Category: News

  • Water as source of therapy for anxiety and stress – WSJ

    Water as source of therapy for anxiety and stress – WSJ

    “…Water helps your mind wander in a positive way…”

    “…Water helps your mind wander in a positive way…” says Marc Berman, director of the Environmental Neuroscience Laboratory at the University of Chicago. “This is what is so restorative.”

    …./…
    Here’s some advice on how to harness the healing power of water.

    • Remember that all water counts.
    • Go often.
    • Try a water sport.
    • Listen sounds of water
    • Use your imagination.

    …/…

    Participating in water activities such as swimming or surfing can help us enter a “flow state” where we become fully immersed in what we’re doing. This calms our mind’s internal state, which is often absorbed by rumination and worry, says Ricardo Gil-da-Costa, a neuroscientist and chief executive of Neuroverse who has studied how water affects our brain.

    ‘ Water meditates us by taking away all the noise,’ says Wallace J. Nichols, who regularly goes into a creek.PHOTO: WALLACE J. NICHOLS

     Bodies of water also can produce a glorious sense of awe—the emotional response to something vast that expands and challenges how we see the world. Awe can decrease stress and help us put things into perspective.

    “Water meditates us by taking away all the noise,” says Dr. Nichols, whose work focuses on how blue spaces affect our well-being. “All we have to do is show up.”

    Water has special properties that may boost nature’s positive impact, environmental psychologists say. When you are near it, there is often less visual and auditory information to process. Our mind can rest.

    The sound of water, typically steady and soft, soothes us. Its smell can provoke positive memories and associations. When we’re floating our body can rest, too, in a way we never can on land.

    Source and read more on: WSJ

  • Water-energy-land nexus is essential for wastewater treatment

    Water-energy-land nexus is essential for wastewater treatment

    …/…

    Array of solutions from other regions

    The first solution is to improve sanitation and decrease pollution by increasing the proportion of wastewater adequately treated, monitoring and improving discharge effluent standards. This has been proved to be a useful solution in China, which has had rapid improvement in wastewater treatment coverage. China has successfully achieved a significant transformation in its sanitation in less than 30 years, increasing the proportion of wastewater treated from 14.9% in 1991 to 95.5% in 2018.

    The second solution is to improve energy efficiency, recovery and integration of renewable technologies to address energy challenges. For example, Australia has steadily increased the capacity of renewable energy beyond biogas to include hydropower and, recently, solar PV in their water and wastewater treatment. In the 20 years after 1998, the renewable energy capacity in Australia’s water and wastewater sector increased from 26MW to 90MW. In addition, the USA and Europe are leading in energy self-sufficient WWTPs, with five of the twelve self-sufficient WWTPs found in North America and Europe.

    The third solution is to reuse wastewater. For instance, many Arab countries have demonstrated the importance of region-specific challenges considerations through their wastewater reuse. They face severe water scarcity and reuse most of their wastewater; Jordan and Abu Dhabi reuse ~100% of their collected wastewater10. Likewise, African countries should prioritize country-specific challenges, which includes land use considerations in rapidly urbanizing cities.

    Last but not least, it is imperative to consider the water-energy-land nexus and pay attention to the land footprint of wastewater treatment with the rapid urbanization in Africa, particularly in the urban areas. Africa aims to move towards safer and sustainable wastewater treatment practices like the countries described above and will have to overcome region-specific challenges. One option is to consider new technologies such

    as granular sludge, which has the potential to save both energy and land. Alternatively, technologies such as nanofiltration, can save land but require energy. However, energy access in sub-Saharan Africa lags globally, and most energy is sourced from fossil fuels, increasing greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to adopting less land-intensive technologies, African WWTPs should improve energy efficiency, recovery and renewable energy integration in WWTPs. This can be done by integrating anaerobic digestion and solar energy, for which Africa has the largest potential globally. Sustainable wastewater treatment for Africa will be achieved by considering the water-energy-land nexus.

