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An English Essay on the Importance of Water for the Students

Without water there cannot be life on our planet, that is to say on earth. Because every living organism needs water, and therefore having a good understanding and care for the water is a must for all of us. Hence, students should write an essay discussing the importance of water in the English language.

Writing an essay on such a topic opens a series of good ideas in the mind of the students regarding the role that water plays in our lives, and it can also make the students aware of the importance of water.

Also, if you wish to write an English essay on the topic My aim in life you may find this link helpful My Aim in Life Essay in English for Students | Easy Essay on My Aim in Life (vedantu.com)

Advantages of Writing an Essay on the Importance of Water.

Writing an essay on any topic helps the students be good writers, and the same goes for the topic of, Importance of water, but there are quite a few more advantages to writing the essay.

One of the most important things for everyone is to express oneself, and the practice of doing so must be given to the child from a very young age. And writing an essay helps the students in this very important thing.

For writing a good essay on any topic, the students must have a good understanding of the subject of the essay. And hence, writing an essay on the Importance of water, helps the students in learning about the value of water, not just our lives, which is to say humans, but the life of the whole planet.

In his famous play Hamlet Shakespeare writes, Brevity is the soul of wit, meaning being short or concise is very important in speech, or shortness of words is the essence of intelligence. The same rule applies in writing the essay, and doing as clear an understanding of the topic at hand is required as possible. And hence composing an essay on the importance of water helps the students understand the same.

One of the most important gifts that humans are blessed with is the gift of language, and this gift has to be used effectively. Writing an essay helps the students in learning the methods of using the language in such a manner that it makes everything clear to the reader. A good essay does not only touch the heart of the readers but it opens the mind of the reader, it can move them, that is to say, if a good essay is written on the importance of water it can make the readers aware about the same, and not just aware but also careful about using the water.

Water means Life. Water is a prime natural resource. It is a basic need for humans and a precious asset that living beings have. Water is equally vital for the survival of the plant and animal kingdoms. Soil needs water for sustaining plants. The water cycle is essential for ecological balance too. Though a big portion of the Earth is covered with water, only a small portion of it can be used for various human activities. So we need to be judicious and rational, regarding the usage of water.

Why is water important for our bodies?

Water is important for our body for the following reasons. 

 Above 70% of our body contains water so it is pivotal for the human race to survive. 

Water helps in regulating our body temperature. 

 Water helps in the digestion of solid food. 

It also keeps our skin healthy and hydrated. 

Water helps in excreting waste from our body through sweat, urination, and defecation. So replenishing the water in our body is essential to prevent dehydration.

Drinking water also helps in reducing calories and maintaining body weight because it can increase the rate of metabolism.

Water consumption lubricates the joints, spinal cord, and tissues.

Importance of Water

All living organisms, plants, animals, and human beings contain water. Almost 70% of our body is made up of water. Our body gets water from the liquids we drink and the food we eat. Nobody can survive without water for more than a week. All plants will die if they do not get water. This would lead to the death of all the animals that depend on plants for their food. So the existence of life would come to an end.

Role of Water In Life Processes

Water plays an important role in most of the life processes by acting as a solvent. The absorption of food in our body takes place in solution form with water as the solvent. Also, many waste products are excreted in the form of solutions through urine and perspiration. 

Water helps in regulating our body temperature. In hot weather, we drink a lot of water. This maintains our body temperature. Also, water evaporates from the surface of our body as sweat. This takes away heat and cools the body. 

Water is essential for plants to grow. Plants need water to prepare food. They also absorb dissolved nutrients from the soil through their roots. 

Aquatic plants and animals use the nutrients and oxygen dissolved in water for their survival. 

Uses of Water In Everyday Life

Water is used for drinking, washing, cooking, bathing, cleaning, in our day-to-day life.

It is used to generate electricity in hydroelectric power stations.

Water is used for irrigating fields and in the manufacture of various products. 

Other Uses of Water

Water serves as a means of transportation for goods and people.

It provides a medium for recreational sports such as swimming, boating, and water skiing. 

Water is also used to extinguish fires. 

Importance of Oceans

Oceans are of immense use to man. They are useful in many ways, directly and indirectly. They not only play a significant role in the climate of adjoining countries but also serve mankind in many ways. They are a storehouse of several resources. 

An ocean is a major source of water and forms a major part of the water cycle. Oceans contribute water vapor to the atmosphere and we get the same in the form of precipitation.

The oceans are the biggest storehouse of edible forms of marine food, fish being most important. In addition to food, sea animals provide other products like oil, glue, etc.

Oceans have enormous mineral and chemical wealth. A variety of dissolved salts like sodium chloride (common salt), magnesium chloride, and potassium chloride are found in plenty in the oceans.

Oil and gas are important fuels obtained from oceans.

Importance of Lakes and Rivers

Economic and industrial development

Water storage

Hydroelectric power generation

Agricultural purposes

Modern multipurpose dams

Source of food

Source of minerals

Tourist attractions and health resorts

Rivers provide fresh drinking water

Ports can be built on them as they form good natural harbors 

Major Concerns

Although our planet Earth is covered with 71% percent of water and 29% of the land, the fast-growing contamination of water is affecting both humans as well as marine life. The unequal distribution of water on the Earth and its increasing demand due to the increasing population is becoming a concern for all. 

Water pollution makes it difficult for marine animals to sustain themselves.

Covering over 71% of Earth’s surface, water is undoubtedly the most precious natural resource that exists on our planet. Without the seemingly invaluable compound comprising Hydrogen and Oxygen, life on Earth would be non-existent. 

We are slowly but harming our planet at a very alarming rate.

Characteristics of a Good Essay.

It must be brief: As pointed out earlier, a good essay must be short, and also to the point. So, if students are writing an essay on the importance of water it must only deal with the water, and anything which does not directly serve the purpose must be excluded.

Must cover the whole topic: Though it may seem a little contradicting to the first point, what is meant by covering the whole topic is that the maximum number of aspects dealing with the importance of water must be covered in this essay. For instance, water is important for all living organisms and not just humans, and so the same has to be covered in one or the other way in the essay on the importance of the water.

Must be to the point: The essay must remain true to the central idea of the topic, which is the importance of water in this case. Hence, almost all the sentences written in the essay must serve the main topic in one or another way. And also, writing should not be vague or ambiguous, or illogical.

Human beings should realize how important and precious water is. At the individual level, you can be more responsible and avoid wasting water so that our future generation can make the best use of this natural resource abundantly.

FAQs on Importance of water

1. Why is water important?

Water is important because it sustains all living organisms on Earth.

2. How is ocean water useful to Mankind?

Ocean water is useful to mankind in the following ways.

Oceans are a major source of water through the water cycle. 

Oceans have direct control over the climate.

Oceans are the biggest storehouse of marine food.

Oceans have enormous mineral and chemical wealth.

3. How is water important for our Body?

Water helps to carry nutrients and oxygen to each and every cell of our body. It helps in digestion. It keeps our skin healthy and hydrated. Water consumption lubricates the joints, spinal cord, and tissues.

4. What are the uses of water in our Daily Life?

Water is used for drinking, bathing, cooking, cleaning, and irrigation of crops and manufacturing various products.

