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Forests Near or Far Can Protect Water for Cities

Forests Near or Far Can Protect Water for Cities

Near or far, forests — like this one at the edge of Hong Kong — affect the movement, quality and availability of water in cities. Photo by Florian Wehde/Unsplash

Water is essential to human health and well-being. In cities, leaders strive to provide secure access to clean, safe and affordable water. In rural areas, farmers hope for adequate rain and healthy rivers to produce healthy crops. The coronavirus pandemic reminds … [more…]

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Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR): combat poverty and hunger through land and vegetation restoration

Introduction

Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) is a low-cost land restoration technique used to combat poverty and hunger amongst poor subsistence farmers by increasing food and timber production and resilience to climate extremes. Started in 1983 in Niger, FMNR is a form of coppicing and pollarding, drawing on traditional practices and sensitive to local variations.

In FMNR systems, farmers protect and manage the growth of trees and shrubs that regenerate

… [more…]
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Up to half of world’s water supply stolen annually, study finds

Up to half of world's water supply stolen annually, study finds

The Darling river in Louth, New South Wales. The amount of Australian water lost through theft is particularly relevant as governments grapple with the next stage of the Murray-Darling Basin plan. Photograph: Jenny Evans/Getty Images

As water scarcity increases from factors including climate change, so do drivers of water theft, an ongoing problem in Australia

Between 30% and 50% of the world’s water supply is stolen each year, mainly by … [more…]

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Here’s How Cactus Farming Could Ease The Californian Drought

Here's How Cactus Farming Could Ease The Californian Drought

California is suffering from one of the worst droughts ever recorded: three years of low rain and snowfall have left the state in crisis, with the Sierra Nevada snowpack being the lowest it’s been for 500 years. According to government data, 2014 was the third driest year in California over the last 119 years; it was also the warmest year on record.

That means California needs to find some innovative

… [more…]
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10 Shocking Facts On Factory Farms Will Make You Rethink That Burger

Graphic: 10 Shocking Facts On Factory Farms and Water Pollution Will Make You Rethink That Burger

Graphic by Hannah Williams

In the United States, around 27 billion animals are raised for food every year. These animals are subjected to lives in extreme confinement where they live in fear and pain. The cruelty that these animals experience is rather well-known and understood, however, the negative environmental impact that raising this many animals causes is less so. One of the most notable ways that factory farming impacts the … [more…]