    Queen Rugaimukamu and colleagues are from the UNEP-TONGJI Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development (IESD), Tongji University, Shanghai, China.

    doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d44148-022-00071-2

    …/…

    Source and more: Nature.Africa

    Authors:

     

  • Deceleration of China’s human water use and its key drivers

    Deceleration of China’s human water use and its key drivers

    Source and more : pnas.org
    2020 March

    Significance

    China’s rising food demand and fast economic growth increase water use and threaten water security. We present a spatially detailed survey-based reconstruction dataset of sectoral water use from 1965 to 2013 at the scale of small administrative units called prefectures. The data show that a widespread deceleration of water use in recent decades and the adoption of improved irrigation practices and industrial water recycling partly offset the increase driven by the rising water demand from economic growth and structural transition. These findings underscore the value of technological adoptions, including a determination of their potential, to help in designing targets and incentives for water scarcity mitigations.

    Abstract

    Increased human water use combined with climate change have aggravated water scarcity from the regional to global scales. However, the lack of spatially detailed datasets limits our understanding of the historical water use trend and its key drivers. Here, we present a survey-based reconstruction of China’s sectoral water use in 341 prefectures during 1965 to 2013. The data indicate that water use has doubled during the entire study period, yet with a widespread slowdown of the growth rates from 10.66 km3⋅y−2 before 1975 to 6.23 km3⋅y−2 in 1975 to 1992, and further down to 3.59 km3⋅y−2 afterward. These decelerations were attributed to reduced water use intensities of irrigation and industry, which partly offset the increase driven by pronounced socioeconomic development (i.e., economic growth, population growth, and structural transitions) by 55% in 1975 to 1992 and 83% after 1992. Adoptions for highly efficient irrigation and industrial water recycling technologies explained most of the observed reduction of water use intensities across China. These findings challenge conventional views about an acceleration in water use in China and highlight the opposing roles of different drivers for water use projections.

    …./….

    Authors

    Feng Zhou https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6122-0611 zhouf@pku.edu.cn, 

    Yan Bo, 

    Philippe Ciais, +18 

    ,

    and Yoshihide Wada https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4770-2539

    Authors Info & Affiliations

     

    https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.1909902117

     

  • Gender and IWRM

    Gender and IWRM

    Advancing towards gender mainstreaming in water resources management

    In 2020-21, the SDG 6 IWRM Support Programme carried out a study in order to understand the bottlenecks to acceleration on this topic, as well as showcasing and disseminating a range of practices that have been implemented around the world, highlighting common gaps, challenges and constraints, and key enabling factors, and providing recommendations on how to strengthen current practices.  A first draft was prepared and underwent a consultation process to capture feedback from national and local governments, international development partners, non-governmental organisations, academic institutions, and any other interested party, on how best to achieve gender mainstreaming in IWRM. The findings are published in a report on “Advancing towards gender mainstreaming in water resources management” available here for download. A Policy Brief  summarising the main findings and recommendations of the report was also published and is available for download here.

    Check out the interview with the authors of the report to learn more about the findings of the study:

    Abstract and study at : https://waterforall.utilities.management/2022/09/03/women-remain-underrepresented-in-water-resources-management/

     

  • Women remain underrepresented in water resources management

    Women remain underrepresented in water resources management

    Advancing towards gender mainstreaming in water resources management

    A new report by the Global Water Partnership (GWP) and UNEP-DHI (United Nations Environment Programme Centre of Water and Environment), shows progress has been slow in countries meeting gender objectives in their water management policies and plans.

    In many developing countries, women are the de facto water decision makers in households. Research suggests that when women are involved in the management of water resources, their communities achieve better economic and environmental benefits. However, in many contexts, management of water is still male-dominated.

    See also complete study from in-depth interviews in 23 countries now available in Advancing towards gender mainstreaming in water resources management.