5. Why should I use the essay provided by Vedantu on the Importance of water?

The essay that Vedantu provides on the topic of the Importance of water is prepared by expert teachers, for the students of the English language. And hence this essay can be used by the students as an outline or an example of the essay on the Importance of water, it does not necessarily mean that the students have to copy it completely, but it serves the purpose of guiding the students in attempting the essay. Furthermore, the essay is completely free for download for all the students and also it is available in a PDF file format.

Essay on Water

Essay generator.

Water is the elixir of life, a substance that is fundamental to all known forms of life on Earth. It plays an indispensable role in sustaining ecosystems, supporting human survival, and shaping our planet’s geography. In this essay, we will delve into the multifaceted significance of water, exploring its properties, importance, and the environmental challenges it faces. Understanding the crucial role of water is not only essential for academic purposes but also for developing a deep appreciation of our planet’s most precious resource.

The Chemical Essence of Water

Water is a simple molecule, composed of two hydrogen atoms (H) and one oxygen atom (O), chemically represented as H2O. Its unique structure gives rise to a range of remarkable properties that make it vital for life:

• Universal Solvent : Water’s polar nature allows it to dissolve a wide variety of substances, making it a universal solvent. This property is crucial for transporting nutrients and minerals in living organisms and various industrial processes.
• High Heat Capacity : Water has a high heat capacity, meaning it can absorb and store large amounts of heat without significantly changing in temperature. This property helps regulate Earth’s climate and temperature.
• Density Anomaly : Unlike most substances, water reaches its maximum density at 4°C. This property is vital for aquatic ecosystems, as it prevents lakes and rivers from freezing from the bottom up, ensuring the survival of aquatic life in cold environments.
• Surface Tension : Water exhibits surface tension, allowing it to form droplets and support small organisms on its surface. Surface tension is essential for capillary action, which transports water and nutrients in plants.
• Cohesion and Adhesion : Water molecules exhibit cohesion (stick to each other) and adhesion (stick to other substances). These properties facilitate the movement of water in plants and the upward flow of sap.

The Importance of Water for Life

Water is often referred to as the “elixir of life” for good reason. It is a fundamental component of living organisms, with several critical roles:

• Hydration : Water is essential for maintaining proper hydration in organisms. It is the primary component of cells and bodily fluids, ensuring the proper functioning of metabolic processes.
• Nutrient Transport : Water serves as a medium for transporting nutrients, minerals, and gases within organisms. In plants, it facilitates the uptake of minerals from the soil and their distribution throughout the plant.
• Temperature Regulation : Water’s high heat capacity helps regulate body temperature in animals. It absorbs heat from the body during exercise and releases it slowly, preventing overheating.
• Chemical Reactions : Many biochemical reactions within cells occur in aqueous environments. Water acts as a solvent, enabling these reactions to take place, including photosynthesis and cellular respiration.
• Digestion : Water plays a vital role in digestion by breaking down food particles and aiding in the absorption of nutrients in the digestive tract.
• Waste Removal : It helps remove waste products from the body, primarily through urine production, ensuring the elimination of toxins and metabolic by-products.

Water in the Environment

Beyond its significance in biological systems, water shapes our environment in profound ways:

• Erosion and Weathering : Water is a powerful agent of erosion and weathering. Over time, it can carve canyons, shape coastlines, and wear down mountains, shaping the Earth’s landscape.
• Hydrological Cycle : The movement of water through the hydrological cycle (evaporation, condensation, precipitation) plays a pivotal role in Earth’s climate and weather patterns.
• Aquatic Ecosystems : Water bodies such as rivers, lakes, and oceans are home to diverse ecosystems, supporting countless species of aquatic life. These ecosystems contribute to global biodiversity.
• Freshwater Resources : Access to freshwater is crucial for human civilization. It is essential for drinking, agriculture, industry, and sanitation. Unfortunately, freshwater is a finite resource, making its sustainable management critical.

Challenges and Conservation

While water is essential for life and the environment, it faces numerous challenges and threats:

• Water Scarcity : Many regions around the world suffer from water scarcity, where the demand for freshwater exceeds the available supply. Climate change, population growth, and mismanagement contribute to this crisis.
• Pollution : Water pollution from industrial, agricultural, and urban sources poses a significant threat to aquatic ecosystems and human health. Chemical pollutants, plastics, and nutrient runoff are major concerns.
• Depletion of Aquifers : Over-extraction of groundwater from aquifers has led to their depletion in many areas, causing land subsidence and threatening long-term water availability.
• Climate Change : Climate change is altering precipitation patterns, leading to more frequent droughts and floods. Rising sea levels also threaten coastal freshwater sources.
• Loss of Biodiversity : Habitat destruction, pollution, and overfishing have led to the decline of aquatic biodiversity. Many species of fish and other aquatic organisms are at risk of extinction.
• Access Disparities : Access to clean and safe drinking water is not equitable, with many marginalized communities lacking access to this basic human right.
• Water Conflict : Competition for water resources can lead to conflicts between nations and communities. Managing water resources sustainably is essential to prevent such conflicts.

In conclusion, Water is indeed the elixir of life, with a profound impact on all living organisms and the environment. Understanding its significance is not only essential for academic purposes but also for addressing the pressing challenges related to water scarcity, pollution, and conservation. As students, it is our responsibility to learn about these issues, advocate for sustainable water management, and contribute to a future where water remains abundant and accessible to all. In doing so, we ensure that this precious resource continues to sustain life and shape our planet for generations to come.

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English Compositions

Short Essay on Water [100, 200, 400 Words] With PDF

In this lesson today, I will discuss how exactly you can write short essays on the important topic ‘Water.’ There will be three sets of essays in this following session, each within different word limits. 

Short Essay on Water in 100 Words

Every living being on the earth needs some basic things for its survival. It includes food, water, shelter, and money as well for humans. Water is by far the principal need of living beings. About two-third part of the earth is covered with water.

Water is available in several forms on earth. Some amount is frozen in glaciers, while the larger amount of water is salty. Fresh water on earth is very little. We need water for every purpose. Drinking, cooking, bathing, washing are the basic needs, while water is also used by bigger industries to run their machines. Water is an important source of electricity. So, being the most valuable resource water must never be wasted.

Short Essay on Water in 200 Words

Water is the most significant resource among everything that humans and animals can receive. Water helps a living being to live for longer days, even when food is scarce. It is one of the most beautiful gifts of nature. Water has enormous benefits and is the life of the earth. Its medicinal properties cure several ailments in our bodies. Without it, we cannot imagine living a second on earth. The world will be a huge desert if the water on earth is destroyed.

Our earth is unique in its creation. About two-third part of it is covered with water, while the rest of it is land. If we take a deeper study, then a major part of the water is either frozen as glaciers or is present in the oceans as saltwater. The reserve of fresh water on earth is a limited amount. It can exhaust at any moment. Hence we must spend water wisely. We need water for drinking, bathing, washing clothes and utensils, cooking, cultivating, etc.

