By Dave Dempsey •
November 11, 2009
One of the leading voices in the campaign to rescue Lake Erie from dying again is a persistent, thoughtful, dedicated water protector promoting awareness of the Lake’s benefits, supporting lighthouse restoration, fighting resurgent algae and proposed new pollution sources, and seeking funding to restore all of the Great Lakes. She’s an example of the citizen action that has a fighting chance of fending off multiple threats to the Lakes and renewing their beauty and productivity.
By Joe Mohr •
October 13, 2009
An archive of my Big Coal cartoons. The pen is mightier than the sword (but probably not as mighty as the multi-billion dollar coal industry…).
With the spotlight shining on clean energy, the stage has been set for the U.S. to rid itself of a harmful addiction to foreign oil. The stars are aligned and the cards have been dealt. Soon we’ll have kicked the dirty habit, right?
A foul stench rises from the grey-black water as I wait for the riverboat. Kids jump in and climb back out, laughing a screaming. Old tires line the floating dock to protect the boats. I look down into the water toward my reflection, but it isn’t there. The grey water swallows everything. This is Bangkok’s Khlong Saen Saeb.
Khlong, or canals as they’re more popularly called, run throughout the city of Bangkok, giving Bangkok the moniker “The Venice of the East.” These Khlong were built centuries ago for transportation and trade. Khlong Saen Saeb was constructed in 1837 as a means of transporting soldiers during times of conflict.
By Tina Casey •
May 16, 2009
The lowly cattail is emerging as the weapon of choice against water contamination, and perhaps even global warming. In addition to its use in large phytoremediation projects to absorb contamination from groundwater and wetlands, the cattail could also work in on a small, inexpensive scale, helping to reduce arsenic contamination in impoverished areas. All this and biofuel, too?
By Amiel Blajchman •
March 20, 2009
Researchers at Tel Aviv University have developed a laboratory the size of a microchip that can be used to measure water quality. Using genetically engineered bacteria that light up when in contact with pre-determined pollutants, this water quality lab will detect and communicate “contact” with monitoring systems. It’s a nano sized version of the robot fish that we recently looked at.
By Andrew Williams •
March 19, 2009
A team of UK scientists have developed a shoal of robotic fish, which will soon be released into the sea to detect water pollution.
The robots (video), shaped like Carp, will be set free off the coast of Gijon in northern Spain. If the trial proves successful, the fish could be used in rivers, lakes and seas across the world.
By Dave Tyler •
March 16, 2009
IBM, which has been promoting the virtues of its smart grid and smart traffic technologies, today announced it’s jumping into “smart water,” too. The technology and services giant introduced a new suite of services and products aimed at better using water resources.
At the top of the list, a new membrane that filters toxins more efficiently than current methods, IBM says. The membrane uses a unique chemistry in what IBM calls a “water super-highway.”" The rate at which the water super-highway removes arsenic from contaminated water doubles as the pH increases. When contaminated water is forced through the membrane salts and a number of toxins are filtered out and what’s left is pure drinking water.
By Joe Mohr •
March 4, 2009
Having grown up in the beautiful Chicagoland area in the 80’s my water needs were strictly as follows: Need #1: Water from hose to power clown-face sprinkler, fill water balloons, and hose off muddy dirt-bike/self, Need #2: Water from faucet to occasionally brush teeth and occasionally make Hi-C or Tang, Need #3: Water from shower to occasionally bathe. It was a simpler time, and I was a kid. To me and most other kids (adults?) in the 80’s water was simply there, always on the ready for any and all of the above dalliances.
The days of water-logged frivolity are over. We now live in a time where many parts of the world face water shortages, limited access to safe, clean drinking water, an ever-diminishing groundwater supply, and a growing number of water-related disease and death.
In fact, just last week, motivated by three years of water shortages in California, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency which may be followed by water rationing measures.
As a result of the myriad of water emergencies that the world faces I have put together a short-list of the 5 world-saving water solutions that offer hope for the future of our water, and therefore our existence.
By Joe Mohr •
January 30, 2009
The world’s freshwater is under attack. Privatization, pollution, damming, and drought will change the way we view our freshwater in the coming years.
According to Charity Water, one in six people on the planet do not have access to safe, clean drinking water.
By Amanda Peterka •
January 12, 2009
A lawyer for a mining company in Alaska argued today for the company to continue dumping deposits into a nearby lake, even though the deposits are killing off the local aquatic life.