     

    https://www.unwater.org/women-remain-underrepresented-in-water-resources-management/

  • Women’s empowerment in water and sanitation

    Women’s empowerment in water and sanitation

    A systematic review and qualitative metasynthesis

    by Bethany A Caruso Author content

    Source and full PDF: researchgate.net

    Abstract and Figures

    Historically, water and sanitation programs have focused on women’s instrumental value in improving conditions and behaviors. No reviews have synthesized evidence on water and sanitation and women’s and girls’ empowerment.

    This review
    – a) identified empirical water and sanitation research that engaged empowerment and/or empowerment-related domains;
    – b) reported empowerment-related terminology used, research locations, methods leveraged, if water and/or sanitation was the focus; and
    – c) synthesized evidence. A conceptual model of women’s and girls’ empowerment, which includes three interrelated domains (agency, resources, institutional structures), informed the search and analysis.

    We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CABI Global Health, PsycINFO, CINAHL and AGRICOLA for peer-reviewed sources presenting research on water and/or sanitation and either empowerment and/or related terms from the model (4 May 2020). We identified 12,616 publications ; 257 were included, representing over 1,600,000 participants. We used the Mixed-Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) and followed the ‘best-fit framework synthesis’ analysis approach, using the model domains and sub-domains as codes. We inductively identified two additional sub-domains relevant to water and sanitation: privacy and freedom of movement.
    Thematic analysis guided synthesis of coded text. The majority of research took place in Asia (46%; 117) or Africa (40%; 102), engaged adults (69%; 177), and was published since 2010; (82%; 211). The greatest proportion of studies focused on water (45%; 115). Over half of studies used the term empowerment, yet only 7% (17) provided a clear definition or conceptualization.
    Agency was the least commonly engaged domain (47%; 122); the Resources domain was dominant (94%; 241).
    Measures for assessing empowerment are limited. Inclusion of only peer-reviewed sources in English is a main limitation.
    Well-conceptualized water and sanitation research that engages women’s and girls’ empowerment is limited.
    A more comprehensive ‘transformative WASH’ that includes gender-transformative approaches to challenge and reduce systemic constraints on women’s and girls’ resources and agency is long overdue.

    ….. /…..

    Definitions of empowerment and related domains and sub-domains from Van Eerdewijk et al. (2017)

    Definitions of empowerment and related domains and sub-domains from Van Eerdewijk et al. (2017)

  • Women's empowerment in water and sanitation

    Women's empowerment in water and sanitation

    A systematic review and qualitative metasynthesis

    by Bethany A Caruso Author content

    Source and full PDF: researchgate.net

    Abstract and Figures

    Historically, water and sanitation programs have focused on women’s instrumental value in improving conditions and behaviors. No reviews have synthesized evidence on water and sanitation and women’s and girls’ empowerment.

    This review
    – a) identified empirical water and sanitation research that engaged empowerment and/or empowerment-related domains;
    – b) reported empowerment-related terminology used, research locations, methods leveraged, if water and/or sanitation was the focus; and
    – c) synthesized evidence. A conceptual model of women’s and girls’ empowerment, which includes three interrelated domains (agency, resources, institutional structures), informed the search and analysis.

    We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CABI Global Health, PsycINFO, CINAHL and AGRICOLA for peer-reviewed sources presenting research on water and/or sanitation and either empowerment and/or related terms from the model (4 May 2020). We identified 12,616 publications ; 257 were included, representing over 1,600,000 participants. We used the Mixed-Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) and followed the ‘best-fit framework synthesis’ analysis approach, using the model domains and sub-domains as codes. We inductively identified two additional sub-domains relevant to water and sanitation: privacy and freedom of movement.
    Thematic analysis guided synthesis of coded text. The majority of research took place in Asia (46%; 117) or Africa (40%; 102), engaged adults (69%; 177), and was published since 2010; (82%; 211). The greatest proportion of studies focused on water (45%; 115). Over half of studies used the term empowerment, yet only 7% (17) provided a clear definition or conceptualization.
    Agency was the least commonly engaged domain (47%; 122); the Resources domain was dominant (94%; 241).
    Measures for assessing empowerment are limited. Inclusion of only peer-reviewed sources in English is a main limitation.
    Well-conceptualized water and sanitation research that engages women’s and girls’ empowerment is limited.
    A more comprehensive ‘transformative WASH’ that includes gender-transformative approaches to challenge and reduce systemic constraints on women’s and girls’ resources and agency is long overdue.