Big industries require lots of water to run their machines. Today due to the scarcity of coal, hydroelectricity is the new way of generating electrical power. This process requires huge amounts of water. In several ways, water is our saviour. It is the beauty of nature as a wonderful waterfall or a stream, and also the help to a thirsty person.

Short Essay on Water in 400 Words

Water is the basic strength behind all life forces on earth. It is the necessity of every life and is the biggest shelter for us to survive. If there is no water suddenly on earth, then it will only be a lifeless planet filled with dust and stone.

The green earth will become a long stretch of a desert without this component. Water forms about two-thirds of the earth, while only one-third is given for the land. Yet how much greater the amount of water on earth be, the availability of fresh water on earth is the minimum.

A large amount of water is left unused. It is either frozen as glaciers or is present as salty ocean water. This water cannot be applied for regular usage. So we must understand the wise utilization of water. It is a scanty but most important resource. So only its proper utilization can make it sufficient.

Water is the source of all activities in our lives. From the olden days, human beings have always tried to live near water bodies. Because those places are fertile for cultivation. A vast desert-like Egypt also survives because of the river Nile. The Ganges in India is not only a water body but one of the most sacred rivers in the world. The most important use of water is in agriculture.

Every plant needs it to grow. If crops do not receive adequate water, then they will be stunted. We use water for drinking, cooking, bathing, washing. A living body needs lots of water intake. Insufficient water intake can result in lots of ailments. Water is beneficial for this medical property. Besides these, all industries need water for producing electricity and running the turbines. Water is the potential of civilization. A civilization operates because of the availability of water

But at present, we are observing the pollution of water bodies. It is dangerous for all living beings to survive if all water sources are contaminated. Polluted water is a threat to the earth. Households, industries, insufficient cleanliness, lack of awareness, all are enough to increase pollution in several degrees. With increased consumption of water, it is being equally polluted. Thus many aquatic plants and animals, humans, other land animals are regularly dying after intaking the dirty water.

This is harming our ecosystem. So we must preserve freshwater. It is important and is available in little amount. Clean water can exhaust at any moment. It is our duty even to preserve the rainwater and use it. Every drop of water means life. A correct utility of it is the best way.

So, that was all about writing short essays on Water. In this session above, I have adopted a simplistic approach to writing all these essays for a better understanding of all kinds of students. You can let me know your queries by commenting down below. If you want to read more such lessons on various important topics regarding English composition, keep browsing our website. Thank you. 

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Mastering the best of what other people have already figured out

This is Water by David Foster Wallace (Full Transcript and Audio)

David Foster Wallace ‘s 2005 commencement speech to the graduating class at Kenyon College is a timeless trove of wisdom — right up there with  Hunter Thompson on finding your purpose . The speech was made into a thin book titled  This Is Water: Some Thoughts, Delivered on a Significant Occasion, about Living a Compassionate Life .

Wallace hits on our need to manage rather than remove our core hard-wired human instincts.

Here are the links to the original audio, followed by a transcript of the entire speech.

This is Water

Transcript:

Greetings parents and congratulations to Kenyon’s graduating class of 2005. There are these two young fish swimming along and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods at them and says “Morning, boys. How’s the water?” And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and goes “What the hell is water?”

This is a standard requirement of US commencement speeches, the deployment of didactic little parable-ish stories. The story thing turns out to be one of the better, less bullshitty conventions of the genre, but if you’re worried that I plan to present myself here as the wise, older fish explaining what water is to you younger fish, please don’t be. I am not the wise old fish. The point of the fish story is merely that the most obvious, important realities are often the ones that are hardest to see and talk about. Stated as an English sentence, of course, this is just a banal platitude, but the fact is that in the day to day trenches of adult existence, banal platitudes can have a life or death importance, or so I wish to suggest to you on this dry and lovely morning.

Of course the main requirement of speeches like this is that I’m supposed to talk about your liberal arts education’s meaning, to try to explain why the degree you are about to receive has actual human value instead of just a material payoff. So let’s talk about the single most pervasive cliché in the commencement speech genre, which is that a liberal arts education is not so much about filling you up with knowledge as it is about “teaching you how to think.” If you’re like me as a student, you’ve never liked hearing this, and you tend to feel a bit insulted by the claim that you needed anybody to teach you how to think, since the fact that you even got admitted to a college this good seems like proof that you already know how to think. But I’m going to posit to you that the liberal arts cliché turns out not to be insulting at all, because the really significant education in thinking that we’re supposed to get in a place like this isn’t really about the capacity to think, but rather about the choice of what to think about. If your total freedom of choice regarding what to think about seems too obvious to waste time discussing, I’d ask you to think about fish and water, and to bracket for just a few minutes your scepticism about the value of the totally obvious.

Here’s another didactic little story. There are these two guys sitting together in a bar in the remote Alaskan wilderness. One of the guys is religious, the other is an atheist, and the two are arguing about the existence of God with that special intensity that comes after about the fourth beer. And the atheist says: “Look, it’s not like I don’t have actual reasons for not believing in God. It’s not like I haven’t ever experimented with the whole God and prayer thing. Just last month I got caught away from the camp in that terrible blizzard, and I was totally lost and I couldn’t see a thing, and it was 50 below, and so I tried it: I fell to my knees in the snow and cried out ‘Oh, God, if there is a God, I’m lost in this blizzard, and I’m gonna die if you don’t help me.’” And now, in the bar, the religious guy looks at the atheist all puzzled. “Well then you must believe now,” he says, “After all, here you are, alive.” The atheist just rolls his eyes. “No, man, all that was was a couple Eskimos happened to come wandering by and showed me the way back to camp.”

It’s easy to run this story through kind of a standard liberal arts analysis: the exact same experience can mean two totally different things to two different people, given those people’s two different belief templates and two different ways of constructing meaning from experience. Because we prize tolerance and diversity of belief, nowhere in our liberal arts analysis do we want to claim that one guy’s interpretation is true and the other guy’s is false or bad. Which is fine, except we also never end up talking about just where these individual templates and beliefs come from. Meaning, where they come from INSIDE the two guys. As if a person’s most basic orientation toward the world, and the meaning of his experience were somehow just hard-wired, like height or shoe-size; or automatically absorbed from the culture, like language. As if how we construct meaning were not actually a matter of personal, intentional choice. Plus, there’s the whole matter of arrogance. The nonreligious guy is so totally certain in his dismissal of the possibility that the passing Eskimos had anything to do with his prayer for help. True, there are plenty of religious people who seem arrogant and certain of their own interpretations, too. They’re probably even more repulsive than atheists, at least to most of us. But religious dogmatists’ problem is exactly the same as the story’s unbeliever: blind certainty, a close-mindedness that amounts to an imprisonment so total that the prisoner doesn’t even know he’s locked up.

The point here is that I think this is one part of what teaching me how to think is really supposed to mean. To be just a little less arrogant. To have just a little critical awareness about myself and my certainties. Because a huge percentage of the stuff that I tend to be automatically certain of is, it turns out, totally wrong and deluded. I have learned this the hard way, as I predict you graduates will, too.

