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Humanity’s challenge of the century: Conserving Earth’s freshwater systems

Humanity’s challenge of the century: Conserving Earth’s freshwater systems
  • Many dryland cities like Los Angeles, Cairo and Tehran have already outstripped natural water recharge, but are expected to continue growing, resulting in a deepening arid urban water crisis.
  • According to NASA’s GRACE mission, 19 key freshwater basins, including several in the U.S., are being unsustainably depleted, with some near collapse; much of the water is used indiscriminately by industrial agribusiness.
  • Many desert cities, including Tripoli, Phoenix and Los Angeles,
… [more…]
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Overfishing, Conservation, Sustainability, and Farmed Fish

Overfishing, Conservation, Sustainability, and Farmed Fish

As with many other aspects of government policy, overfishing and other fishing-related environmental issues are a real problem, but it’s not clear that government intervention is the solution. Indeed, it might be one of the main drivers of overfishing and other conservation and sustainability issues stemming from commercial fishing. Much like drone fishing, there are serious ethical issues of interest to the average angler.

There’s another commonality that overfishing has … [more…]

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Six girls from Assam develop biodegradable yoga mat, may save lakes from water hyacinth menace

Yoga mats made from {invasive?) water hyacinths

A biodegradable and compostable yoga mat developed from water hyacinth by six young girls from a fishing community in Assam could turn this water plant from a nuisance to wealth.

The girls belong to the fishing community living in the fringe of the Deepor Beel, a permanent freshwater lake in southwest of Guwahati city, recognised as a Ramsar Site (a wetland of international importance) and a bird wildlife sanctuary. The … [more…]

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Deciphering Water, Stone, and Movement

Deciphering Water, Stone, and Movement

In 2017, Jorge welcomed me to the headquarters of Costa Rica’s underground water agency. His supervisor had asked him to show me “the model” at work. After many years of fieldwork on water issues, I had already been introduced to many models: the mathematical model to calculate extraction rates, two different pieces of software that model aquifer flow, the regulatory model Costa Rica’s agency follows, and sponges as a preferred … [more…]

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A military veteran’s new mission is to restore a stream and help people heal

A military veteran’s new mission is to restore a stream and help people heal

Jeff Swire, co-founder of Patriots Cove, has turned his private property into a fly-fishing refuge for other veterans and first responders seeking relief and renewed purpose. (Photo by Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program)

Patriots Cove has built a community around fly fishing to give veterans, first responders and caregivers a sense of purpose

According to U.S. Army veteran Jeff Swire, the 18-acre, outdoor refuge known as Patriots Cove has already saved … [more…]