water

default blog post image

In the Case of Tar Sands Oil - Oils Well, Will Certainly Not End Well

By Dominick A. DellaSala / On August 30th, 2011
Canada’s growing interest in exporting some of the dirtiest crude oil in the world is a threat to not only North America’s wildlife but also a rational energy policy and a stable atmosphere. NASA and climate scientist James Hansen called this project a climate game-changer because burning Alberta “tar sands” oil could raise CO2 levels in the atmosphere by 200 parts per million (ppm), pushing us dangerously away from the 350 ppm safety net that he and other scientists have recommend (we are currently at 390 ppm of CO2 and rising at about 1-2 ppm per year).
default blog post image

Thank a National Forest Roadless Area

By Dominick A. DellaSala / On February 2nd, 2011
The next time you turn on the tap, chances are the water came from a local National Forest. National Forests provide drinking water for about 60 million Americans nationwide and about 15 percent of the nation’s freshwater runoff. This clean water is worth an estimated net value of $27 billion annually. And the cleanest of this water comes from watersheds free of roads and development.
default blog post image

Time for a “Cash for Water Clunkers” Program

By [node:field_contributor] / On September 20th, 2010
Here is a long-overdue idea for an additional piece of "stimulus" for local economies, and one that won't cost any money in the long run--indeed, it will produce both new jobs and money, and it will reduce environmental impacts of our water use. The U.S. should commit $5 billion in a "Cash for Water Clunkers" program to help individuals and businesses get rid of old water-wasting appliances and processes. Not only would such a program save vast quantities of water, but it would also provide a number of other important benefits.
default blog post image

Peter Gleick vs. $4 water.

By Admin / On February 11th, 2010
On his City Brights blog, Bottled and Sold author Peter Gleick writes: In the latest skirmish in the war on tap water, the sports arena that hosts the Cleveland Cavaliers basketball team -- with the lovely name of the Quicken Loans Arena concession -- has removed its drinking water fountains. The only way for thirsty fans to get water now is to wait in line at the concessions counter for a free small cup or pay $4 for bottled water or try to drink water from the bathroom faucets.
default blog post image

Water for Haiti

By Admin / On January 14th, 2010
Peter Gleick on the earthquake crisis in Haiti: I urge people to make donations to whatever organizations they trust to deliver help. I've donated to the American Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders, but there are many more. In any disaster like this, after search, rescue, and immediate medical care, clean and safe water becomes a critical need. Without it, water-related diseases rapidly become a serious health threat for the survivors.
default blog post image

The End of an Error?

By Robert B. Gramling / On October 23rd, 2009
Between 1958 and 1968 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dug the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO)—pronounced as Mister Go. The outlet was a huge canal with an original bottom width of 500' and a depth of 36'. It was designed to bring shipping into the heart of New Orleans from the southeast, bypassing the Mississippi River. The construction required the excavation of more dirt than for the Panama Canal.
default blog post image

Getting to the Root of Recurring Water Conflicts

By Holly Doremus / On April 21st, 2009
The western United States is characterized by highly variable and seasonal rainfall patterns. To deal with the constant threat of drought, the West relies on intensively managed water systems. Today, those systems face two challenges that were not anticipated when they were developed decades ago: increased demands that water be left in streams to sustain aquatic systems; and global climate change, which will decrease snowfall, leaving less water for farms and cities. The inevitable result is heightened conflicts over water allocation.

Pages