Asked by wholemelt
Freshwater can be renewed, but environmentalists consider it nonrenewable. Why is there a contradiction in classification?
Freshwater is recycled through the use of irrigation, bathing, and everyday use.
Freshwater is easily polluted or depleted before it can be replaced.
Freshwater evaporates and condenses, and then precipitation returns it to the lakes.
Freshwater is highly affected by global warming, and is quickly evaporating.
All Answers 1
Answered by
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Best answer: "Freshwater is easily polluted or depleted before it can be replaced."
Why: The hydrologic cycle makes water technically renewable (evaporation, condensation, precipitation), but that renewal happens at a fixed natural rate and not always where or when people need it. Heavy withdrawal (especially from slow‑recharging groundwater aquifers), contamination (industrial, agricultural, sewage), and changing climate patterns can make usable freshwater effectively unavailable. In resource terms, a "renewable" resource must be replenished at a rate comparable to its use — when use or damage outpaces natural replenishment, freshwater behaves like a nonrenewable resource.
Why: The hydrologic cycle makes water technically renewable (evaporation, condensation, precipitation), but that renewal happens at a fixed natural rate and not always where or when people need it. Heavy withdrawal (especially from slow‑recharging groundwater aquifers), contamination (industrial, agricultural, sewage), and changing climate patterns can make usable freshwater effectively unavailable. In resource terms, a "renewable" resource must be replenished at a rate comparable to its use — when use or damage outpaces natural replenishment, freshwater behaves like a nonrenewable resource.
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