Thursday, March 27, 2008

Stockholm International Water Institute - SIWI articles from Stockholm Water Front




Water Front Articles


Cutting-edge articles excerpted from SIWI’s flagship magazine, Stockholm Water Front.


A Little Light Relief? (December 2007)
Urban Sanitation: Politics in a Dirty World (December 2007)
Holistic Hygiene for Human Health (December 2007)
Taking from the Top: Looking Upstream in India (December 2007)
2007 SIWI Year in Review: Looking Back, Striding Forward (December 2007)
From Field to Fork - Wastage of Water in the Food Chain (October 2007)
Outputs from the World Water Week (October 2007)
Get Ready: Adopting to Water and Climate Change (October 2007)
Bioenergy: Changing the Water Playing Field (October 2007)
Global Warming: Water the Main Mediator (June 2007)
Meet the Stockholm Water Prize Laureate (June 2007)
From Pure Aid to Demanded Support (June 2007)
Water for Food, Water for Life - Influencing What Happens Next (June 2007)
What Implications Does Economic Progress Have for Water? (May 2007)
Global Warming: What Can We Expect? (May 2007)
Micro-credit – a Nobel Peace Prize Winning Initiative (May 2007)
Improving Water Quality Gives American the 2007 Stockholm Water Prize (May 2007)

Beyond Scarcity: Power, Poverty and the Global Water Crisis (December 2006)
Is a Free Media Essential for Development? (December 2006)
The Right (?) of ACCESS (?) to Water Supply and Sanitation (?) (December 2006)
Wholly Water: Time to Act (October 2006)
Awards Abound at the Water Week (October 2006)
Feature Article: Water is the Entry Point to Better Ecosystem Managment (October 2006)
Feature Article: Dealing with Flood Risk (October 2006)
International Training Programmes Build Capacity (October 2006)
In Focus: World Water Week (June 2006)
Interview with Asit K. Biswas: A Secure Water Future is Our Biggest Challenge (June 2006)
Developing Water Governance Capacities (June 2006)
Breaking Corruption's Grip on the Water Sector (June 2006)
Sydney Water Corporation Wins 2006 Stockholm Industry Water Award (June 2006)
Exciting World Water Week is Set (May 2006)
2006 Stockholm Water Prize Laureate: Asit K. Biswas (May 2006)
Special Report: World Water Forum (May 2006)
Green Water Breaking New Ground (May 2006)
Benefit Sharing in International River Basins (May 2006)

Protecting Water Quality: The Cost of Non-Action (December 2005)
Clashing Views on the Ecosystem Approach and Governance (December 2005)
The Benefits of Rainwater Harvesting (December 2005)
Local Actions for a Global Challenge: The 4th World Water Forum (December 2005)
Productive World Water Week Advances Global Water Agenda (September 2005)
In Focus: Infrastructure, Corruption, Sanitation and Climate and Water-related risks (September 2005)
Energising Development: Rusumu Falls Hydroelectric Project (September 2005)
World Water Week Preview (April 2005)
India's Centre for Science and Environment wins 2005 Stockholm Water Prize (April 2005)
Tsunami Special Report (April 2005)

Triple Green Revolution Needed (December 2004)
Business Needs Security to Invest in Water (December 2004)
A Critical View on Integrated Water Resources Management (December 2004)
2005 Critical Year for International Development (December 2004)
Poverty, Misery, Affluence and Obligations: 2004 World Water Week Seeks Solutions (September 2004)
Inter-linkages Characterise Future Urban Water, Food Security Needs (September 2004)
The Water Challenges of Megacities (June 2004)
Water Management in the Enlarged European Union (June 2004)
SIWI and IWMI Press for Change in Global Food Production and Consumption Patterns (June 2004)
Ecologists Receive 2004 Stockholm Water Prize (April 2004)
Investing in the Future: Water and Targets in the UN MDGs (April 2004)
Water in the Human Body (April 2004)