    ….. /…..

    Definitions of empowerment and related domains and sub-domains from Van Eerdewijk et al. (2017)

    Definitions of empowerment and related domains and sub-domains from Van Eerdewijk et al. (2017)

  • Water Woman Leadership Discussion: Gender Parity for Water Resilience

    Water Woman Leadership Discussion: Gender Parity for Water Resilience

    Is women water management different ?

    Water managers discuss the need for increasing gender parity in the workforce and share current and needed policies, practices and programs that can help scale solutions to bridging the gender gap.
    Featured panelists include Hayati Yarkadas, President, Water Infrastructure, Xylem, Sharon Peters, President/CEO, EMA, Inc., and Alicia Douglas, Founder/CEO, WaterRising Institute and the WaterWoman Project.
    Water for All Chair joins Water managers to discuss the need for increasing gender parity in the workforce and share current and needed policies, practices and programs that can help scale solutions to bridging the gender gap.  waterrising.org/

    Accelerating Gender Parity in Water Management

    WaterRising’s mission is to accelerate gender parity in water management by helping utilities, industries and government prioritize a gender-inclusive, water positive approach to solving our water crisis made urgent by the climate emergency

     

    See also :
    https://www.worldwaterweek.org/event/10711-waterwoman-leadership-discussion-gender-parity-for-water-resilience
    https://www.wri.org/insights/women-are-secret-weapon-better-water-management 2018
    https://www.unwater.org/women-remain-underrepresented-in-water-resources-management/ Jan 2022
    https://www.researchgate.net/publication/361465404_Water_sanitation_and_women’s_empowerment_A_systematic_review_and_qualitative_metasynthesis Jun 2022

     

     

  • Concerning Change to Earth’s Water Cycle, Satellite Data Reveal

    Concerning Change to Earth’s Water Cycle, Satellite Data Reveal

    Climate scientists expect a greater evaporation on the ocean surface

    Climate change is throwing Earth’s water cycle severely out of whack. According to new satellite data, freshwaters are growing fresher and salt waters are growing saltier at an increasingly rapid rate all around the world. If this pattern continues, it will turbocharge rainstorms.
    The findings indicate a severe acceleration of the global water cycle – a sign that isn’t as clearly observed in direct salinity measurements from ocean buoys, which typically measure a little below the surface of the ocean. However, it’s commonly predicted in climate models.

    As global temperatures increase, climate scientists expect there will be greater evaporation on the ocean surface, which will make the top layer of the sea saltier and add moisture to the atmosphere.

    …. / ….

    Source and more : sciencealert.com
    Le cycle de l’Eau s’accélère

    Satellite view of Hurricane Dorian in 2019. (Roberto Machado Noa/Getty Images)

     

  • Concerning Change to Earth's Water Cycle, Satellite Data Reveal

    Concerning Change to Earth's Water Cycle, Satellite Data Reveal

    Climate scientists expect a greater evaporation on the ocean surface

    Climate change is throwing Earth’s water cycle severely out of whack. According to new satellite data, freshwaters are growing fresher and salt waters are growing saltier at an increasingly rapid rate all around the world. If this pattern continues, it will turbocharge rainstorms.
    The findings indicate a severe acceleration of the global water cycle – a sign that isn’t as clearly observed in direct salinity measurements from ocean buoys, which typically measure a little below the surface of the ocean. However, it’s commonly predicted in climate models.

    As global temperatures increase, climate scientists expect there will be greater evaporation on the ocean surface, which will make the top layer of the sea saltier and add moisture to the atmosphere.