Here is just one example of the total wrongness of something I tend to be automatically sure of: everything in my own immediate experience supports my deep belief that I am the absolute centre of the universe; the realest, most vivid and important person in existence. We rarely think about this sort of natural, basic self-centredness because it’s so socially repulsive. But it’s pretty much the same for all of us. It is our default setting, hard-wired into our boards at birth. Think about it: there is no experience you have had that you are not the absolute centre of. The world as you experience it is there in front of YOU or behind YOU, to the left or right of YOU, on YOUR TV or YOUR monitor. And so on. Other people’s thoughts and feelings have to be communicated to you somehow, but your own are so immediate, urgent, real.

Please don’t worry that I’m getting ready to lecture you about compassion or other-directedness or all the so-called virtues. This is not a matter of virtue. It’s a matter of my choosing to do the work of somehow altering or getting free of my natural, hard-wired default setting which is to be deeply and literally self-centered and to see and interpret everything through this lens of self. People who can adjust their natural default setting this way are often described as being “well-adjusted”, which I suggest to you is not an accidental term.

Given the triumphant academic setting here, an obvious question is how much of this work of adjusting our default setting involves actual knowledge or intellect. This question gets very tricky. Probably the most dangerous thing about an academic education–least in my own case–is that it enables my tendency to over-intellectualise stuff, to get lost in abstract argument inside my head, instead of simply paying attention to what is going on right in front of me, paying attention to what is going on inside me.

As I’m sure you guys know by now, it is extremely difficult to stay alert and attentive, instead of getting hypnotised by the constant monologue inside your own head (may be happening right now). Twenty years after my own graduation, I have come gradually to understand that the liberal arts cliché about teaching you how to think is actually shorthand for a much deeper, more serious idea: learning how to think really means learning how to exercise some control over how and what you think. It means being conscious and aware enough to choose what you pay attention to and to choose how you construct meaning from experience. Because if you cannot exercise this kind of choice in adult life, you will be totally hosed. Think of the old cliché about “the mind being an excellent servant but a terrible master.”

This, like many clichés, so lame and unexciting on the surface, actually expresses a great and terrible truth. It is not the least bit coincidental that adults who commit suicide with firearms almost always shoot themselves in: the head. They shoot the terrible master. And the truth is that most of these suicides are actually dead long before they pull the trigger.

And I submit that this is what the real, no bullshit value of your liberal arts education is supposed to be about: how to keep from going through your comfortable, prosperous, respectable adult life dead, unconscious, a slave to your head and to your natural default setting of being uniquely, completely, imperially alone day in and day out. That may sound like hyperbole, or abstract nonsense. Let’s get concrete. The plain fact is that you graduating seniors do not yet have any clue what “day in day out” really means. There happen to be whole, large parts of adult American life that nobody talks about in commencement speeches. One such part involves boredom, routine and petty frustration. The parents and older folks here will know all too well what I’m talking about.

By way of example, let’s say it’s an average adult day, and you get up in the morning, go to your challenging, white-collar, college-graduate job, and you work hard for eight or ten hours, and at the end of the day you’re tired and somewhat stressed and all you want is to go home and have a good supper and maybe unwind for an hour, and then hit the sack early because, of course, you have to get up the next day and do it all again. But then you remember there’s no food at home. You haven’t had time to shop this week because of your challenging job, and so now after work you have to get in your car and drive to the supermarket. It’s the end of the work day and the traffic is apt to be: very bad. So getting to the store takes way longer than it should, and when you finally get there, the supermarket is very crowded, because of course it’s the time of day when all the other people with jobs also try to squeeze in some grocery shopping. And the store is hideously lit and infused with soul-killing muzak or corporate pop and it’s pretty much the last place you want to be but you can’t just get in and quickly out; you have to wander all over the huge, over-lit store’s confusing aisles to find the stuff you want and you have to manoeuvre your junky cart through all these other tired, hurried people with carts (et cetera, et cetera, cutting stuff out because this is a long ceremony) and eventually you get all your supper supplies, except now it turns out there aren’t enough check-out lanes open even though it’s the end-of-the-day rush. So the checkout line is incredibly long, which is stupid and infuriating. But you can’t take your frustration out on the frantic lady working the register, who is overworked at a job whose daily tedium and meaninglessness surpasses the imagination of any of us here at a prestigious college.

But anyway, you finally get to the checkout line’s front, and you pay for your food, and you get told to “Have a nice day” in a voice that is the absolute voice of death. Then you have to take your creepy, flimsy, plastic bags of groceries in your cart with the one crazy wheel that pulls maddeningly to the left, all the way out through the crowded, bumpy, littery parking lot, and then you have to drive all the way home through slow, heavy, SUV-intensive, rush-hour traffic, et cetera et cetera.

Everyone here has done this, of course. But it hasn’t yet been part of you graduates’ actual life routine, day after week after month after year.

But it will be. And many more dreary, annoying, seemingly meaningless routines besides. But that is not the point. The point is that petty, frustrating crap like this is exactly where the work of choosing is gonna come in. Because the traffic jams and crowded aisles and long checkout lines give me time to think, and if I don’t make a conscious decision about how to think and what to pay attention to, I’m gonna be pissed and miserable every time I have to shop. Because my natural default setting is the certainty that situations like this are really all about me. About MY hungriness and MY fatigue and MY desire to just get home, and it’s going to seem for all the world like everybody else is just in my way. And who are all these people in my way? And look at how repulsive most of them are, and how stupid and cow-like and dead-eyed and nonhuman they seem in the checkout line, or at how annoying and rude it is that people are talking loudly on cell phones in the middle of the line. And look at how deeply and personally unfair this is.

Or, of course, if I’m in a more socially conscious liberal arts form of my default setting, I can spend time in the end-of-the-day traffic being disgusted about all the huge, stupid, lane-blocking SUV’s and Hummers and V-12 pickup trucks, burning their wasteful, selfish, 40-gallon tanks of gas, and I can dwell on the fact that the patriotic or religious bumper-stickers always seem to be on the biggest, most disgustingly selfish vehicles, driven by the ugliest [responding here to loud applause] — this is an example of how NOT to think, though — most disgustingly selfish vehicles, driven by the ugliest, most inconsiderate and aggressive drivers. And I can think about how our children’s children will despise us for wasting all the future’s fuel, and probably screwing up the climate, and how spoiled and stupid and selfish and disgusting we all are, and how modern consumer society just sucks, and so forth and so on.

You get the idea.

If I choose to think this way in a store and on the freeway, fine. Lots of us do. Except thinking this way tends to be so easy and automatic that it doesn’t have to be a choice. It is my natural default setting. It’s the automatic way that I experience the boring, frustrating, crowded parts of adult life when I’m operating on the automatic, unconscious belief that I am the centre of the world, and that my immediate needs and feelings are what should determine the world’s priorities.

The thing is that, of course, there are totally different ways to think about these kinds of situations. In this traffic, all these vehicles stopped and idling in my way, it’s not impossible that some of these people in SUV’s have been in horrible auto accidents in the past, and now find driving so terrifying that their therapist has all but ordered them to get a huge, heavy SUV so they can feel safe enough to drive. Or that the Hummer that just cut me off is maybe being driven by a father whose little child is hurt or sick in the seat next to him, and he’s trying to get this kid to the hospital, and he’s in a bigger, more legitimate hurry than I am: it is actually I who am in HIS way.