Water and the Millennium Development Goals: Meeting the Needs of People (December 2003)
Towards Familiarity With Uncertainties (December 2003)
2003 Stockholm Water Symposium Conclusions (September 2003)
Humans and Ecosystems Share the Same Water (September 2003)
Expert Views on Virtual Water (June 2003)
Yellow River Shows Signs of Life (June 2003)
SWP Laureate Climbs High on Innovative Technology (June 2003)
The World Water Forum in Kyoto - Just Another Conference? (April 2003)
Aral Sea Heads for a Brighter Future (April 2003)

Challenges in Bridging Science and Policy Making - From Stockholm to Johannesburg (April 2002)
Ecology Meets Hydrology (April 2002)
EU Water Initiative: State of Play After WSSD (December 2002)
History of Hydrosolidarity (December 2002)
Orchestrating for Compatibility of Different Water Uses (December 2002)
Water Judged Crucial During World Summit Negotiations (December 2002)
Water Supply and Sanitation in Sweden: A Public Trust (December 2002)
Why Balance Water Use? (June 2002)
Women Take the Initiative to Bridge Divides in Sri Lanka (September 2002)

Feeding 8 Billion People: Time to Get Out of Past Misconceptions (April 2001)
Challenges for Water Sharing in a River Basin (July 2001)
Small-scale Industry Drives India's Economy but Pollutes Heavily. What Can be Done? (October 2001)
Turning the Page for Hydrosolidarity in Spain (December 2001)
Water from Water: Closing the Cycle (April 2001)
Social Resource Scarcity as a Bottle-Neck in Adaptation to Water Scarcity (February 2000)
Sustaining Urban Water Supplies: A Case Study from São Paulo, Brazil (April 2000)

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posted by Kenzilla @ 8:37 AM   0 Comments

Monday, March 3, 2008

Carbon Calculator: How Much Carbon Are You Using When You Travel?

Carbon Calculator: How Much Carbon Are You Using When You Travel?

Offset your emissions now.

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While we recognise the need to reduce unnecessary air and car travel first and foremost, we acknowledge that some journeys are unavoidable and personal travel can also be highly desirable. Carbon-offsetting provides a positive step to help you reduce your impact on the climate.

Carbon Calculator


























Find out more about ClimateCare and this carbon calculator

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Friday, September 21, 2007

California Water Crisis: Water Shortage Looms

Obviously, whenever has a position on an issue there is another side. This is the position of the Association of California Water Agencies | www.acwa.com

CALIFORNIA'S WATER: A CRISIS WE CAN'T IGNORE
September 2007 Association of California Water Agencies | www.acwa.com
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the Association of California Water Agencies' new public education program?

The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA), a coalition of 450 public water agencies, has launched a statewide public education program, entitled "California's Water: A Crisis We Can't Ignore," to raise awareness among Californians of current and future water problems.

Californians rely on water to sustain our vibrant economy, keep our families healthy and maintain our quality of life. They need to be aware of pressing issues confronting our water system, including a deepening crisis in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta (Delta) and a recent court-ordered massive reduction in our statewide water supply.

Further information on the program can be obtained at www.calwatercrisis.org.

What crisis is California's water system facing?

Many experts agree the state is facing some of the most significant water challenges seen in the last half-century. California's aging water supply and delivery system is facing multiple dire threats. Any one of these factors would be enough to jeopardize the state's water supply. But now, they have combined to place California's water supply and infrastructure, as well as critical environmental resources, in a state of crisis. Among the problems facing our state: · The Delta, a key natural estuary and the pathway through which more than 25 million Californians and 2.5 million acres of productive farmland receive their water, is in an ecological crisis that threatens people as well as the environment. · California's water supply has been drastically reduced, impacting people, businesses and farms in Northern, Central and Southern California. In late August, a federal court cut water supplies from the state's two largest water delivery systems by up to one-third to protect an endangered fish ­ potentially the largest court-ordered water supply reduction in California history. · California's population is growing rapidly, but our statewide water storage and delivery system has not been significantly improved in 30 years. · Our statewide water reserves are extremely low and would not be able to meet public demand during a major disruption to the state's water delivery system.

