Global6
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“Ethical” Bottled Water Companies
As much as the bottled water debate grows, it seems unlikely that any time in the near future, bottled water use will dramatically drop or stop altogether. The convenience of it and the lack of availability of water fountains and tap water when we might need it will continue to lead us to buy that…
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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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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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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,…
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Seawater desalination: the solution?
Water is an increasingly scarce commodity in many parts of the world, and it seems seawater desalination is one of very attractive solutions available to these regions. Of all the Earth’s water, 94 percent is saltwater from the oceans and only 6% is fresh. If plenty and easily accessible seawater could turn into fresh drinking…
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Water, Development and Corruption: An Unholy Alliance
A recent article in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel highlighted some of the problems of building water infrastructure in the very regions where the Columbia Water Center is trying to work. The article cited intense corruption, as well as other factors, as barriers towards building improved water infrastructure. The most shocking point in the article is that…
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Your Water Footprint
Good Magazine has a recent posting on Water Footprints – how much water an individual and the products they consume use. Water Footprints are difficult to calculate and the numbers can be argued, however I believe the directional scale is useful. Click the image for the full picture, and if you want to start conserving…
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Water: A Basic Human Right?
The 5th World Water Forum ended on Sunday (World Water Day), and in spite of the many pieces of good news, the dominant news story is that the group recognized water as a basic human need, not a basic human right. While this may seem like an issue of semantics, I think there is a…
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5th World Water Forum
Representatives from the agriculture and energy industries convened here at the 5th World Water Forum to debate how, why, where and whether humankind’s rising demands for water, oil, food and energy will lead to conflict or cooperation. The Forum tackled issues of food and energy, conflicts over water, and pragmatic synergies among vital resource sectors. …
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