roblem for developing countries.
“There are a lot of water issues that affect us, even here in the Great Lakes,” says Mayer. He ticks off examples”
- Invasive species like zebra mussels and Asian carp disrupt the ecosystem.
- Climate change warms the water, which means more of it evaporates and there’s less ice in winter.
- There are outbreaks of algae blooms caused by excessive nutrients in water from fertilizer runoff, causing health problems in addition to aesthetic ones.
- Toxic chemicals and metals left behind by industry pollute local water sources. Some sewer systems can’t handle the increased flow from heavy rain and discharge sewage into lakes, causing high levels of hazardous microorganisms.
- Some watersheds in the Great Lakes region even have scarcity issues from pumping groundwater, which reduces aquifer levels and water flow to streams.
“We try to get speakers who look at many different water issues so we can attack these problems from multiple perspectives,” Mayer says. Technology, ecology, sociology and economics—we need to cross disciplines and look at the problems from every angle. We don’t just train scientists and engineers. We talk to people too, gain their trust, inform them about the issues and encourage them to learn and help.”
Even little things can help make a difference. An easy tip from Mayer- “Don’t buy bottled water. There are some times when it makes sense, but water from a tap is often just as good, and it uses less energy and produces less waste. Reusable water bottles are only getting cheaper. It’s just an all-around better choice.”
World Water Day events at Michigan Tech on March 22, 2011 include:
- Center for Water and Society reception and poster display, 4:00-7:00 p.m. in the Rosza Center lobby.
- “Sustaining Lake Superior,” lecture by Nancy Langston, 7:30 p.m. in the Minerals and Materials Engineering Building, room U115.
Michigan Technological University (www.mtu.edu) is a leading public research university developing new technologies and preparing students to create the future for a prosperous and sustainable world. Michigan Tech offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in engineering; forest resources; computing; technology; business; economics; natural, physical and environmental sciences; arts; humanities; and social sciences.