Aging Delta levees are at risk of a natural disaster that could cripple water deliveries for an extended period of time. · California is facing severe drought conditions, with 2007 ranking as a record dry-year in some regions. If the current drought continues, mandatory water rationing may be imposed in many areas. · Significantly reduced supplies and growing water uncertainties already are causing some California farmers to fallow prime agricultural lands, hurting one of our state's most important industries. · Climate change is reducing our mountain snow pack ­ a critical source of natural water storage ­ and may usher in longer droughts and more severe floods. · While we have made great strides in water conservation and efficiency programs, the collective impacts of drought, climate change, increased population demands, court-ordered supply reductions and/or potential natural disasters mean that conservation alone will not solve this crisis...it's just simply not enough.

What does the recent federal court ruling mean for California's water supply?

In an unprecedented move, U.S. District Court Judge Wanger ordered, on August 31, 2007, a massive reduction in water supplies from the state's two largest water delivery systems, the State Water Project (SWP) and Central Valley Project (CVP), to protect an endangered fish species, the Delta smelt, while updated federal permits are obtained. While state and local water agencies are still analyzing the court ruling, an initial review by the California Department of Water Resources projects the reduction could be up to one-third (1/3) of the combined SWP/CVP water supplies, or two million acre-feet of water ­ one acre-foot is enough water for a family of five for a year. This is potentially the single largest court-ordered reduction in statewide water supply in California's history.

This significant reduction in water supply will be experienced in the Bay Area, Central and Southern California. What about consumers of water ­ people, farms and businesses? How will the court ruling affect them?

The most immediate impact of the recent court ruling will be in the agricultural community as farmers in the San Joaquin Valley, Inland Empire and San Diego regions are forced to abandon crop planting this coming winter and spring. Urban water users will need to dramatically increase their conservation efforts during this critical time period ­ some local water agencies are calling for "unprecedented" levels of conservation, akin to those implemented during extensive drought. In some regions, consumers may be asked for more stringent water restrictions, including rationing, and may experience increased costs. Local public water agencies will be assessing direct impacts of the court ruling to their regions and customers, including potential impacts on local economic growth.

What are state leaders saying about this crisis?

On the heels of the federal court ruling, state leaders weighed in with commentary about the mounting problems. "Today's federal court ruling to drastically cut Delta water exports is further proof that our water system is broken, unreliable and in crisis. Judge Oliver Wanger's decision is a devastating blow to our water supply system and economy," said Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

In addition, demonstrating the increasing urgency of the problem, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein recently hosted a bi-partisan water summit to call attention to the broken Delta system, joining a long list of water, conservation, agriculture, business, public health, public safety, government/local planning leaders and elected officials who have collectively voiced their concerns about California's existing water system. "I have just one statistic, one only, and that is 25 million people depend on Delta water for the drinking water of the state. And the probability of a big earthquake over 6.7 is 75% in the next 30 years. And if that were to happen, there are all indications that the Delta would collapse, the water would be gone, there would be no water for drinking, there would be no water for agriculture, there would be no water for fish, marsh, ecosystems," said U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein. Delta Summit, August 21, 2007

What does this crisis mean to me?

California cannot prosper without a safe and reliable supply of water. On the farm, in the workplace and around the home ­ the availability of clean and affordable water is the critical ingredient in sustaining the state's thriving economy and world-renowned quality of life.

If our water supply and infrastructure systems fail, the impacts would be felt in homes and businesses across the state. Such a failure could trigger widespread water shortages and mandatory rationing, with serious impacts on our quality of life, environment, agricultural production and general economy.

Can't we just implement more conservation?

While we have made great strides in water conservation and efficiency programs, they are simply not enough. We cannot conserve our way out of this crisis. Yes, more conservation is needed and is an extremely valuable tool in the overall water management tool box. However, the collective impacts of court-ordered water supply reductions, drought, climate change, increased population demands and/or potential natural disasters mean that conservation alone will not solve this crisis. The public needs to understand this important distinction.

Why is your organization launching this program now?

Despite the seemingly high degree of interest among policy makers and intense news coverage, the public at large seems unaware of critical water problems facing California today and their potential impact on our economy, environment and quality of life.

