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Is Farming with Reclaimed Water the Solution to a Drier Future?

Cirrus Wood

December 17, 2020 |

Civil Eats |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Martinez, California

A California farm has successfully grown crops with the use of post-treatment water which the historically dry state has plenty of. Coco San Sustainable Farm is built on land that is reclaimed and uses free reclaimed water to irrigate its abundant produce. If wastewater reclamation was put into effect by the states $50 billion agricultural industry, it would relieve the water-strapped state’s constant water struggles.

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Saving Slovenia's "Human Fish"

Katie Jewett Luka Dakskobler

December 15, 2020 |

bioGraphic |

Multi-Media |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: Slovenia

Scientists in Slovenia are working to understand the mysteries of salamanders — known as olms — that live in natural caves and how best to protect this vulnerable species. Industrial pollution infiltrates the water systems where these creatures live, however more research is needed to understand how climate change and humans impact them. Recent efforts with captive breeding and rescue programs have shown success, but more international collaboration and funding are needed to fully understand this unique species.

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A System for Sharing Household Heat Is Growing Beneath France

Chad Small

December 04, 2020 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: France, Paris

In Paris, about 7,500 buildings are heated using geothermal energy, a cost-saving and carbon neutral energy source. Water is drawn from deep below ground at a central location and heated by the earth, and then sent via underground pipes to individual buildings. The Bagneux and Chatillon district has scaled up the system, providing heat to over 40,000 people. Districts created joint ventures to reduce construction costs and residents do not notice the energy source shift because when the temperature drops to a point where geothermal energy is not viable, gas boilers automatically keeps the heat flowing.

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A Desert City Tries to Save Itself With Rain

Chris Malloy

November 23, 2020 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Tucson, Arizona

As Tucson works to combat the effects of climate change, the Arizona city has been implementing policies to conserve its limited water supply through initiatives like a city rebate program. By focusing efforts on water harvesting — both rainwater, which can be drinkable, and stormwater, which can be used for irrigation — the city can use that water to create more green spaces and lower water bills. The rebate program pays back residents as much as $2,000 for purchasing water harvesting systems. During one year, the program saved 52.1 million gallons of water, which is enough for 160 households.

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This entrepreneur is plugging the world's drinking water into the (digital) cloud

Brianna Baker

November 20, 2020 |

Grist |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

“In 2015, nearly 21 million U.S. residents relied on water systems that violate the standards set by the federal Safe Drinking Water Act.” Meena Sankaran is helping to reverse the trend. Her startup, KETOS, uses analytics and sensors that provide real-time data that can be sent through a mobile app. Instead of having to wait for people to monitor and process the data, or for people to get sick, data can be delivered instantaneously. “So far, the company has compiled 13 million data points from municipalities across all 50 states, spanning the last 18 years.”

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Why Las Vegas Is at the Heart of Western States' Water Conundrums

Frederick Clayton

November 15, 2020 |

Truthout |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Las Vegas, Nevada

After running out of water during a drought in 2002, the Southern Nevada Water Authority and Las Vegas Valley Water District took proactive steps to conserve the region’s water for future generations. Thanks to public service campaigns, outdoor water usage limits, and turf replacement programs, the region’s water usage per capita has dropped by 46 percent. However, many people still don’t fully comply with the city’s water regulations and the region continues to grow at an expanding rate. Yet, similar conservation efforts could be a model for other arid regions around the United States.

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Chennai Ran Out of Water — But That's Only Half the Story

Erica Gies Dhritiman Mukherjee

October 30, 2020 |

bioGraphic |

Multi-Media |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: India, Chennai, Tamil Nadu

The city of Chennai in India is engaging in wetlands restoration and stormwater management by using traditional knowledge and community action to reduce flooding and ensure that people have access to drinking water. Through a development program called Water as Leverage, they are implementing “slow water” projects that restore flow paths for water, which could provide greater water resiliency for humans and protect and restore natural ecosystems. While it can be difficult to get government engineers to embrace green solutions, public awareness of the environmental work is helping move the projects forward.

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A new era in maritime travel: Electric boats

Justin Sondel

October 29, 2020 |

The Washington Post |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Niagara Falls, New York

The Maid of the Mist has given tours of Niagara Falls for 174 years, and recently replaced its fleet with electric catamarans, the first of their kind in North America. The boats are zero-emission and run on dual banks of lithium-ion batteries that are recharged between each tour by plugging two high-voltage lines into a charging station for seven minutes. The charging station is powered by a nearby hydroelectric facility. Two joysticks, like those on an arcade game, allow captains to steer the boats and dual monitors in the wheelhouse provide detailed battery status reports for constant monitoring.

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Hydroponics farming could help reduce Nigeria's spiraling youth unemployment rate

Justice Nwafor

October 19, 2020 |

Nigerian Tribune |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Nigeria

By using an agricultural technique that doesn’t use soil to grow crops, a farmer is upending the traditional farming practices in Nigeria and offering job opportunities to those who might otherwise be unemployed. Hydroponics farming is a type of horticulture that grows plants without soil by using mineral nutrient solutions. BIC Farms utilizes the method, which can reduce crop water consumption, and has trained more than 12,000 people on the soilless farming technique. Hydroponics can also help farmers reduce food waste and post-harvest losses.

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Cooperating over shared water in West Africa

Michelle Langrand

October 06, 2020 |

Geneva Solutions |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Senegal

There are over 250 rivers and lakes that are shared between countries, accounting for more than half of world's freshwater. This means that countries have to cooperate to share resources. In 1972, Mali, Senegal, and Mauritania did just that. They formed the Senegal River Basin Development Authority, or the OMVS (for its French initials). In 2005, Guinea joined. The organization is an example of how countries can join forces to share water resources cooperatively.

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