Or I can choose to force myself to consider the likelihood that everyone else in the supermarket’s checkout line is just as bored and frustrated as I am, and that some of these people probably have harder, more tedious and painful lives than I do.

Again, please don’t think that I’m giving you moral advice, or that I’m saying you are supposed to think this way, or that anyone expects you to just automatically do it. Because it’s hard. It takes will and effort, and if you are like me, some days you won’t be able to do it, or you just flat out won’t want to.

But most days, if you’re aware enough to give yourself a choice, you can choose to look differently at this fat, dead-eyed, over-made-up lady who just screamed at her kid in the checkout line. Maybe she’s not usually like this. Maybe she’s been up three straight nights holding the hand of a husband who is dying of bone cancer. Or maybe this very lady is the low-wage clerk at the motor vehicle department, who just yesterday helped your spouse resolve a horrific, infuriating, red-tape problem through some small act of bureaucratic kindness. Of course, none of this is likely, but it’s also not impossible. It just depends what you want to consider. If you’re automatically sure that you know what reality is, and you are operating on your default setting, then you, like me, probably won’t consider possibilities that aren’t annoying and miserable. But if you really learn how to pay attention, then you will know there are other options. It will actually be within your power to experience a crowded, hot, slow, consumer-hell type situation as not only meaningful, but sacred, on fire with the same force that made the stars: love, fellowship, the mystical oneness of all things deep down.

Not that that mystical stuff is necessarily true. The only thing that’s capital-T True is that you get to decide how you’re gonna try to see it.

This, I submit, is the freedom of a real education, of learning how to be well-adjusted. You get to consciously decide what has meaning and what doesn’t. You get to decide what to worship.

Because here’s something else that’s weird but true: in the day-to-day trenches of adult life, there is actually no such thing as atheism. There is no such thing as not worshipping. Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship. And the compelling reason for maybe choosing some sort of god or spiritual-type thing to worship–be it JC or Allah, be it YHWH or the Wiccan Mother Goddess, or the Four Noble Truths, or some inviolable set of ethical principles–is that pretty much anything else you worship will eat you alive. If you worship money and things, if they are where you tap real meaning in life, then you will never have enough, never feel you have enough. It’s the truth. Worship your body and beauty and sexual allure and you will always feel ugly. And when time and age start showing, you will die a million deaths before they finally grieve you. On one level, we all know this stuff already. It’s been codified as myths, proverbs, clichés, epigrams, parables; the skeleton of every great story. The whole trick is keeping the truth up front in daily consciousness.

Worship power, you will end up feeling weak and afraid, and you will need ever more power over others to numb you to your own fear. Worship your intellect, being seen as smart, you will end up feeling stupid, a fraud, always on the verge of being found out. But the insidious thing about these forms of worship is not that they’re evil or sinful, it’s that they’re unconscious. They are default settings.

They’re the kind of worship you just gradually slip into, day after day, getting more and more selective about what you see and how you measure value without ever being fully aware that that’s what you’re doing.

And the so-called real world will not discourage you from operating on your default settings, because the so-called real world of men and money and power hums merrily along in a pool of fear and anger and frustration and craving and worship of self. Our own present culture has harnessed these forces in ways that have yielded extraordinary wealth and comfort and personal freedom. The freedom all to be lords of our tiny skull-sized kingdoms, alone at the centre of all creation. This kind of freedom has much to recommend it. But of course there are all different kinds of freedom, and the kind that is most precious you will not hear much talk about much in the great outside world of wanting and achieving…. The really important kind of freedom involves attention and awareness and discipline, and being able truly to care about other people and to sacrifice for them over and over in myriad petty, unsexy ways every day.

That is real freedom. That is being educated, and understanding how to think. The alternative is unconsciousness, the default setting, the rat race, the constant gnawing sense of having had, and lost, some infinite thing.

I know that this stuff probably doesn’t sound fun and breezy or grandly inspirational the way a commencement speech is supposed to sound. What it is, as far as I can see, is the capital-T Truth, with a whole lot of rhetorical niceties stripped away. You are, of course, free to think of it whatever you wish. But please don’t just dismiss it as just some finger-wagging Dr Laura sermon. None of this stuff is really about morality or religion or dogma or big fancy questions of life after death.

The capital-T Truth is about life BEFORE death.

It is about the real value of a real education, which has almost nothing to do with knowledge, and everything to do with simple awareness; awareness of what is so real and essential, so hidden in plain sight all around us, all the time, that we have to keep reminding ourselves over and over:

“This is water.”

It is unimaginably hard to do this, to stay conscious and alive in the adult world day in and day out. Which means yet another grand cliché turns out to be true: your education really IS the job of a lifetime. And it commences: now.

I wish you way more than luck.

This is Water makes a great gift .

Still Curious? David Foster Wallace is the author of Infinite Jest , A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again , Consider the Lobster (a phenomenal book of essays), and the unfinished book he was writing when he committed suicide: The Pale King .

Home — Essay Samples — Environment — Water Scarcity — Water Crisis: Understanding the Causes and Seeking Solutions

Water Crisis: Understanding The Causes and Seeking Solutions

• Categories: Environmental Issues Water Scarcity

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Words: 1019 |

Published: Jan 28, 2021

Words: 1019 | Pages: 2 | 6 min read

Table of contents

Causes of the water crisis, consequences of the water crisis, seeking solutions to the water crisis.

• Invest in water storage, distribution, and treatment infrastructure.
• Implement smart technologies for monitoring and controlling water usage.
• Promote efficient water allocation and pricing mechanisms.
• Encourage farmers to adopt precision agriculture techniques.
• Promote the use of drought-resistant crop varieties.
• Implement efficient irrigation systems, such as drip irrigation.
• Reduce excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides.
• Promote water conservation at the individual and community levels.
• Fix water leaks and encourage the use of low-flow appliances.
• Educate the public on water-saving habits.
• Invest in advanced wastewater treatment facilities.
• Implement stricter regulations on industrial and agricultural wastewater discharge.
• Promote the recycling and reuse of treated wastewater (water reclamation).
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions through sustainable energy sources.
• Support afforestation and reforestation efforts to maintain water catchment areas.
• Develop and implement climate-resilient water management strategies.
• ABC News. (2019). Chennai's the latest city to have almost run out of water, and other cities could follow suit. Retrieved from https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-06- 22/chennais-telling-the-globe-a-story-about-water-scarcity/11229084
• Ceranic, I. (2018). Perth rainfall is higher than Melbourne, Hobart, London despite reputation for sunny beaches. Retrieved from https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018- 04-24/perth-rainfall-higher-than-melbourne-hobart-and-london/9688142
• Green Water Plumbing. (2019). Water Crisis: Is Australia Running Out of Water? Retrieved from https://www.greenplanetplumbing.com.au/water-crisis-is- australia-running-out-of-water/
• Juneja, P. (n.d.). The Economic Impact of Cape Town’s Water Crisis. Retrieved from https://www.managementstudyguide.com/economic-impact-of-cape-town-water- crisis.htm
• Qureshi, M. E.; Hanjra, Munir A.; Ward, J. (2013). Impact of water scarcity in Australia on global food security in an era of climate change. Food Policy, 38:136-145. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2012.11.003
• Thirumurthy, P. The News Minute. (2019). Chennai water crisis: Schools closes down for junior classes, others declare half-day. Retrieved from https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/chennai-water-crisis-school-closes-down- junior-classes-others-declare-half-day-103919
• United Nations. (2014). Water for Life Decade: Water scarcity. Retrieved from https://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/scarcity.shtml
• Wright, I. (2017). This is what Australia’s growing cities need to do to avoid running dry. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/this-is-what-australias-growing-cities- need-to-do-to-avoid-running-dry-86301
• Lakshmi, K. (2019). Chennai’s Day Zero: It’s not just meteorology but mismanagement that’s made the city run dry. Retrieved from https://www.thehindu.com/sci- tech/energy-and-environment/chennais-day-zero-its-not-just-meteorology-but- mismanagement-thats-made-the-city-run-dry/article28197491.ece

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Westlands Water District

Press Release (6-25-2024)

June 25, 2024

For Immediate Release Contact: Elizabeth Jonasson (559) 241-6233

Westlands Water District Responds to Water Allocation Update

Fresno, CA  – Today the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) provided an updated water allocation for Central Valley Project (CVP) South of Delta agricultural water contractors, increasing the allocation for this contract year by 10% from 40% to 50%. The increase is welcomed and clearly justified, but is long overdue, especially given the current favorable water conditions throughout the state Unfortunately, agricultural productivity and drought resiliency in Westlands Water District remain artificially suppressed by the low allocations announced earlier in the year when growers were planning cropping decisions. The underlying regulatory decisions that led to those unjustifiably low allocations must be remedied.

“This announcement provides much-needed- relief and is good news for our growers. Even so, the low water supply allocations announced earlier in this contract year, after a relatively wet winter that filled the reservoirs and lifted the state officially out of drought conditions, single-handedly demonstrate the critical and urgent need to improve water management transparency and accountability in the state of California, said Allison Febbo, General Manager, Westlands Water District . “We need a more collaborative and transparent approach to regulatory decisions that affect our water supply, and we urge the five agencies responsible for making these decisions to rely more effectively on sound data and information. Every drop of CVP water allocation given to Westlands Water District growers is food grown, jobs produced, and groundwater saved.”

Westlands’ farmers have done their part, responding and adapting to increasingly complex and prohibitive regulations to ensure future generations can produce food on some of the most productive land in the country, investing in sustainability through costly infrastructure and ultra-efficient irrigation practices. Following last year’s wet winter, farmers in Westlands banked more than 390,000 acre-feet of water. In fact, as an acknowledgment of that success and the importance of groundwater recharge, Reclamation dedicated $25 million of the recent $81 million Inflation Reduction Act funding to expanding Westlands Water District groundwater recharge efforts. The water returned to aquifers under these efforts is meant to be used during future extreme dry years, not a year like the current one that helped California escape drought conditions.

We are committed to working with Reclamation to rectify areas of concern that Westlands believes influenced this year’s water supply, including addressing the currently poorly informed application of the Endangered Species Act. Westlands remains vigilant in the effort to improve collaborative water supply decision-making and the transparency and accountability for those decisions. CVP water supply is the lifeblood of Westlands. This 50% allocation will help our growers provide food and fiber for our nation.

About Westlands Water District Westlands Water District is recognized as a world leader in agricultural water conservation and has served the farmers and rural communities on the west side of Fresno and Kings counties for more than five decades. As stewards of one of California’s most precious natural resources, Westlands continually invests in conservation, and champions farmers deploying innovative irrigation methods based on the best available technology. 

Scientific breakthroughs: 2024 emerging trends to watch

December 28, 2023

Across disciplines and industries, scientific discoveries happen every day, so how can you stay ahead of emerging trends in a thriving landscape? At CAS, we have a unique view of recent scientific breakthroughs, the historical discoveries they were built upon, and the expertise to navigate the opportunities ahead. In 2023, we identified the top scientific breakthroughs , and 2024 has even more to offer. New trends to watch include the accelerated expansion of green chemistry, the clinical validation of CRISPR, the rise of biomaterials, and the renewed progress in treating the undruggable, from cancer to neurodegenerative diseases. To hear what the experts from Lawrence Liverpool National Lab and Oak Ridge National Lab are saying on this topic, join us for a free webinar on January 25 from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. EDT for a panel discussion on the trends to watch in 2024.

The ascension of AI in R&D

While the future of AI has always been forward-looking, the AI revolution in chemistry and drug discovery has yet to be fully realized. While there have been some high-profile set-backs , several breakthroughs should be watched closely as the field continues to evolve. Generative AI is making an impact in drug discovery , machine learning is being used more in environmental research , and large language models like ChatGPT are being tested in healthcare applications and clinical settings.

Many scientists are keeping an eye on AlphaFold, DeepMind’s protein structure prediction software that revolutionized how proteins are understood. DeepMind and Isomorphic Labs have recently announced how their latest model shows improved accuracy, can generate predictions for almost all molecules in the Protein Data Bank, and expand coverage to ligands, nucleic acids, and posttranslational modifications . Therapeutic antibody discovery driven by AI is also gaining popularity , and platforms such as the RubrYc Therapeutics antibody discovery engine will help advance research in this area.

Though many look at AI development with excitement, concerns over accurate and accessible training data , fairness and bias , lack of regulatory oversight , impact on academia, scholarly research and publishing , hallucinations in large language models , and even concerns over infodemic threats to public health are being discussed. However, continuous improvement is inevitable with AI, so expect to see many new developments and innovations throughout 2024.

‘Greener’ green chemistry

Green chemistry is a rapidly evolving field that is constantly seeking innovative ways to minimize the environmental impact of chemical processes. Here are several emerging trends that are seeing significant breakthroughs:

• Improving green chemistry predictions/outcomes : One of the biggest challenges in green chemistry is predicting the environmental impact of new chemicals and processes. Researchers are developing new computational tools and models that can help predict these impacts with greater accuracy. This will allow chemists to design safer and more environmentally friendly chemicals.
• Reducing plastics: More than 350 million tons of plastic waste is generated every year. Across the landscape of manufacturers, suppliers, and retailers, reducing the use of single-use plastics and microplastics is critical. New value-driven approaches by innovators like MiTerro that reuse industrial by-products and biomass waste for eco-friendly and cheaper plastic replacements will soon be industry expectations. Lowering costs and plastic footprints will be important throughout the entire supply chain.    
• Alternative battery chemistry: In the battery and energy storage space, finding alternatives to scarce " endangered elements" like lithium and cobalt will be critical. While essential components of many batteries, they are becoming scarce and expensive. New investments in lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries that do not use nickel and cobalt have expanded , with 45% of the EV market share being projected for LFP in 2029. Continued research is projected for more development in alternative materials like sodium, iron, and magnesium, which are more abundant, less expensive, and more sustainable.
• More sustainable catalysts : Catalysts speed up a chemical reaction or decrease the energy required without getting consumed. Noble metals are excellent catalysts; however, they are expensive and their mining causes environmental damage. Even non-noble metal catalysts can also be toxic due to contamination and challenges with their disposal. Sustainable catalysts are made of earth-abundant elements that are also non-toxic in nature. In recent years, there has been a growing focus on developing sustainable catalysts that are more environmentally friendly and less reliant on precious metals. New developments with catalysts, their roles, and environmental impact will drive meaningful progress in reducing carbon footprints.  
• Recycling lithium-ion batteries: Lithium-ion recycling has seen increased investments with more than 800 patents already published in 2023. The use of solid electrolytes or liquid nonflammable electrolytes may improve the safety and durability of LIBs and reduce their material use. Finally, a method to manufacture electrodes without solvent s could reduce the use of deprecated solvents such as N-methylpyrrolidinone, which require recycling and careful handling to prevent emissions.