When the state's water supply is threatened, as it is by this immediate crisis, we are obligated to inform and educate the public about those threats. As the public agencies responsible for delivering water on a daily basis, we have an obligation to inform our customers of issues that could affect their water supplies.

How do you intend to reach the public?

ACWA's statewide education program will reach the public directly through television, radio and print advertising, as well as the Internet and community outreach.

Where can I see/hear the program's television & radio ads?

Our ads will be aired on local and cable television channels and radio stations in media markets throughout the state, and may also be viewed at our Web site, www.calwatercrisis.org.

In addition to paid advertising, our program will be developing and distributing an informational, five-minute DVD/video for public dissemination.

Is this program designed to advocate or lobby for any new policies on water?

No, this is strictly a public education program to inform California residents of the severe crisis facing our water system and the impacts it will have on all aspects of our lives, from the farm to the workplace to the kitchen faucet.

How long will this program run? Who is funding the program?

The multi-million dollar education program, funded by voluntary contributions from public water agencies throughout the state, is currently scheduled to run through the end of 2007.

Are there program materials available for my organization?

Yes, your organization may download educational materials from www.calwatercrisis.org, or contact us to receive information by mail. Partnering with statewide, regional and community-based organizations is a critical element of our outreach program. If you represent an organization or business that would like to help us spread this information, please let us know and we can provide bulk supplies of our materials for your membership or key events. You can also post our advertisements and DVD/video to your organization's Web sites.

What is ACWA?

ACWA is the largest coalition of public water agencies in the country. The statewide organization, based in Sacramento, is composed of 450 public agencies that collectively supply 90% of the water delivered to cities, farms and businesses throughout the state. ACWA has been a leader in California water issues since 1910. Its primary mission is to assist its members in promoting the development, management and beneficial use of water in an environmentally balanced manner.

Has ACWA spearheaded other similar education efforts?

Yes, ACWA has consistently worked to educate policy makers, opinion leaders and the news media about water issues through a variety of means.

Most recently, ACWA has brought general water information to the public through a multipart series for public television called "California's Water." Underwritten by ACWA and produced by Huell Howser, the series has been airing on public television stations since April 2006, covering various aspects of California's water system.

Now, ACWA is building on its previous efforts by directly reaching the public through television, radio and print advertising through this statewide education program.

Are local water agencies running their own public education efforts?

Yes, local water agencies are running a variety of programs on the significance of this crisis, conservation efforts and other issues that affect their local and regional service areas.

You may get more information on the program by visiting http://www.calwatercrisis.org

Association of California Water Agencies | www.acwa.com

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posted by In Net We Trust @ 2:42 PM   0 Comments

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Paper or Plastic? Plastic or Paper? Which is Greener?

EarthTalk, a division of The Environmental Magazine, responds to the question, "paper or plastic?"

The best conclusion seems to bring your own grocery bags to checkout :)

Dear EarthTalk: OK, once and for all, which is more environmentally friendly: paper or plastic at the grocery checkout? And didn’t I just hear that San Francisco has banned plastic bags?

-- Brian, Santa Clara, CA

Yes the city of San Francisco did just recently ban plastic bags. Large supermarkets and pharmacies there must eliminate plastic shopping bags by early 2008 in favor of bags made from either paper or compostable and biodegradable cornstarch. The city’s Board of Supervisors cited the fact that plastic bags are a challenge to recycle and as a result occupy much-needed landfill space, while causing litter problems by easily blowing into trees and waterways, where they can kill birds and marine life.

But just because San Francisco has outlawed plastic bags doesn’t mean that all indications point to paper bags being more green-friendly than plastic. A landmark 1990 study by the research firm Franklin Associates—which factored in every step of the manufacturing, distribution and disposal stages of a grocery bag’s usable life—actually gave the nod to plastic bags.

Franklin’s employed two critical measures in reaching their conclusion. The first was the total energy consumed by a grocery bag. This included both the energy needed to manufacture it, called process energy, and the energy embodied within the physical materials used, called feedstock energy. The second measure used was the amount of pollutants and waste produced.

