunsustainablyandwateravail- ability isdecliningaround theworld.Asaccess towaterdecreases, conflictoverwatergrows.Suchconflictdramatically increases the threatofglobalpolitical instabilityand terrorism. WATER SCARCITY Having less than 1,000cubic metersofwateravailableper personperyear. PEAK WATER Aconcept thatemphasizes thataccessible,cleanwater isbeingusedunsustainably and isbecomingdepleted andunavailableovermuch of theplanet. UNIT4 | TheGlobalWaTerCrIsIs 91 Career FoCUs: URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNER Education: Mosturbanand regionalplannershaveabachelor’sdegree ina related subjectsuchasconservation,economics,geography,politicalscience,orenvironmental design,andamaster’sdegree fromanaccreditedurbanor regionalplanningprogram. Somestatesmay requireurbanand regionalplanners tobe licensed. MedianSalary (2016): $70,020. According to theBureauofLaborStatistics (BLS),urbanand regionalplanners develop landuseplansandprograms thathelpcreatecommunities,accommodate populationgrowth,and revitalizephysical facilities in towns,cities,counties,and metropolitanareas.Water supplyanduseare twoof thebiggest factors to take into accountwhenplanningnewcommunities.Plannersmustensure that there isenough wateravailable to supportdevelopment,and toensureefficientuseofwater. Typical jobduties include: ■■ Meetwithpublicofficials,developers,and the public regardingdevelopmentplansand landuse ■■ Administergovernmentplansorpoliciesaffecting landuse, theenvironment,zoning,historic buildings,publicutilities,community facilities, housing,communitydesign,and transportation ■■ Gatherandanalyzemarket researchdata, censuses,andeconomicandenvironmental studies ■■ Conductfield investigations toanalyze factors affectingcommunitydevelopmentanddecline, including landuse ■■ Review siteplans submittedbydevelopers ■■ Assess the feasibilityofproposalsand identify neededchanges ■■ Recommendwhetherproposals shouldbe approvedordenied ■■ Presentprojects tocommunities,planningofficials,andplanningcommissions ■■ Staycurrentonzoningorbuildingcodes,environmental regulations,andother legal issues Source:BureauofLaborStatistics,U.S.DepartmentofLabor, OccupationalOutlook Handbook ,2016-17Edition,UrbanandRegionalPlanners,on the Internetathttps:// www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/urban-and-regional-planners.htm. Each unit includes an Essential Concept that summarizes the core ideas covered in the unit, and helps guide your reading. Each unit includes a Career Focus that encourages you to consider a career related to water sustainability. The feature outlines the skills, education, and typical tasks that might be necessary to succeed in that career. Vocabulary terms are highlighted in the text, and defined in the margins to aid your comprehension.