Rainwater is a vital resource in many communities, but it’s not always safe to use. This sustainable and cheap invention could help many households in remote areas.
Wait for starchy cooking water to cool and then use it to water your plants.
VH-studio/Shutterstock
Rationing water at home will benefit moisture-starved ecosystems.
The old village of Aceredo, submerged 30 years ago when a hydropower dam flooded the valley, emerged during a drought in northwestern Spain, in February 2022.
(AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Water is central to adapting to climate change, but very few of the strategies put in place to respond to water hazards or ensure its availability have been evaluated.
Plants can find it tough to get all the nitrogen they need, especially from Australian soils. But summer storms can provide an added boost.
Chemicals poured down the sink or pumped into the atmosphere can eventually end up in the groundwater, which means less available fresh water for us to use.
Flickr/Kamil Porembiński
While making small volumes of pure water in a lab is possible, it’s not practical. The reaction is expensive, releases lots of energy, and can cause really massive explosions.
A residential rain garden in Portland’s Tabor to the River project.
City of Portland Government
Cecilia A. Green, Syracuse University and Farah Nibbs, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry
Many countries collect and store rainwater for use during drought or dry seasons. But this technique is rarely used in the Caribbean, where hurricanes can leave people without water for months.
About 40% of Nairobi’s water supply gets lost on the way to consumers.
Shutterstock/Sopotnicki
Australian cities have turned to some very costly solutions when water is scarce. But as the world’s second-highest users of water per person, more efficient use and recycling are key.
Western water law means collecting rainwater was legal only a few years ago in some states.
rain barrel via www.shutterstock
States, including Colorado, restrict the use of rain barrels. A water law scholar says a better way to conserve is reduce waste from big – and powerful – water users.
Hand pumps are used in Africa to help people get access to clean water.
Reuters
Built-up urban environments transform the resource of rainwater into wasted runoff. Low Impact Development mimics nature to help get stormwater into the natural water system.
Graduate Student- Environmental Engineering : Sustainable Construction Management, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry