Water Scarcity

Water Scarcity

Written by Caleb Cheha Paik

            Water, the necessity for life, is facing a crisis worldwide as water scarcity continues to escalate. There is no doubt that this is inextricably linked to climate change, where water scarcity is posing a threat to ecosystems, communities, and global sustainability. Climate change affects the world’s water in unpredictable and complex ways. From unusual rainfall patterns to the melting of ice sheets, climate change is a significant factor to water scarcity. 

Climate change is exacerbating water scarcity as the temperature rises, disrupting precipitation patterns and the water cycle. According to the United Nations, around two billion people don’t have access to safe drinking water today and roughly half the world’s population is experiencing water scarcity, mainly due to climate change. Already on a significant scale, these numbers are expected to increase as climate change worsens and the population grows. In addition to these statistics, water supplies stored in glaciers are projected to decline over the course of the century, reducing water availability during dry periods in regions where water is heavily dependent on sources such as mountain ranges. 

In addition to water scarcity, the actual quality of the water is also affected by climate change. As water temperatures, floods, and droughts are projected to rise, they heavily exacerbate the quality of water by contributing to water pollution through sediments to pathogens and pesticides.Lastly, all of this combined will put immense pressure on food supply as most of the freshwater used is used for agriculture. 

All in all, it is important to raise awareness about the scarcity and decline of the quality of water. The modern world is in need of desperate initiatives to help fight against crises similar to this one.

March 24 Meeting: World Water Day & Soldier Flies

    March 24 Meeting

Written by Caleb Paik

    World Water Day is a celebration held annually on March 22 as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. To celebrate World Water Day, Ecosave held a meeting and a fundraiser on March 24 to help global issues regarding water and other environmental problems. 

    One such issue Ecosave addressed was the problem of food waste and management. Food waste isn't just a social or humanitarian concern—it's an environmental one. When we waste food, we also waste all the energy and water it takes to grow, harvest, transport, and package it. And if food goes to the landfill and rots, it produces methane—a greenhouse gas even more potent than carbon dioxide. 

    To resolve this issue, Ecosave proposed the solution of Black Soldier Flies. Soldier flies are insects used to remove organic waste materials. They were commonly found throughout the southern portions of the US and now globally. With the production of these insects, food waste can be heavily mitigated especially because of the simple process of growing them. 

    Ecosave now seeks to promote these soldier flies, in addition to other awareness projects, in order to intervene in the growing issue of food waste and management. One project that Ecosave has already completed was making soldier fly emojis for the popular South Korean messaging platform, Kakaotalk. Through projects like this, Ecosave will persevere to address global environmental issues and find solutions to them. 

Sustainable Technology

Sustainable Technology

Written by Caleb Cheha Paik

As South Korea celebrates their remarkable growth in technological and economic advancements, they continue to strive for sustainable technology. Embracing the global imperative for environmental conservation, South Korea is aiming to manufacture many sustainable products in order to become a key player in green innovation, and environmental conservation

The South Korean government committed to dealing with the issue of climate change and reducing carbon footprint through the manufacturing of green technology. This initiative not only helps South Korea, but encourages other countries to follow their footsteps in order to contribute globally. South Korea recently announced its fostering project called Green New Deal 100 Promising Companies in 2022. This program promises enterprises with green technology to respond to climate change and the rise of environmental crises. This program has been further promoted since last year. It has officially become a part of the Green New Deal policies, which includes other policies – Korean New Deal Comprehensive Plan and 2050 Carbon Neutral Promotion Strategy – that strive for a positive environmental change. 

South Korea’s Green New Deal 100 Promising Companies project was initiated to target the transition to low-carbon, eco-friendly energy. Specifically, this project helped accelerate this transition. Furthermore, South Korea started supporting the five leading areas of the green industry and reorganized the carbon reduction yield into a climate response field to nurture companies with the capability to respond to future climate change. Particularly, they focused on supporting small and medium-sized enterprises with carbon-neutral and greenhouse gas reduction technologies. 

This change South Korea has implemented throughout many years serves as a model for other countries to do the same. This way, climate change and other environmental crises are not just being resolved in one place, but on a global scale.