The Franklin report concluded that two plastic bags consume 13 percent less total energy than one paper bag. Additionally, the report found that two plastic bags produce a quarter of the solid waste, a fifteenth as much waterborne waste and half the atmospheric waste as one paper bag.

Of course, many environmentalists still side with paper as a better choice than plastic at the checkout, mostly for the reasons cited by San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors. Plastic is not biodegradable, it litters our waterways and coastal areas, and has been shown to choke the life out of unsuspecting wildlife. A recent survey by the United Nations found that plastic in the world’s oceans is killing more than a million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals and sea turtles each and every year. According to the California Coastal Commission, plastic bags are one of the 12 most commonly found items in coastal cleanups. Paper bags do not cause such after-the-fact problems, and are inherently easier to recycle.

But to the non-profit Institute for Lifecycle Environmental Assessment, “paper versus plastic?” is not the question we should be asking ourselves, since the answer is really “neither.” After all, energy and waste issues aside, the manufacture of paper bags brings down some 14 million trees yearly to meet U.S. demand alone, while at the same time plastic bags use up some 12 million barrels of oil each year.

The group urges consumers to “just say no” to both options and instead bring their own re-usable canvas bags, backpacks, crates or boxes to haul away the groceries. Some supermarkets, such as the Albertson’s and Wild Oats chains, even offer a small discount (around five cents) to those who do so. Another benefit of bringing your own, of course, is setting a good example so that other shoppers might do the same.

CONTACTS: Institute for Lifecycle Environmental Assessment

GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? Send it to: EARTHTALK, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; submit your question at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk.html;


Paper bags

— Paper bags generate 70 percent more air pollutants and 50 times more water pollutants than plastic bags.
— 2,000 plastic bags weigh 30 pounds, 2,000 paper bags weigh 280 pounds. The latter takes up a lot more landfill space.
— It takes 91 percent less energy to recycle a pound of plastic than it takes to recycle a pound of paper. It takes more than four times as much energy to manufacture a paper bag as it does to manufacture a plastic bag.


Sources: reusablebags.com, NRDC and International Coastal Cleanup 2005 Report from the Ocean Conservancy


Plastic bags

— Each year, an estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide.
— Plastics do NOT biodegrade. Rather, they photodegrade, a process in which sunlight breaks down plastic into smaller and smaller pieces.
— It can take up to 1,000 years for a high-density polyethylene plastic bag to break down in the environment.
— Plastic bags are on the top 10 list of most common trash items along the American coastline (both on land and in the water).

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posted by Kenzilla @ 1:31 PM   0 Comments

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Northwest Passage Opening: Is Global Warming Causing Artic Ice To Melt

Arctic ice retreats to new low, possibly opening Northwest Passage

PARIS (CP) — Arctic ice coverage has receded to record lows, the European Space Agency said, raising the prospect of greater maritime traffic through the long-sought waterway known as the Northwest Passage.

Satellite images this week showed Arctic ice cover fell to the lowest level since scientists started collecting such information in 1978, according to a statement on the agency's website Saturday.

Many experts believe global warming is to blame for melting the passage. The waters are exposing unexplored resources, and vessels could trim thousands of kilometres from Europe to Asia compared with the current routes through the Panama Canal.

According to one estimate, the Northwest Passage is 7,000 kilometres shorter than the 23,000-kilometre Panama Canal route. It is also shorter than the 21,000-kilometre Suez Canal route to Asia.

Ice has retreated to about three million square kilometres, Leif Pedersen of the Danish National Space Centre, said in the statement. ESA said the previous low was four million square kilometres back in 2005.

"There has been a reduction of the ice cover over the last 10 years of about 100,000 square kilometres per year on average, so a drop of one million square kilometres in just one year is extreme," he said.

Ice levels in the Arctic ebb and flow with the seasons, allowing for intermittent traffic between Europe and Asia across northern Canada - a route explorers and traders have long dreamt could open fully.

Environmentalists fear increased maritime traffic and efforts to tap natural resources in the area could one day lead to oil spills and harm regional wildlife.

