Water
Can solar desalination slake the world's thirst?
Solar desalination is a technique used to remove salt from water via a specially designed still that uses solar energy to boil seawater and capture the resulting steam, which is in turn cooled and condensed into pristine freshwater. Salt and other impurities are left behind in the still. Less than Read More...
To relief water stress, use clean energy (and avoid fracking)
Knowledge is power. We all know that using clean energy is good because it reduces our impact on the environment. But did you know that clean energy and our access to clean water are also connected in an important way? Conventional power plants are significant water users, accounting for 45 Read More...
New greenhouse can save farmers in Middle East 90 per cent on water
A greenhouse using water evaporated from plants to cool the crops could lead to farmers using 90 per cent less of the precious resource. Unveiled on Monday by Dubai’s International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture, the system would mean enormous savings for a country in which 56 per cent of Read More...
This self-filling water bottle mimics a desert beetle
A US startup is developing a self-filling water bottle that sucks moisture from the atmosphere to create condensation, in the same way the humble Namib desert beetle does. The beetle, endemic to Africa’s Namib desert—where there is just 1.3cm of rainfall a year—has inspired a fair Read More...
How forest certification standards keep our drinking water clean
Did you know that over half of the drinking water in the United States and nearly two thirds of the drinking water in Canada comes from forests? In a recent study, the non-profit National Association of State Foresters (NASF) confirmed that the best management practices used by harvesting Read More...
Less water might be plenty for California, conservation is only the start
Across California this summer, residents have been racking up water conservation numbers that defy expectations — a 27% reduction in June, followed by 31.3% in July. Perhaps more impressive than the percentage figures, however, is the actual volume of water saved over two months: 414,800 Read More...
Just add water and this squid-inspired plastic heals itself
While you've been busy scarfing down fried calamari rings, scientists at the University of Pennsylvania have been doing something else with squid. Namely? Studying the cephalopod's ring teeth for a way to create a material that heals when water's present, much in the way that those tentacle-bound Read More...
Crowdfunding, water conservation & beer: How cool can you get?
When a hip beer brand launches one of the most creative and timely cause marketing campaigns of the year, you might think it was inspired by a brilliant conversation over drinks with some A-list creative. The eureka moment behind “Shock The Drought” occurred after a May market research Read More...
Boxed water wants to add a tiny bit of sustainability to the bottled water industry
Just Water is trying to get rid of some of the most wasteful packaging in the world—and wants to remind you that tap water is just as good. The mountain of plastic water bottles headed to landfills keeps growing, despite the best efforts of campaigns to push reusables and tap water. So a Read More...
Solar-powered handheld WaterDrop produces cool drinking water in the desert
By 2040, 33 countries are expected to face extreme water stress, according to the World Resources Institute, making the race to develop innovative solutions more furious than ever. Ap Verheggen has been on the cutting-edge of solar thought experiments for several years. You may recall his Read More...