Entries by Kaye LaFond

The Stream, April 2: Daily Fracking Violations in Colorado, Pennsylvania, West Virginia

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The Global Rundown Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Colorado saw 4,600 fracking violations between 2009 and 2013. The Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan are vulnerable to increasingly intense climate events. China has opened its water markets to foreign investors. “It’s extremely difficult for the public to get this kind of information. The companies are violating the […]

The Stream, March 27: Antarctic Floating Ice Shelves Melting Rapidly

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The Global Rundown Rainfall and rising lake levels near Dallas, Texas have caused officials to consider easing of water restrictions, and China‘s new environmental law has hit a couple of state-run refineries with fines. Antarctic ice shelves are melting rapidly, and farmers in India will soon be able to access satellite crop data via their […]

The Stream, March 26: Climate Change Slows Down the Atlantic Ocean

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The Global Rundown Melting ice in Greenland has hindered normal circulation of the Atlantic that brings heat north from the tropics. California residents don’t think their neighbors are doing enough to conserve water, and many citizens of Ireland may refuse to pay their water bills. Flooding has killed four and interrupted copper mining in northern Chile, […]

The Stream, March 20: $1 Billion in Emergency Funding for California Drought Announced

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The Global Rundown The United Nations has unveiled a report that demonstrates how lack of water access disproportionately affects women. California Governor Jerry Brown and top lawmakers have unveiled $US 1 billion in emergency drought spending. Kenya has started a national fund to improve water access, with government agencies, NGOs and businesses all participating. Finally, […]

The Stream, March 19: Population Could Push Global Water Demand Past Supply

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The Global Rundown Population growth may cause global water demand to surpass supply if per capita consumption does not decrease enough, according to a new study. Meanwhile, Taiwan is further restricting water supplies as its record drought shows no signs of ending. The State of California is being reminded of its obligation to the Salton Sea, and […]

The Stream, March 13: One Year of Water in California’s Reservoirs

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The Global Rundown California‘s reservoirs have only one year’s supply of water left, while Russia‘s Lake Baikal is at a record low and infected with algae. A number of people have died as a result of flooding in Angola. Suez Environnement will bring 40 of their global brands under one name, and one of Jupiter‘s moons […]

The Stream, March 12: Florida State Employees Can’t Say ‘Climate Change’

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The Global Rundown State employees in Florida are forbidden to formally discuss climate change, and the Detroit Water and Sewerage Board has approved a rate increase for next year. Agadir, Morocco will benefit from a new desalination plant, and Haiti has benefited from nonprofit Plumbers Without Borders. One of Saturn‘s moons is home to an ocean […]

The Stream, March 6: Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan Reach Preliminary Nile Agreement

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The Global Rundown Residents of Namibia‘s capital are being told to save water amid drought fears, and the Chinese are buying a lot of bottled water because they fear their tap water. Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan have come to a preliminary agreement about operation of the Renaissance Dam on the Nile, and the Achuar tribe of […]

The Stream, March 5: How Much Shower Water Wasted on Getting Hot?

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The Global Rundown A new study says that India, Bangladesh, and China are most at risk due to increased flooding from climate change, while the government of Thailand is testing floating houses to prepare for climate-related flooding. Also in Thailand, the government is offering rice farmers substitute jobs due to extended drought. Hong Kong‘s water rates may double. […]

Infographic: Too Warm to Snow in California, Oregon, and Washington

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Snowpack in February 2015 was pitifully low in the Cascades and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges. By Kaye LaFond Circle of Blue The Cascades and the Sierra Nevada, two major mountain ranges in the American West, experienced record-high temperatures in February 2015. In most areas, even in the middle of winter, it was too warm to […]

Israel and Jordan Agree to Share Water, But Fall Short of Saving Dead Sea

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The $US 900 million deal on scaled-back scheme neglects Palestine. Photo © Kaye LaFond / Circle of Blue The Dead Sea, which draws millions of visitors and supports a unique ecosystem, is shrinking at the rate of 1 meter per year. Click image to enlarge. By Kaye LaFond Circle of Blue A long-awaited binational agreement […]

The Stream, February 27: Palestinian City Gets Approval for Water

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The Global Rundown Detroit community members are unhappy about looming water service rate hikes, and Iowa residents support their water utility in a lawsuit against some upstream drainage districts. Israel and Jordan have made more progress on a desalination and water-sharing project, and Israel has agreed to let a new Palestinian city connect to the […]