Entries by Sarah Haughn

British Blouses Contaminate Uganda’s Groundwater, Cause Malaria

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KAMPALA, Uganda — Amidst a hungry hoard of giant Marabou storks, a lone reporter picks through a pile of trash. He finds there a collection of synthetic clothing from Britain, clothing environmentalists say disrupts and pollutes the city’s groundwater supply. “Non-biodegradable clothes tamper with the soil’s productivity – they stop water from entering and the […]

Cities Abolish Bottled Water in Canada

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City conference tables in Canada, once neatly circumferenced with complementary water bottles, no longer need the plastic. A new resolution already has 27 Canadian cities phasing out the bottled water option. Officials at the Toronto City Hall now drink their water out of jugs and glasses. The beverage is provided for them courtesy of their […]

Remember Zimbabwe? It’s Much Worse Now.

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Friday was to mark the end of U.S. sanctions against Mugabe’s crippled Zimbabwe. President Obama, however, has announced a one year extension, saying threats to U.S. policy there remain “extraordinary.” Sarah Haughn99.198.125.162/~circl731/about/staff/#Sarah

The Power of Plastic: Research Reveals Hidden Costs of Bottled Water

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As the second most highly purchased beverage in the nation, bottled water ranks right behind soft drinks. But new research shows the energy costs of bottled water are extraordinarily high. A report recently published in Environmental Research Letters takes a rigorous look at the power required to deliver bottled water from source to shelf. Authored […]

Outsourcing Irrigation, Farming Discontent

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World Economic Forum Report Warns Water Scarcity May Breed New Form of Colonization, Urges Trade Reforms Madagascar, blessed with an abundance of fresh water and other natural resources, may hold the key to solving global water shortages, but at what price for the developing nation? by Sarah Haughn Circle of Blue As February wanes, riots […]

Eco-Phone to Communicate Future of Sustainable Technology

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BARCELONA — The days of can-to-can communication are over. To celebrate, Samsung recently announced its newest eco-savvy cell phone. Christened Blue Earth, the mobile device is made from recycled water bottles. Equipped with a solar panel on its backside, the phone drinks energy from the sun. According to Wired, Samsung is guarding its secret closely […]

Betting Green on Blue: What does the Stimulus Package do for Water?

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For all those environmentally conscious tax payers who tossed their share of loose change into the proverbial wishing well of the federal budget, the optimism might soon pay off. When Barack Obama signs the nation’s record-breaking $787 billion stimulus package, $6 billion should flow to water infrastructure repair, river and lake cleanup operations, as well […]

Is Management Just for Men? 5th World Water Forum Calls Gender into Question

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For centuries women have been responsible for water use — not only in the home, but also in the fields. Yet few women participate in resource management. Across the world men still make a significant majority of the decisions when it comes to controlling water. This year, the world is ready to talk about why. […]

Opinion: Rural Farmers Know Wind, Water Well

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A windmill may conjure fantasies of quaint Dutch pastoralism, but to some farmers in California they still serve a practical purpose. In rural areas where water bills are rare, residents must be more aware of their source and how they tap it. Business, real estate and construction lawyer Robert B. Jacobs suggests this awareness remains […]

Students Compete for Best Fount of Knowledge

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At St. Mary’s University in Minnesota, a sip from the campus drinking fountains will have you swallowing more than water. In a college-wide competition, students have a month to adopt a fountain and decorate it creatively with facts and processes concerning drinking water. Katie LaPlant, chairwoman of the Adopt a Water Fountain Committee at St. […]

Minnesota Worries Fighting Flames Poisons Water

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Tests begin next month to determine whether a foam firefighters use to extinguish flames has contaminated groundwater in Minnesota and possibly nationwide. Originally made by 3M, perfluorochemicals that coat fires to prevent explosions and expansions are cropping up at alarmingly high levels in the groundwater of at least 15 towns. The chemical group is most […]

Monsoon of Ash: Drought Ravaged Australia on Fire

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Parched to a crisp, Australia’s prayers for rain seem to have fallen on sadistic ears. Instead of a quenching downpour, the southern curve of the continent now fights raging flames. The fires flying across Victoria and New South Wales have claimed over 100 lives, reports the BBC. It is the deadliest blaze in Australia’s history. […]