Cloud seeding is an attempt to jump-start the precipitation process in order to form rain. The act of cloud seeding involves spreading silver iodide aerosols into the upper parts of clouds. In some cases, dry ice is used to spread into the clouds. This process should work, because rain droplets form from the parts of clouds that become icy; most rainfall begins once there are ice crystals within the upper parts of clouds. The silver iodide aerosols, or the dry ice, could help to freeze the clouds in order to grow those ice crystals, which should facilitate the start of rain. There have been uncertain results in the history of cloud seeding, but more recently, there seems to have been more promising results. Water poverty is something that affects about 20% of the world, which accounts for around 1.2 billion people. They do not have daily access to water. Being one of the 6.8 billion people that have easier access to water may make it seem harder to relate, but water poverty is devastating, and should be addressed. Some of those who face water poverty have become known as “water-refugees.” The lack of water is so extreme for these people that they end up crossing countries’ borders to search for water. Fred Pearce, who is the author of the book “When the Rivers Run Dry,” a widely recognized book, stated that the world water crisis is rapidly escalating to a point of global pandemic, with empty rivers and wrecked wetland abound. Water poverty, or water scarcity, can also be known as the inability of humans to drink, wash in, and create food with water that is safe and affordable. The areas that are hardest hit with water scarcity are Africa, South and East Asia, and Latin America. This is a problem that could eventually escalate to wars that take place over water. The existence of farming itself could be put into question, since farmers rely heavily on rainfall to grow their crops. Many other negative consequences would occur, the most obvious being the death of those in water poverty, but other parts of the world will undoubtedly be affected, including those who feed “safe” from water poverty in areas like North America. Without farmers around the world, they will not receive certain food, and that is the least of the issues of those in North America. Cloud Seeding could be a solution to these many problems. Although it has been working much of the time in recent history, unfortunately it is not implemented in areas that face water scarcity. The main issue is that there are not enough clouds, and without clouds, cloud seeding cannot take place. There are other issues, such as the wrong types of cloud being present (cloud seeding requires a specific cloud formation to be successful, because only certain types of clouds create rain). In any case, cloud seeding may not be the lone solution to water poverty, but it certainly could help reduce water poverty in all of the areas that have the appropriate clouds. Indeed, there is even the idea that areas that do not face water poverty could employ cloud seeding to create “extra” water for those who have none. Overall, other solutions are in the works, but in the meanwhile, although it may not eliminate it entirely, cloud seeding could certainly reduce the number of those facing water poverty. – Corina Balsamo Sources: On Islam, Weather Questions,WNO,Weather Modification Photo: The Hindu
