Planet Earth Has Less Water Than We Think!
As a child, you are told a lot of things about this great planet of ours. We are the third of nine planets in the Solar System (now eight and one dwarf planet), Mount Everest is the tallest mountain on the planet, and the Earth’s surface is 70% water. With a figure like that, it’s easy to assume that water is pretty much an infinite resource. However, according to the U. S. Geological Survey, if you were to take all of the water on the planet (including fresh water, sea water, ground water, water vapor and water inside our bodies), it would only make a sphere 860 miles in diameter. 860 miles!? You can drive that in a day – it’s about the distance from Salt Lake City to Topeka, Kansas.
860 miles, that’s nearly 1,400 kilometres, slightly more than the entire span of all the Great Lakes.
From World Water Day, one of 36 photos. Here, a journalist takes a sample of polluted red-colored water in the Jianhe River in Luoyang, Henan province, China, on December 13, 2011. According to local media, the sources of the pollution were two illegal chemical plants discharging their production waste water into the rain sewer pipes. (Reuters/China Daily)
These are some pretty amazing/horrifying photos.
Europe's water resources 'under pressure'
If I am accepted into my water resources engineering graduate program it seems like there will be plenty of work cut out for me…
The Next Generation of Renewable Energy May Be Created Under Water
Last week, a federal energy regulation agency granted the first-ever commercial license for a tidal power project, which will have a maximum of 30 turbines working under the surface of New York City’s East River. The agency has also issued 100 preliminary permits to projects in earlier stages.
How do we carry out maintenance on tidal turbines? And for the eventual massive coastal tidal systems, what about the migration routes of sea animals and the amendment of navigable waters regulations? What about disaster contingency planning for tsunamis?
Perhaps we could even design and build an underwater turbine with an above-water wind tubine and operate a two-in-one system?
MIT finds a new cleaning solution
Water charged with electricity on site replaces chemicals at conference center.
“The process works by passing a low-voltage electrical current through salt water, which separates the water’s sodium and chloride ions. The sodium ions are then exposed to a negative electrical charge, which creates sodium hydroxide, commonly known as lye. The chloride ions are exposed to a positive electrical charge, which turns chloride into hypochlorous acid - the active sanitizing ingredient in bleach.”
What I learnt today
Practice
In water treatment, magnetic ion exchange resins are very effective at removing negatively charged contaminants such as dissolved organic content, sulphate, nitrate, phosphate, and arsenic. This technology is becoming increasingly popular among progressive municipalities.
Pointless
Practical
I leave my rechargeable electric toothbrush on the edge of the bathtub and use it as my shower timer. It gives me feedback every two minutes; five buzzes means I’ve been in there for ten minutes. This prevents the wet daydreaming.
See what I did there?
Perspective
Emotional and persuasive perception of fonts.
“Analysis showed that satirical readings in Times New Roman were perceived as more funny and angry than those in Arial.”
Pleasure
N/A
Practice
Engineered Graphite Oxide Materials for Application in Water Purification
Read the non-technical and technical articles.
Pointless
Do not stir in protein whey into coffee. It does not mix, and it looks and smells like regurgitated roadkill.
Practical
Excel Pivot Tables.
It was almost as exciting as the day I learnt how to use GoalSeek! I’m still an Excel noob after all.
Perception
A smartphone is completely unnecessary for me right now. Zero calls and texts over a long weekend speaks for itself.
Pleasure
Vegetarian lunches at work do not induce food comas!
I am on a Facebook hiatus.
Finally, I can get done some of the things I’ve been meaning to do like reading What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell, reviewing integrated water resources management, studying my Chinese workbook, watch TED talks, and just not give a rat’s behind on stuff that doesn’t concern me!
