Entries by Codi Kozacek

The Stream, January 27: Water Pollution Strikes Chinese River

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Levels of cadmium, a carcinogen, measured 20 percent higher than the official limit in China’s Longjiang River, Xinhua reported. The pollution, which may have been caused by mining, spurred a rush to buy bottled water amid fears of drinking water contamination. Weather Extremes Floods killed 6 people in Fiji and displaced 3,500 following heavy rains, […]

The Stream, January 25: Milk, Arsenic and Mexico’s Water

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Arsenic Arsenic is tainting freshwater supplies in Mexico’s Laguna region, the country’s biggest milk producer, as dairy operations, upstream dams and climate change deplete aquifers, AlertNet reported. In Chile, people exposed to high levels of arsenic in their drinking water during the 1950s have a higher risk of cancer despite subsequent contamination control, according to […]

The Stream, January 20: Mongolia’s Mining Boom

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Vast mineral wealth and growing demand from China are driving a huge mining boom in Mongolia, where the International Monetary Fund predicts the economy will grow an average of 14 percent a year between 2012 and 2016, The Economist reported. The rapid growth could impact the region’s aquifers. The mismanagement of groundwater resources could threaten […]

The Stream, January 18: Commercial Agriculture Displaces Ethiopians

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Agriculture The Ethiopian government is relocating thousands of people from the country’s Gambella region in order to make way for commercial agriculture, the Guardian reported, citing a report from Human Rights Watch. The report argues that citizens are not getting proper compensation for the land, and that relocation threatens their food security. A new government […]

The Stream, January 13: Water Pollution Looms In Lake Titicaca

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Growing urban populations, poor infrastructure and unenforced environmental regulations are contributing to the pollution of South America’s Lake Titicaca, the Guardian reported. The pollution threatens fishing and agriculture in the region. Australians should expect to pay 15 percent more for home insurance as the country’s biggest insurer raises premiums to offset a 40-50 percent cut […]

The Stream, January 11: Investors Tell Companies To Look At Water Security

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Companies are not taking water security seriously when preparing their financial projections, according to some investors who fear that supply chains could be severely impacted by a lack of water, Bloomberg News reported. Ports on Lake Victoria are having trouble accommodating boats as water levels continue to drop, falling as much as 5 meters, AlertNet […]

Advance of the Invader: Asian Carp Continue March to Northern Waters

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Live carp have been found in North Dakota and past the electric barriers in Chicago. As the carp push forward, Michigan and other Great Lakes states are once again asking the U.S. Supreme Court to speed up action to stop the advance of the invader.

The Stream, January 6: U.S. Toxic Releases Increased, Says EPA Report

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United States The release of toxic chemicals into the environment increased 16 percent in the United States during 2010, according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s newest annual Toxics Release Inventory, UPI reported. The U.S. EPA may retest water in a Pennsylvania town for contamination from nearby natural gas drilling operations, Reuters reported. The EPA stated […]

The Stream, January 4: China’s Largest Freshwater Lake Shrinks

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Poyang Lake, China’s largest freshwater lake, currently has less than 200 square kilometers (77.2 square miles) of water surface area due to drought, Xinhua reported. Record low water levels on the Ganjiang River, which feeds into the lake, could cause water shortages in nearby cities. Israeli companies can use the West Bank’s natural resources for […]

The Stream, December 30: Great Lakes Water Levels May Drop

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Water levels are expected to rise on Lake Erie and Lake Ontario in the next six months, but unusually warm winter temperatures may lead to less ice cover and more evaporation, ultimately reducing Great Lakes water levels, The Detroit News reported, citing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ latest forecast. Wasting natural resources, such as […]

The Stream, December 28: Water Policy Plans

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Thailand is creating an $11 billion fund for flood water management and infrastructure, Reuters reported. Another $1.5 billion will be set aside for insurance. China invested nearly $53 billion in water conservation in 2011, Xinhua reported, citing China’s Ministry of Water Resources. The central government’s investments were a 70 percent increase over spending in 2010. […]

The Stream, December 23: Water Concerns In Argentina

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Water access and use are a concern in Argentina, where 11 percent of the population does not have a piped water source and the average consumption per person is more than three times that of Brazil, the Guardian reported, citing a study by Green Cross Argentina. Shell spilled an estimated 20,000 barrels of oil off […]