Water75
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Punjab: A tale of prosperity and decline
The state of Punjab, located in the northwest part of the country, is known as the breadbasket of India. Punjab produces 20% of the nation’s wheat, 11% of its rice, and 11% of its cotton, from only 1.5% of its geographical area. Punjab is in trouble, however; groundwater is rapidly decreasing. Water levels have dropped…
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Water Harvesting Making a Comeback
In the American Southwest, water is a valuable resource that is almost always in short supply. Yet, despite the frequent discrepancy between supply and demand, homeowners and municipal managers alike have been obligated – by law – to let the rain that runs off of their roof or falls in their jurisdiction to go its…
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Fourth of July fireworks: water contaminants?
Fourth of July fireworks across the United States are definitely a long tradition that millions of people eagerly wait and enjoy. The concern is that fireworks traditionally have included potassium perchlorate as the oxidizer, a material that provides the oxygen that fireworks need to burn and that perchlorate is an environmental pollutant with potential adverse…
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Reclaimed Water: Safe to Drink?
People often cringe at the thought of water that was once wastewater being treated and used as drinking water. However, in Tampa, Florida, voters will be deciding next year on whether to use reclaimed water as part of the city’s drinking water. Reclaimed water, also known as recycled water, is highly treated wastewater that is…
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U.S., Canada, re-opening negotiations on Great Lakes water quality
On Saturday, June 13, 2009, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with her Canadian counterpart, Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon, in Niagara Falls to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the Boundary Waters Treaty. While the Treaty governs all international waters shared by Canada and the USA, its primary application is to Great Lakes’ policy. As part of the…
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No reason to care about water
Don’t get upset–it is merely an instance of irony. Irony works in getting people’s attention and emphasizing the real meaning behind it. The video is more for the general public who are not familiar with water issues, but it can also be motivating to professionals and people who are active concerning water issues. The message…
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Water-Energy Dependency May Put a Damper on Water Banking in California
We’ve been following some of the issues related to the drought in California. In response to water shortages, a “water bank” has been implemented to allow users who do not use all of their water to sell it to other users. In theory, such a system allows water to be used in an efficient manner,…
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Climate change finance as a tool for women’s empowerment
When gender is mentioned in the context of climate change, it’s generally to point out women’s greater vulnerability to climate change’s impacts. Indeed, women do tend to be more vulnerable than men, especially in less-developed countries, and they have different capacities to cope. The reasons for the gender differences include rights to home and land…
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What is “it” about bottled water?
Recently, in a discussion about bottled water, my colleague stated, “I’ve heard this argument before – it’s the bottle, not the water, that’s the problem. Would these people be happier if the bottle was made from recycled glass?” As one of “these people” who are troubled by bottled water (and in spite of the disparaging remark,…
AGU25, the premier Earth and space science conference, takes place December 15-19, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. This year’s theme—Where Science Connects Us—puts in focus how science depends on connection, from the lab to the field to the ballot box. Once again, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and Columbia Climate School scientists, experts, students, and educators are playing an active role, sharing our research and helping shape the future of our planet. #AGU25 Learn More