We know the next big series of wars is going to be over water. And, no, I’m not talking about how neighbors in California will be fighting over their water allocations (or even California fighting with Colorado). I’m talking about the vast portions of this Earth that are basically out of water.
Continue reading Right from the air!
You know that I spend a lot of time at a local coffee spot. Because I write about it all the time. So, it shouldn’t surprise you that I really enjoy coffee, as well. After all, we do know that US scientists and lab techs (both better known as research rats) are the heaviest coffee drinkers in the US. Plus, I’ve written about the new UCDavis program incorporating coffee technology into the ChemE program.
Years ago, we were approached by one of the Port-O-Let dealers in Michigan. He had this idea he wanted us to help him develop.
When I first began designing water treatment (and water reuse) systems back in the 1970s, the primary method used to ensure that microbial populations were kept at bay was chlorination. At least in the States. Europe relied on ozonation. (Think about this for a second- when so many of your population was killed by chlorine gas during war time, you have a hard time thinking it’s a good thing to use to render your water safe.)
Continue reading Choose well. Not sure we did.
I have written way more than a few times that our next battles are not going to be about gold, rare metals, or even oil. The next battles are going to be about water. Because the world is running out of pure, drinkable water. And, in some parts of the world, water is already a non-existent commodity.
Continue reading High and Dry?
Flint. Newark. DC. Boston. Jersey City. Baltimore. And, probably every other major city in the US.
Continue reading Lincoln, Lincoln, I’ve been thinkin’…what the heck have you been drinkin’?
We’ve been hearing about this problem in Flint for a long time. (Actually, most of you really began hearing about this over the past few days or so. The media didn’t consider it ‘sexy’ enough to hype, when they had all those political blowhards to cover.) However, most of what we hear and read about the situation is spin. It’s probably about time for some brutal observations.
Continue reading In Like Flint?
Decades ago, I became involved with a few water treatment companies. (These firms were actually venturing into water reuse and industrial water needs; they also asked us to help them with their entire business efforts.) It was an eye opener when we saw their water supply business. This was long before it was normal to see those 5 gallon jugs in our offices and home, proffering cold (and hot) drinking water for our needs.
Yesterday, I spoke about our most endangered aquifers. But, almost every one of our aquifers is in trouble- the sources of the bulk of our drinking water.
Continue reading And, this is one of our better ones?
It’s been three years since I complained that no one seems to be paying attention to our water resources. No, I don’t mean like the drought in California. That’s bad. But, worse will be the wars that are about to fought over water.
Continue reading Underwater- really, truly…
