The world’s nations and populations are not equal – in terms of available resources, economic activity, human development, social and cultural rights, skin color of the populace… the list is endless. Water as a resource is also not available in equal measure. For instance, someone in Africa may be getting by with 47 liters of… [Read More]
Lawns, Law, and Sustainability
Lawns are considered a luxury in India, but they are an inherent part of a house’s open area in the United States. This open land and the house that sits on it may be owned by the homeowner, but there are still many regulations governing what can and cannot be grown in a home garden… [Read More]
Feeling the Pressure… Water Pressure That Is
Are the water lines in your home gravity fed (i.e. connected to an overhead water tank without any pressure pumps)? If so, note the velocity and the amount of water gushing out of the taps when the tank is full. Then take note once more when the tank is nearly depleted. You will notice there… [Read More]
Interpreting History: Annual Rainfall Trends
Detecting Climate Change Since the 1980’s, the United States’ government has seen a need for accurate and unbiased historical climate records. To meet that need and help detect regional climate change, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration developed a data set known as the United States Historical Climatology Network. This data consists of daily and… [Read More]
Rainwater Harvesting for Livestock
In Northern Alabama, a poultry farm implemented the use of a 100,000 gallon bladder-style reservoir to store rainwater for its livestock. The system was engineered to harvest the rainwater that comes down on an 82,000 ft2 poultry house roof. Two inches of rain is all that is needed to fill the 100-foot by 36-foot bladder… [Read More]
Water Quality Testing at Your Fingertips
Because water quality strongly impacts the health of you and your family, it is important to know the quality of the water used for domestic consumption. In the United States and elsewhere, drinking water can come from: a public supply system private sources from the household well In the United States, if water comes from… [Read More]
The Water Energy Nexus
We’ve all learned that turning off the light when we leave the room, switching off computer monitors when not in use, or using energy efficient appliances results in a corresponding reduction in energy consumption. Similarly, turning off the tap while brushing your teeth or harvesting the rain water that falls on your roof will reduce… [Read More]