Erkin | December 6, 2013
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Facts about Fresh Water Resources

GLOBAL FACTS

There’s a word for water in every language. – American Museum of Natural History [Hereafter, AMNH]

The shortage of fresh, clean water is the greatest danger to which mankind has ever been exposed. (Human Rights Commission)

All Earth’s lakes and rivers constitute less than 1/50th of 1% of the water on the planet. (AMNH)

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The human population is now 6.7 billion, projected to grow by 1/2 billion by 2015, and to rise to 9 billion by 2040. The UN Population Fund predicts global consumption of water doubling every 20 years –twice as fast as the world’s population is expanding. — Wall Street Journal, March 29-30, 2008, page B-1. [Hereafter WSJ.] Read more

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Erkin | December 5, 2013
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Ocean Deteriorating More Rapidly Than Thought

Marine scientists say the state of the world’s oceans is deteriorating more rapidly than anyone had realized, and is worse than that described in last month’s U.N. climate report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

They say the rate, speed and impacts of ocean change are greater, faster and more imminent than previously thought – and they expect summertime Arctic sea ice cover will have disappeared in around 25 years.

Experts agree that the oceans are absorbing much of the warming caused by carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

Experts agree that the oceans are absorbing much of the warming caused by carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

Their review, produced by the International Program on the State of the Ocean (IPSO) and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and published in the journal Marine Pollution Bulletin, agrees with the IPCC that the oceans are absorbing much of the warming caused by carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Read more

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Erkin | December 3, 2013
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New “water chip” promises simple, portable, membrane-free water desalination

A recent breakthrough in desalination technology has led to the development of a new method for removing the salts from seawater, one nanoliter at a time.

waterchip

Our limited supply of fresh water is in high demand, and as we try to cope with “peak water”, one of the strategies is to work toward making desalination technology more efficient, cheaper, and less energy-intensive. Having an affordable, simple, and effective way to turn seawater or other briny water sources into clean drinking water could mean the difference between life and death in many parts of the world. Read more

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Erkin | November 29, 2013
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7 Ways Technology Will Provide Water for the World

smart-water-meterMarc-Schomann-3

Our ever-increasing population is stretching our ability to provide clean water for our needs, from agriculture and manufacturing to the most basic one of all: drinking water. But recent innovations in water technology may have some answers on tap to that problem.

1. Smart Water Metering:

Smart water meters go above and beyond the capabilities of the basic meter on the side of your house, enabling users to monitor their water usage more accurately (and only pay for the water they’ve actually used), and help water suppliers to identify leaks and thefts, as well as see where and when water usage is highest (and to charge accordingly). Read more

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Erkin | November 28, 2013
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Woosh Water is reinventing the drinking fountain

Water conservation is a huge concern in Israel and the rest of the Middle East. An interesting startup in Israel called Woosh Water is helping conserve water and reduce plastic consumption by reinventing the public drinking fountain with a high-tech and networked solution.

woosh-water-station-tel-aviv-israel

Woosh Water stations allow users to refill water bottles and reduce the consumption of disposable plastic water bottles.

The stations can be used by anyone, but the system works best when users join the network. After joining online, users receive a small keychain sensor to login when they refill their bottle. And because they are networked together, the Woosh Water Stations track how much water a user has consumed and how many plastic bottles they have kept out of the waste stream by using a reusable bottle, as well as how many all Woosh users have collectively avoided. This provides a social reward and incentive for people to use the system and encourage others to participate, as well. Read more

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