Our world continues to be a dynamic, beautiful, and at times, dangerous place. As we continue to live our lives in the midst of the factors which we have no control over, it is best to remain informed and at peace.
From the US water crisis moving toward the Eastern states to the invention of a device that generates electricity seemingly out of nothing, we've covered relevant and interesting articles from various sources.
The following articles cover topics related to water crisis, sustainability, contagion awareness, aquaponics, permaculture, environment, and water technology.
Water Crisis
Futurity / February 18, 2020
Credit: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
"The study estimates that the US could lose about 119 million cubic meters of water (more than 4.2 billion cubic feet)—roughly enough to fill Lake Powell, the largest reservoir in the Upper Colorado basin, four times."
It is difficult to accurately assess groundwater levels in a specific region given the many factors that affect it. The Western United States has been historically associated with drought and water conservation than the Eastern states due to a drier, more arid environment.
But a recent study published on Nature.com reveals that due to changing temperatures, water concerns that have been prominent in the West are now heading Eastward.
Read full article here.
Sustainability
ScienceAlert / February 18, 2020
Credit: UMass Amherst / Yao and Lovley labs / Ella Maru Studio
"The claim may sound like an overstatement, but a new study by Yao and his team describes how the air-powered generator can indeed create electricity with nothing but the presence of air around it. It's all thanks to the electrically conductive protein nanowires produced by Geobacter."
The discovery of a certain organism in the Potomac river some 30 years ago has challenged many scientists to figure out how to utilize its electric conductivity. A team from the University of Massachusetts has developed a device that harnesses the microbe's conductive capability with the presence of air. The device currently works on a small scale but the team ultimately hopes to make large-scale systems.
Read full article here.
Upworthy / February 18, 2020
Credit: Associated Press / Youtube
"Carter has always been a man of action, evidenced by his hands-on approach to building homes with Habitat for Humanity. So in 2017, he leased ten acres of land near his home in Plains, Georgia, to be used as a solar farm with 3,852 panels."
When Jimmy Carter was president of the United States, he had solar panels installed at the White House for the purpose of heating water, ultimately proclaiming the importance of solar technology in the journey towards energy efficiency.
In 2017, he leased 10 acres of land near his home in Plains, Georgia to install 3,852 solar panels. Today, this solar farm provides the entire town with 50% of its electricity needs.
Read full article here.
Contagion Awareness
Think Global Health / February 24, 2020
Credit: REUTERS/cnsphoto
"Launched on January 21, 2020, our editorial team has been monitoring the unfolding coronavirus outbreak and its economic and social consequences. We will be updating this timeline frequently as new developments are reported. You can access all of Think Global Health’s coronavirus coverage here."
Think Global Health publishes a continually updated timeline of the progression of the coronavirus outbreak starting from its earliest discovered case on December 1st, 2019. The website includes information on the number of confirmed cases in each country as well as current travel bans and border restrictions.
Be sure to check the site regularly for updates on how to keep you and your family safe.
Read full article here.
Aquaponics
Credit: Kentucky State University, 2019 Aquaponics Conference
"Major Federal Grants have recently been published that can apply to aquaponics growers. USDA Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Grants will disburse $192 Million for FY2020 across several different programs and specifically call for aquaponics and hydroponics projects."
Aquaponics has gained much popularity as a sustainable farming system as of recent years, even gaining the attention of Federal programs.
The USDA Agriculture and Food Research Initiative is providing grants to projects which are focused on the research and education of aquaponics for sustainable agriculture. Due dates for the grant applications range from March 12 to May 28, 2020.
Read full article here.
Aquaponics Revolution / February 17, 2020
Credit: Creative Commons
"The transfer must include an acclimation. We want to avoid a choc between the 2 water quality and temperature. The acclimation can last for 30 minutes. In this case please make sure to add an air-stone in the tank."
An aquaponics system is certainly a viable, sustainable farming solution that provides fresh vegetables at an efficient rate. Of course, the higher the output, the larger the system must be.
But if an entire system needed to be relocated for whatever reason, how would one go about it? This article by Aquaponics Revolutions gives some key points in preparing to transport your system.
Read full article here.
Permaculture
Backdoor Survival / October 4, 2019
Credit: Ray Schrewsberry / Pixabay
"Every homestead was a culmination of the people and things that survived the trek. Skill sets and limited resources were all the pioneers could bring with them. The rest had to be grown or sourced from the land. Resources were so limited, in fact, that pioneers would often remove the wood handles from their tools and carve new ones when they were needed. This helped to lighten the load."
Due to the limited access to markets and modern food services, living on the homestead can require more creativity in terms of food preparation. Luckily, early settlers have come up with recipes that are preservable and delicious. Backdoor Survival published a list of recipes that have stood the test of time.
Read full article here.
Climate and Environment
The Conversation / February 11, 2020
Credit: Shutterstock
"The report includes a survey of 222 leading scientists from 52 countries who identified five global risks: failure of climate change mitigation and adaptation; extreme weather events; major biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse; food crises; and water crises. They identified these risks as the most severe in terms of impact on planetary health – the health of human civilisation and the state of the natural systems on which it depends."
It doesn't take much to recognize that the state of affairs our world is currently facing is daunting. From climate issues, wildfires, water crises, and disease, to economic and societal upheaval, there is no shortage of crises to cause concern.
A survey of leading scientists claim that the factors which threaten our future aren't necessarily tied to one single issue, but are a combination of interrelated issues.
Read full article here.
Water Tech
Phys.org / January 21, 2020
Credit: Pixabay
"Researchers at the University of Bath have developed a revolutionary desalination process that has the potential to be operated in mobile, solar-powered units. The process is low cost, low energy and low maintenance, and has the potential to provide safe water to communities in remote and disaster-struck areas where fresh water is in short supply."
Desalination is a process which is massively effective in purifying water, but quite inefficient. For decades, scientists have struggled with finding ways to make desalination more cost-effective. As we've progressed in discovering more energy efficient solutions, researchers at the University of Bath have a developed a mobile, solar-powered, desalination unit.
Read full article here.
MIT News / February 6, 2020
Credit: MIT
"A completely passive solar-powered desalination system developed by researchers at MIT and in China could provide more than 1.5 gallons of fresh drinking water per hour for every square meter of solar collecting area. Such systems could potentially serve off-grid arid coastal areas to provide an efficient, low-cost water source."
While researchers at the University of Bath develop a solar-powered desalination unit, researchers at MIT are designing their own as well. Desalination is certainly a promising avenue in terms of water purification, save the efficiency factor. MIT scientists seem to be coming closer to developing a high-output, solar-powered desalination system.
Read full article here.
This concludes this round-up edition. Be sure to sign up for our mailing list to receive the next round-up article. We'll keep you updated with news on water security, self-sufficiency, environmental issues, permaculture, and everything you'd need for sustainable, safe living.
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