State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

water matters42

  • UK report on oceanic geoengineering study

    New research from the UK’s National Oceanography Centre, Southampton shows that plans to pump nutrient-rich water up from the deep ocean in order the boost algae growth at the surface to absorb CO2 would likely only sequester a small amount of total anthropogenic carbon emissions, and if the system was stopped could lead to rapid…

  • Twitter Photo of the Day

    The Columbia Water Center is now posting a Photo of the Day on Twitter, highlighting global water issues and CWC’s projects around the world.  Follow us here:  http://twitter.com/columbiawater

  • Punjab Farmers Adapt to Shrinking Water Supply

    Often referred to as the granary of India, Punjab is now slowly drying out. And though many farmers are deeply worried over the prospects of producing enough food, some of the more entrepreneurial ones are adopting new ways to conserve water while bracing for what will be a drier future. Back in the 1970s India…

  • Water Scarcity Conflicts Loom, but also Potential Cooperation

    Regions likely to become drier because of climate change include Central Asia and northern Africa. Up to 250 million people in Africa could suffer extra stress on water supplies by 2020, according to the U.N. panel of climate experts.

  • To lighten up your day…

    A scientific instructional video full of good (mis)information about our friend water.

  • Saving water, paying more?

    New York City’s Water Board (which determines the finances for Department of Environmental Protection’s water system) is proposing a water rate increase of 14% for fiscal year 2010. According to an article in the Daily News, the rate increase is needed because New Yorkers are using less water, meaning that DEP is earning less revenue.…

  • India boosts climate data contribution to IPCC

    “A scientific network set up recently by India’s environment ministry will contribute formally to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the country’s prime minister has announced.

  • Is there such a thing as too much water awareness?

    Gayle Leonard, in her blog Thirsty in Suburbia, posts about Jason Garland’s Twitter feed, which is set up to automatically update for all water use in his household, continually, dozens of times a day. It’s undeniable documentation, it’s shocking, and it would get old very, very fast.

  • Cool tech: The ‘Savior Bud’ collects clean drinking water from trees

    In dry areas of the world where access to clean drinking water is a matter of life and death, this novel design lets people get a little help from their plant friends. Yanko Design has developed the ‘Savior Bud’, which collects moisture directly from tree leaves during the natural transpiration cycle.

  • UK report on oceanic geoengineering study

    New research from the UK’s National Oceanography Centre, Southampton shows that plans to pump nutrient-rich water up from the deep ocean in order the boost algae growth at the surface to absorb CO2 would likely only sequester a small amount of total anthropogenic carbon emissions, and if the system was stopped could lead to rapid…

  • Twitter Photo of the Day

    The Columbia Water Center is now posting a Photo of the Day on Twitter, highlighting global water issues and CWC’s projects around the world.  Follow us here:  http://twitter.com/columbiawater

  • Punjab Farmers Adapt to Shrinking Water Supply

    Often referred to as the granary of India, Punjab is now slowly drying out. And though many farmers are deeply worried over the prospects of producing enough food, some of the more entrepreneurial ones are adopting new ways to conserve water while bracing for what will be a drier future. Back in the 1970s India…

  • Water Scarcity Conflicts Loom, but also Potential Cooperation

    Regions likely to become drier because of climate change include Central Asia and northern Africa. Up to 250 million people in Africa could suffer extra stress on water supplies by 2020, according to the U.N. panel of climate experts.

  • To lighten up your day…

    A scientific instructional video full of good (mis)information about our friend water.

  • Saving water, paying more?

    New York City’s Water Board (which determines the finances for Department of Environmental Protection’s water system) is proposing a water rate increase of 14% for fiscal year 2010. According to an article in the Daily News, the rate increase is needed because New Yorkers are using less water, meaning that DEP is earning less revenue.…

  • India boosts climate data contribution to IPCC

    “A scientific network set up recently by India’s environment ministry will contribute formally to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the country’s prime minister has announced.

  • Is there such a thing as too much water awareness?

    Gayle Leonard, in her blog Thirsty in Suburbia, posts about Jason Garland’s Twitter feed, which is set up to automatically update for all water use in his household, continually, dozens of times a day. It’s undeniable documentation, it’s shocking, and it would get old very, very fast.

  • Cool tech: The ‘Savior Bud’ collects clean drinking water from trees

    In dry areas of the world where access to clean drinking water is a matter of life and death, this novel design lets people get a little help from their plant friends. Yanko Design has developed the ‘Savior Bud’, which collects moisture directly from tree leaves during the natural transpiration cycle.