It's difficult to ignore the news about melting glaciers. We see it on television and read about it regularly. Who can forget the recent news about polar bears and their shrinking habitats?

The basics, however, are that the earth's glaciers are melting at a pace faster than in the past, causing various concerns related to the environment.

Will melting glaciers cause the earth's oceans and rivers to rise? Will melting glaciers result in habitat loss for plants and animals? What does the melting of glaciers mean to drinking water-its availability and its safety?

These and a variety of other questions all are related to what's going on in the coldest areas of our planet.

Perhaps the most talked-about issue and the one of greatest concern is the potential rising of waterways affected by melting glaciers. In an Associated Press story that appeared on CBSNews.com, the author writes, "Glaciers in Antarctica are melting faster and across a much wider area than previously thought, a development that threatens to raise sea levels worldwide and force millions of people to flee low-lying areas."

If the current melting rate continues, sea levels could climb three to five feet by the end of the century, according to the same report. Those are huge numbers, especially for communities located near beaches and rivers.

And while many people should be concerned about rising water levels from melting glaciers, a longer-term problem will be decreased spring run-off due to shrinking glaciers, according to a report in the Guardian.

So while immediate affects of melting glaciers might revolve more around rising sea levels, an equally significant longer-term effect will be reduced water, which results in its own problems.

Issues like the melting of glaciers point to the intricate balance that exists on our planet and to the essential nature of water to our survival.

These and a host of other problems can affect your family and your home if you are using hard water.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, hardness in your water "is caused by compounds of calcium and magnesium, and by a variety of other metals." Water that has an excess of these compounds is considered hard; less of these compounds is considered soft (or softer).

With softer water comes many advantages, including:

Longer lifespan for your plumbing and appliances (such as water heaters). With harder water, scaling can occur (build-up of minerals), which contributes to shorter life cycles and thus more out-of-pocket expenses on behalf of the consumer.

Less soap. Hard water requires more soap to make suds and detergents for laundry, thus increasing the amount a typical household with have to purchase. This is especially important now as many consumers are looking for ways to save money because of the current economic downturn.

Healthier skin and hair. Hard water means an increased likelihood of dry skin and hair.

Not having to deal with the difficult-to-clean rings around drains that can be caused by hard water.

Fortunately for consumers, softeners are affordable and effective, giving your family a quick and easy fix to a frustrating problem. A simple Internet search can give consumers much-needed information.