1. How much of the earth’s surface is covered by water?
Estimates vary, but most scientists agree that about 80% of the earth’s surface is covered by water. But very little of that water is available for consumption! Less than 1% of the earth’s water is available for drinking; the rest is found in oceans (97%), in ice and weather systems (2%), and in plants and under the ground (less than 1%).
2. How much water does the average person use in one day?
According to the Virginia Polytechnic Institute Water Authority, the average person uses about 125 gallons of water a day. In the United States, 340 billion gallons of water are used every day!
3. Do camels store water in their humps?
No, they actually store fat in their humps! To keep from retaining any more heat than they have to, many desert animals concentrate their fat supplies in certain areas. This strategy leaves them with plenty of "fat-free" areas for heat to escape (NatureScope, Vol. 1, Number 5). If this concept is difficult to understand, think of seals and whales! These animals have a thick layer of fat underneath their skin (called blubber), which insulates them from very cold water.