    …. / ….

    Source and more : sciencealert.com
    Le cycle de l’Eau s’accélère

    Satellite view of Hurricane Dorian in 2019. (Roberto Machado Noa/Getty Images)

     

  • Taking the “F” out of forever chemicals

    Taking the “F” out of forever chemicals

    The right solvent mix breaks down perfluorinated organic acids

    Source and more : Science.org

    SHIRA JOUDAN AND RYLAN J. LUNDGREN

    Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—sometimes called “forever chemicals” because of their chemical stability—are synthetic molecules widely used in consumer products (1).

    Ironically, the characteristics that make these compounds useful, such as lipoand hydrophobicity, high thermal stability, and resistance to chemical degradation, also lead to pervasive contamination in the environment (2). Moreover, chronic exposure to these chemicals has been associated with a host of negative human health effects (3).

    Unfortunately, the carbon-fluorine bonds in PFAS are among the most inert in organic compounds, which means that their destruction requires brutal treatment, such as incineration at high temperatures.

    On page 839 of this issue, Trang et al. (4) show that under specific mild conditions, perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs), which are a type of PFAS, undergo spontaneous decomposition into benign inorganic fluoride ions and simple oxygenated organic molecules.

    …. / ….

    Breaking down forever chemicals
    Breaking down forever chemicals

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    References and Notes

    1
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    S. E. Fenton et al., Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 40, 606 (2021).
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    H. K. Liberatore, S. R. Jackson, M. J. Strynar, J. P. McCord, Environ. Sci. Technol. Lett. 7, 477 (2020).
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    C. Zhang et al., Environ. Sci. Technol. 56, 6103 (2022).
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    D. Kong et al., Science 369, 557 (2020).
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    G. Destro et al., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 59, 13490 (2020).
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    S. Zhou et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 143, 137 (2021).
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    J. Wang et al., Environ. Sci. Technol. 56, 5355 (2022).
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  • Increasing stratification as observed by satellite sea surface salinity measurements – Nature.com

    Increasing stratification as observed by satellite sea surface salinity measurements – Nature.com

    Source and more : Nature.com Science Reports

    Abstract

    Changes in the Earth’s water cycle can be estimated by analyzing sea surface salinity. This variable reflects the balance between precipitation and evaporation over the ocean, since the upper layers of the ocean are the most sensitive to atmosphere–ocean interactions.

    In situ measurements lack spatial and temporal synopticity and are typically acquired at few meters below the surface.

    Satellite measurements, on the contrary, are synoptic, repetitive and acquired at the surface. Here we show that the satellite-derived sea surface salinity measurements evidence an intensification of the water cycle (the freshest waters become fresher and vice-versa) which is not observed at the in-situ near-surface salinity measurements. The largest positive differences between surface and near-surface salinity trends are located over regions characterized by a decrease in the mixed layer depth and the sea surface wind speed, and an increase in sea surface temperature, which is consistent with an increased stratification of the water column due to global warming.

    These results highlight the crucial importance of using satellites to unveil critical changes on ocean–atmosphere fluxes.

    …… / ……

     

    From: Increasing stratification as observed by satellite sea surface salinity measurements

    Figure 2

    Top row: salinity average in 2011–2018 as observed by the satellite (SSS) (left) and by the model (NSS) (right). Middle row: satellite SSS trends (left) and model NSS trends (right) in 2011–2018. Locations with trends being different from zero with a 95%95% level of confidence are represented in black. Bottom plot: mean SSS (black) and NSS (blue) trend as a function of averaged SSS and NSS (respectively) in the same period. The shadowed area represents the confidence interval of the 95%95%. Maps are plotted with Panoply v 4.12.0 (https://www.giss.nasa.gov/tools/panoply/).

    https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-10265-1

     

    Read also :
    https://www.sciencealert.com/earth-s-water-cycle-is-accelerating-and-it-s-cause-for-great-concern