Pedersen said the extreme retreat this year suggested the passage could fully open sooner than expected - but ESA did not say when that might be. Efforts to contact ESA officials in Paris and Noordwik, Netherlands, were unsuccessful.

Until now, the passage has been expected to remain closed even during reduced ice cover by multiyear ice pack - sea ice that remains through one or more summers, ESA said.

With ice levels shrinking, some countries have jockeyed for claims over the passage under the North Pole, which is also a potential oil-producing region.

The race heated up last month when Russia sent two small submarines to plant a tiny national flag under the North Pole in August, and Canada announced plans to build a new army training centre and a deep-water port in the North.

Denmark, Norway and the United States also have claims in the vast region.

Under international law, the five countries control an economic zone within 320 kilometres of their continental shelf. But the definition of the limits of that shelf are in dispute.

Researcher Claes Ragner of Norway's Fridtjof Nansen Institute, which works with environmental and political issues over the Arctic, said that, for the time being, the new opening has only symbolic meaning for the future of sea transport.

"Routes between Scandinavia and Japan could be almost halved, and a stable and reliable route would mean a lot to certain regions," he said by telephone.

But even if the passage is opening up and polar ice continues to melt, it will take years for such routes to be practicable, according to Ragner.

"It won't be ice-free all year around and it won't be a stable route all year," he said. "The greatest wish for sea transportation is streamlined and stable routes."

"Shorter transport routes means less pollution if you can ship products from A to B on the shortest route, but the fact that the polar ice is melting away is not good for the world in that we're losing the Arctic and the animal life there," Ragner added.

Arctic sea ice naturally extends its surface coverage each winter in the Northern Hemisphere, and recedes each summer, ESA said, but the overall loss has increased since satellite records were begun in 1978.

The opening observed this week was not the most direct waterway, ESA said. That would be through northern Canada along the coast of Siberia, which remains partially blocked.

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Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Water Conservation: How To Conserve And Save On Outdoor Water Usage

Landscape with native plants or plants from similar climates, cluster thirsty plants, and use soaker hoses, microsprinklers, and timers to reduce water consumption.

Water your yard only before 8 a.m. to reduce evaporation and interference from wind. Save 25 gallons per day

Install a smart sprinkler controller. Save 40 gallons per day


Use a broom instead of a hose to clean driveways and sidewalks. Save 150 gallons each time.


Check your sprinkler system for leaks, overspray and broken sprinkler heads. Save 500 gallons a month.

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posted by Kenzilla @ 3:55 PM   0 Comments

Water Conservation: How To Conserve And Save On Indoor Water Usage

Here is how to save on indoor water usage and how you can lower your water consumption.

Fix leaky faucets. Check your faucets periodically for drips -- a single leaking faucet can waste thousands of gallons of water a year. Save 20 gallons per day.

Turn off the water when you brush your teeth or shave. Don't leave the tap running when you don't need it. Save 3 gallons per day

Shorten your showers by one or two minutes. Taking showers rather than baths is the simplest way to conserve water and energy: A 3-minute shower uses one fourth the water of a bath. A low-flow showerhead can achieve even greater savings. Older showerheads spray out 5 gallons or more every minute. Newer models can cut that usage to 2.5 gallons per minute or less, which can save even a two-person household more than 10,000 gallons a year. A showerhead with an on-off lever lets you turn the water off temporarily without changing the temperature setting. You don't need the water running while you soap yourself up or wash your hair. Installing a new showerhead is a simple do-it-yourself job. Save 5 gallons per day

Low-flow toilets, which are now required in all new construction, use 1.6 gallons per flush versus 3.5 gallons for older models. By placing a plastic soda bottle full of water in the tank of an older toilet you can cut the amount of water per flush without the trouble and expense of replacing the toilet. Some advocate the "yellow mellow - brown down" method where urine is not flushed. Hmm, you make your own call for the water conservation option.

When you handwash dishes, rinse in a basin of clear water, not under a running tap.

Wash only full loads of laundry. Save 15 and 50 gallons per load

Talk to your family and friends about saving water.

If everyone does a little to conserve water, we all benefit a lot.

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posted by Kenzilla @ 3:46 PM   0 Comments