Rise of biomaterials

New materials for biomedical applications could revolutionize many healthcare segments in 2024. One example is bioelectronic materials, which form interfaces between electronic devices and the human body, such as the brain-computer interface system being developed by Neuralink. This system, which uses a network of biocompatible electrodes implanted directly in the brain, was given FDA approval to begin human trials in 2023.

• Bioelectronic materials: are often hybrids or composites, incorporating nanoscale materials, highly engineered conductive polymers, and bioresorbable substances. Recently developed devices can be implanted, used temporarily, and then safely reabsorbed by the body without the need for removal. This has been demonstrated by a fully bioresorbable, combined sensor-wireless power receiver made from zinc and the biodegradable polymer, poly(lactic acid).
• Natural biomaterials: that are biocompatible and naturally derived (such as chitosan, cellulose nanomaterials, and silk) are used to make advanced multifunctional biomaterials in 2023. For example, they designed an injectable hydrogel brain implant for treating Parkinson’s disease, which is based on reversible crosslinks formed between chitosan, tannic acid, and gold nanoparticles.
• Bioinks : are used for 3D printing of organs and transplant development which could revolutionize patient care. Currently, these models are used for studying organ architecture like 3D-printed heart models for cardiac disorders and 3D-printed lung models to test the efficacy of drugs. Specialized bioinks enhance the quality, efficacy, and versatility of 3D-printed organs, structures, and outcomes. Finally, new approaches like volumetric additive manufacturing (VAM) of pristine silk- based bioinks are unlocking new frontiers of innovation for 3D printing.

To the moon and beyond

The global Artemis program is a NASA-led international space exploration program that aims to land the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon by 2025 as part of the long-term goal of establishing a sustainable human presence on the Moon. Additionally, the NASA mission called Europa Clipper, scheduled for a 2024 launch, will orbit around Jupiter and fly by Europa , one of Jupiter’s moons, to study the presence of water and its habitability. China’s mission, Chang’e 6 , plans to bring samples from the moon back to Earth for further studies. The Martian Moons Exploration (MMX) mission by Japan’s JAXA plans to bring back samples from Phobos, one of the Mars moons. Boeing is also expected to do a test flight of its reusable space capsule Starliner , which can take people to low-earth orbit.

The R&D impact of Artemis extends to more fields than just aerospace engineering, though:

• Robotics: Robots will play a critical role in the Artemis program, performing many tasks, such as collecting samples, building infrastructure, and conducting scientific research. This will drive the development of new robotic technologies, including autonomous systems and dexterous manipulators.
• Space medicine: The Artemis program will require the development of new technologies to protect astronauts from the hazards of space travel, such as radiation exposure and microgravity. This will include scientific discoveries in medical diagnostics, therapeutics, and countermeasures.
• Earth science: The Artemis program will provide a unique opportunity to study the Moon and its environment. This will lead to new insights into the Earth's history, geology, and climate.
• Materials science: The extreme space environment will require new materials that are lightweight, durable, and radiation resistant. This will have applications in many industries, including aerospace, construction, and energy.
• Information technology: The Artemis program will generate a massive amount of data, which will need to be processed, analyzed, and shared in real time. This will drive the development of new IT technologies, such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.

The CRISPR pay-off

After years of research, setbacks, and minimal progress, the first formal evidence of CRISPR as a therapeutic platform technology in the clinic was realized. Intellia Therapeutics received FDA clearance to initiate a pivotal phase 3 trial of a new drug for the treatment of hATTR, and using the same Cas9 mRNA, got a new medicine treating a different disease, angioedema. This was achieved by only changing 20 nucleotides of the guide RNA, suggesting that CRISPR can be used as a therapeutic platform technology in the clinic.

The second great moment for CRISPR drug development technology came when Vertex and CRISPR Therapeutics announced the authorization of the first CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited therapy, CASGEVY™, by the United Kingdom MHRA, for the treatment of sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia. This was the first approval of a CRISPR-based therapy for human use and is a landmark moment in realizing the potential of CRISPR to improve human health.

In addition to its remarkable genome editing capability, the CRISPR-Cas system has proven to be effective in many applications, including early cancer diagnosis . CRISPR-based genome and transcriptome engineering and CRISPR-Cas12a and CRISPR-Cas13a appear to have the necessary characteristics to be robust detection tools for cancer therapy and diagnostics. CRISPR-Cas-based biosensing system gives rise to a new era for precise diagnoses of early-stage cancers.

MIT engineers have also designed a new nanoparticle DNA-encoded nanosensor for urinary biomarkers that could enable early cancer diagnoses with a simple urine test. The sensors, which can detect cancerous proteins, could also distinguish the type of tumor or how it responds to treatment.

Ending cancer

The immuno-oncology field has seen tremendous growth in the last few years. Approved products such as cytokines, vaccines, tumor-directed monoclonal antibodies, and immune checkpoint blockers continue to grow in market size. Novel therapies like TAC01-HER2 are currently undergoing clinical trials. This unique therapy uses autologous T cells, which have been genetically engineered to incorporate T cell Antigen Coupler (TAC) receptors that recognize human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) presence on tumor cells to remove them. This could be a promising therapy for metastatic, HER2-positive solid tumors.

Another promising strategy aims to use the CAR-T cells against solid tumors in conjunction with a vaccine that boosts immune response. Immune boosting helps the body create more host T cells that can target other tumor antigens that CAR-T cells cannot kill.

Another notable trend is the development of improved and effective personalized therapies. For instance, a recently developed personalized RNA neoantigen vaccine, based on uridine mRNA–lipoplex nanoparticles, was found effective against pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Major challenges in immuno-oncology are therapy resistance, lack of predictable biomarkers, and tumor heterogenicity. As a result, devising novel treatment strategies could be a future research focus.

Decarbonizing energy

Multiple well-funded efforts are underway to decarbonize energy production by replacing fossil fuel-based energy sources with sources that generate no (or much less) CO2 in 2024.

