Argumentative Essay On Ocean Water

780 million people do not have access to clean water on the planet. Yet, most of the world’s population lives on the coast, with access to the oceans. So, why are there so many people looking for water, when they can just drink from the oceans? The truth is, drinking ocean water is very dangerous, and if one ingests enough of it, it can even be deadly. Ocean water does not kill someone because it has a different pH, or that there are different microbes in the ocean than pond water, it is because of an abundant mineral that one’s body uses quite regularly: Salt. Human beings cannot drink salt water because the change in salt concentration in the blood stream will damage the cells and eventually lead to death. Cells in the body maintain constant equilibriums with the surrounding matrix. Changes in these equilibriums happen constantly, and the body is almost always adept at compensating for these shifts. For example: when there is an influx in pH of the blood stream, the body has a natural

The cellular membrane will shrink, and become jagged. Paired with the deconstruction of cells, the body will also try to remove the excess salt from the body, in the form of urine. In order to remove the large amount of sodium in the body, there must be an even larger amount of water. This removal causes dehydration, and ultimately is the reason for death. I am in no way in need of safe drinking water, but I am an avid sailor. This summer, I plan on sailing in the British Virgin Islands. Sailing is a very enjoyable and relaxing hobby, but it does not come without high risk. Losing one’s course, not brining enough supplies, and many other weather factors can make a fun trip run awry. If I was ever put in a situation where I have no clean, fresh water to drink, I will know to not start dipping my cup in the cold seawater, no matter how thirsty I