What are the main ways that water is used in the home?

　　In the home we use water to brush teeth, to take a bath, to flush toilets, to wash face and hands, to wash dishes and clothes, to shave legs, to prepare food and clean up, and to drink.

　　Water Resources

　　What water resources do you think are most important for protection and conservation?

　　Freshwater is most important for protection and conservation. More than two thirds of the Earth is covered by water but less than 1% is freshwater – 97% is too salty and the rest is ice. No one would disagree with me on this issue. I am sure about this. Obviously, without water, people cannot live.

　　What measures do you suggest the government could do to protect these resources?

　　Government should make laws against water wasting and pollution. As for factories, they should be forbidden from pouring industrial waste into rivers. Otherwise they will get sever punishment. It is the government’s responsibility to educate the community about how to save water and encourage consumers to be water efficient in the home and garden, in business and at school.

　　Is the way people use water today the same as the way people used to use water, say, 50 years ago?

　　I should say NO. In the past, water doesn’t seem to be a problem. People don’t usually suffer from lack of fresh water. But now it is a problem. As a result, people are becoming increasingly conscious of water being a precious resource. Water-saving washing machines have been produced; the idea of water recycling gets popular among families; water-saving is seen as a good virtue.

　　What are the reasons for water shortages in (parts of ) China?

　　There are both geographical and humans’ reason for water shortage in parts of China. Geographically, there is imbalance among areas in terms of rainfall. Places with less rainfall are more likely to suffer from water shortage. For the human beings’ part, big cities with large population consume huge amount of water every day. This could cause water shortage, too.