One of these efforts is to incorporate large-scale energy storage devices into the existing power grid. These are an important part of enabling the use of renewable sources since they provide additional supply and demand for electricity to complement renewable sources. Several types of grid-scale storage that vary in the amount of energy they can store and how quickly they can discharge it into the grid are under development. Some are physical (flywheels, pumped hydro, and compressed air) and some are chemical (traditional batteries, flow batteries , supercapacitors, and hydrogen ), but all are the subject of active chemistry and materials development research. The U.S. government is encouraging development in this area through tax credits as part of the Inflation Reduction Act and a $7 billion program to establish regional hydrogen hubs.

Meanwhile, nuclear power will continue to be an active R&D area in 2024. In nuclear fission, multiple companies are developing small modular reactors (SMRs) for use in electricity production and chemical manufacturing, including hydrogen. The development of nuclear fusion reactors involves fundamental research in physics and materials science. One major challenge is finding a material that can be used for the wall of the reactor facing the fusion plasma; so far, candidate materials have included high-entropy alloys and even molten metals .

Neurodegenerative diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases are a major public health concern, being a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. While there is currently no cure for any neurodegenerative disease, new scientific discoveries and understandings of these pathways may be the key to helping patient outcomes.

• Alzheimer’s disease: Two immunotherapeutics have received FDA approval to reduce both cognitive and functional decline in individuals living with early Alzheimer's disease. Aducannumab (Aduhelm®) received accelerated approval in 2021 and is the first new treatment approved for Alzheimer’s since 2003 and the first therapy targeting the disease pathophysiology, reducing beta-amyloid plaques in the brains of early Alzheimer’s disease patients. Lecanemab (Leqembi®) received traditional approval in 2023 and is the first drug targeting Alzheimer’s disease pathophysiology to show clinical benefits, reducing the rate of disease progression and slowing cognitive and functional decline in adults with early stages of the disease.
• Parkinson’s disease: New treatment modalities outside of pharmaceuticals and deep brain stimulation are being researched and approved by the FDA for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease symptoms. The non-invasive medical device, Exablate Neuro (approved by the FDA in 2021), uses focused ultrasound on one side of the brain to provide relief from severe symptoms such as tremors, limb rigidity, and dyskinesia. 2023 brought major news for Parkinson’s disease research with the validation of the biomarker alpha-synuclein. Researchers have developed a tool called the α-synuclein seeding amplification assay which detects the biomarker in the spinal fluid of people diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and individuals who have not shown clinical symptoms.
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS): Two pharmaceuticals have seen FDA approval in the past two years to slow disease progression in individuals with ALS. Relyvrio ® was approved in 2022 and acts by preventing or slowing more neuron cell death in patients with ALS. Tofersen (Qalsody®), an antisense oligonucleotide, was approved in 2023 under the accelerated approval pathway. Tofersen targets RNA produced from mutated superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) genes to eliminate toxic SOD1 protein production. Recently published genetic research on how mutations contribute to ALS is ongoing with researchers recently discovering how NEK1 gene mutations lead to ALS. This discovery suggests a possible rational therapeutic approach to stabilizing microtubules in ALS patients.

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I Study Homelessness. I Wish More Places Looked Like This Shelter.

By Matthew Desmond

Produced by Jillian Weinberger

In this audio essay, the sociologist Matthew Desmond interviews a resident of the Water Street Mission shelter in Lancaster, Pa., about what makes it so unique. “Here’s a place that is treating people in their full humanity,” Mr. Desmond says. “It’s looking past their hardships, past their addictions, past their homelessness to see people’s promise, to see people’s beauty. And wouldn’t it be amazing if that was the norm instead of the exception.”

Below is a lightly edited transcript of the interview. To listen to this piece, select the play button below.

Matthew Desmond: My name is Matthew Desmond. I’m a writer and a sociologist at Princeton University.

I research and report on poverty in America. That work has taken me to a number of homeless shelters across the United States. Shelters housed in decommissioned military bases, old hotels, church basements, you name it.

Homeless shelters are a vital part of the safety net. But they have a mixed reputation, I think it’s fair to say. Some are thought to be too strict, others too lenient. I wanted to hear from shelter residents themselves. So last year I visited Water Street Mission in Lancaster, Pa.

Water Street Mission is housed in an old cotton mill. It’s this kind of giant brick complex. There are places to sleep. But they also have family rooms. They have kids’ play spaces. And importantly, there’s a medical wing where people can receive medical care, psychological care and even dental care during their stay at Water Street.

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Essay On Water Management

500 words essay on water management.

Water management refers to activities that plan, develop, distribute and manage the optimum use of water resources. Everyone can do this from local authorities to individuals at home. Good water management allows access to safe water for everyone. Through an essay on water management, we will go through it in detail.

Importance of Water Management

Water management impacts various aspects of our lives. As water is common, we do not think much of its management. But, if we ask the deprived people, they will know the importance of water management very well.

As we require drinking water, clean drinking water is a necessity. No human can survive without water. Further, we also need water management for cleaning and washing. For instance, we bathe, wash our clothes and utensils to maintain hygiene .

Further, agriculture requires water for growing the food that we eat every day. Thus, a good water supply becomes essential. Moreover, we also enjoy swimming, boating and other leisure activities in the water.

For instance, swimming pools and more. Thus, water needs to be managed so people can enjoy all this. Most importantly, water management ensures that our rivers and lakes do not contaminate. Thus, it helps maintain biodiversity.

Ways of Water Management

There are various ways available through which we can manage water. The major ways of water management include recycling and treating wastewater. When we treat wastewater , it becomes safe to be piped back to our homes.

Thus, we use it for drinking, washing and more. In addition, an irrigation system is a very good way of water management. It involves a good quality irrigation system which we can deploy for nourishing crops in drought-hit areas.

By managing these systems, we can ensure water does not go to waste and avoid unnecessarily depleting water supplies. Most importantly, conserving water is essential at every level.

Whether it is a big company or a small house, we all must practise water management. The big industries use gallons of water on a daily basis. At homes, we can conserve water by using it less.

Further, it also applies to our way of consumption of products. A large amount of water goes into the production of cars or a simple item like a shirt. Thus, we must not buy things unnecessarily but consciously.

It is also essential to care for natural supplies like lakes, rivers , seas and more. As you know, these ecosystems are home to a variety of organisms. Without its support, they will go extinct. Thus, water management becomes essential to ensure we are not polluting these resources.

It is also crucial to ensure that everyone gets access to enough water. Some parts of the world are completely deprived of clean water while some have it in abundance. This is unfair to those who do not get it which also causes many deaths. Thus, we need water management to avoid all this.

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Conclusion of the Essay on Water Management

If we look at the current situation of water depletion, it is evident that we are in dire need of water management. We must come together to do our best to ensure that everyone is getting access to safe water daily so that we can lead happy lives.

FAQ of Essay on Water Management

Question 1: What is meant by water management?

Answer 1: Water management refers to the control and movement of water resources for minimizing damage to life and property. Moreover, it is to maximize effective beneficial use.

Question 2: What are the ways of water management?

Answer 2: There are numerous ways of water management. Some of them are the treatment of wastewater, deploying good irrigation methods, conserving water whenever possible. Further, we must also care for natural sources of water like rivers, seas, lakes and more.

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An Introduction to Water Quality Analysis

• January 2019
• 6(1):201-205

• National Institute of Technology, Agartala

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