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Since TapIt first launched with Global Tap in San Francisco last year, the number of hydration stations across the city has gone from a single unit to eight, including two at the San Francisco International Airport. The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission promotes these bottle refilling locations as a healthy alternative to single-use plastic water bottles by providing a way to refill on the go.

The 8 stations are located throughout the city, with an interactive Google map pinpointing their locations. The agency has installed the tap stations to provide everyone with free access to high-quality, great tasting tap water from the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in Yosemite National Park. The water costs less than half a penny per gallon, is tested over 100,000 times per year, and is held to higher standards and regulations set by than EPA than some bottled water companies. 

A conservation and research group in the San Francisco Bay Area has reported that more than 100 leopard shark carcasses have washed ashore since the beginning of April. Although larger scale die-offs of the sharks are somewhat common, with causes generally linked to natural infections, scientists are concerned that particularly large die-off is related to water pollution.

Although there is little to no threat to human water supply, the executive director of the Pelagic Shark Research Foundation expressed concern that the canals in which the sharks swim has become polluted with bacteria-infested stagnant water due to control of the canal system by tidal gates. Four of the shark carcasses have been taken to labs for additional research. The illness that has caused the large-scales deaths involve an infection contracted through the nose, which later blinds the sharks and leaves them paralyzed and pushed ashore with the tide. Three of the sharks under investigation show signs of infections in the digestive and nervous system.

This alarming find speaks to the importance of keeping waterways clean, even those smaller resources not used for drinking water. The leopard shark is typically a resilient species not often plagued with such diseases. With water pollution or poor waterway control as possible causes, there might be several other species affected in these ecosystems. Such pollution has the potential to greatly alter aquatic landscapes and threaten species.

Photo Credit: "Leopard Shark" by chrisada from flickr used under the creative commons copyright. 

April 22nd, better known to many as Earth Day 2011, encompassed a wide range of publicity, activism, and events geared towards a push for going green and improving environmental stewardship.  Amid the many components of environmental awareness covered at countless talks and celebrations was, of course, water.

President Obama noted in his Earth Day Address that "Every American deserves the cleanest air, the safest water, and unpolluted land, and each person can take steps to protect those precious resources." He also noted that the purity of drinking water effects both people and the economy.

Many popular news and media sources provided ways to reduce one's environmental impact this Earth Day, also bringing attention to water. USA Today gave a peak into various Earth Day events being held nationwide, among them were water-ecology events and the unveiling of a new kind of reusable water bottle. The Huffington Post posted support for charitywater.org, highlighted the atrocity that one in eight people live without access to safe drinking water, and launched an Earth Day mission to inform the seven people will access to clean water about the one without it. A video, "Water Changes Everything" can be seen on The Huffington Post site.

Many municipalities and regional news sources also celebrated Earth Day by bringing attention to drought and water. For example, a Patch site in Southern California, took a time out on Earth Day to create a two part series explaining where local water came from and what is in the works to conserve it. In Port Orchard, Washington, Kitsap County celebrated Earth Day by handing out annual awards for to nine recipients for outstanding environmental stewardship. Among the recipients were companies and small businesses dedicated to clean water initiatives.

These are just a few of thousands of celebrations this past Earth Day that highlighted the many facets of water conservation. There is no doubt that water is rapidly becoming a focus of climate conversations and pushes for sustainability.

Photo Credit: "Earth" by Tonynetone from Flickr used under the Creative Commons Copyright     

Although many Americans live in regions where April showers bring May flowers, some parts of the country know April as one of the least drought-resistant months of the year. In Florida, April is not only one of the driest months of the year, but is also a peak demand month for use of public water and other water sources.

Floridians can now highlight April as a time to conserve our planet's most precious resource. Several counties and municipalities have officially designated April as Water Conservation Month. The St. John's River Water Management District, which contains an 18-county area, is among parts of Florida to also put water use restrictions in effect. In a state where thousands begin their outdoor lawn care and irrigation activities in April, many sources have given Floridians new ways to reduce water use.

The Southwest Florida Management District is asking residents to pledge to conserve water using specific techniques such as replacing high-use shower heads. The American Water Works Association in Florida (AWWA) also offers suggestions for ways residents can conserve through April and beyond.

The state of Arizona is also hailing April as Water Awareness Month and is asking residents to be conscious of the amount of water each person uses. Additionally, there is a calendar of events for Arizona residents who would like learn ways to be more environmentally conscious and participate in community sustainability initiatives.

Even outside states where drought is common, throughout the month of April people begin to use more water for outdoor activities nationwide. By using some of the sources provided for Florida residents, everyone can ensure a more sustainable start to spring.

Photo Credit: "Life in Sunny Florida" by Meaghan Gloede 

At a young age we were all taught the science behind the process of photosynthesis: plants take carbon dioxide from the air, water from the soil, and using the energy from the sun...they produce and emit oxygen. But the Cambridge, Mass. based biotechnology company Joule Unlimited is breaking the laws of nature with lofty and exciting claims that their genetically engineered organism secretes ethanol wherever it finds water, carbon dioxide, and sunlight.

 

Founded in 2007, Joule Unlimited has spent the past three years forming their breakthrough cyanobacteria technology, which if successful will revolutionize the world's energy industry and end our dependence on fossil fuels. Understanding the power of this new technology, Bill Sims, the chief executive of Joule Unlimited stated: "If we're right, there's no reason why this technology can't change the world."

 

Creating fuel with the help of solar energy has been tested for decades and is by no means a new scientific discipline. Extracting fuel from algae and producing ethanol from corn are just a couple of methods explored in the goal to replace fossil fuels. But Joule says that they have eliminated the middleman that has made producing these bio fuel alternatives so costly on a large scale.  Replacing the tons of corn and algae that must be grown and processed with a renewable organism that secretes a completed product cuts the production price to pennies on the dollar.

 

The cyanobacteria organisms are engineered to take in sunlight and CO2, which then produce and secrete ethanol (hydrocarbons), which are the basis of numerous fuels. Joule claims that this genetically engineered organism can be manipulated to produce now renewable fuels on demand at unprecedented rates, with costs comparable to the cheapest of fossil fuels...but not everyone is convinced.

 

Timothy Donohue, the director of the Great lakes Bioenergy Research Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, thinks that Joule must demonstrate its cyanobacteria technology at a larger scale before claiming victory. "The four letter word that's the biggest stumbling block is whether it 'will' work. There are really good ideas that fail during scale up," said Donohue.

 

But skepticism has failed to take the wind out of Bill Sims's sails. "There's always skeptics for breakthrough technologies, and they can ride home on their horse and use their abacus to calculate their checkbook balance."

 

Joule's revolutionary claims will be put to the test this year, as they plan to break ground on a 10-acre demonstration facility to quiet the skeptics of their ethanol-creating organism. With the numerous environmental benefits that will follow the success of this new technology, lets hope that Sims' optimistic enthusiasm is not in vain.

Photo Credit: The Associated Press

Now that "going green" and "sustainability" have become terms more commonly thrown around in the business sector, universities nationwide have begun incorporating water issues into their curriculum, offering courses and degrees that focus on resource management and conservation. Water issues and resource efficiency have also infiltrated business schools, including MBA and economics programs, with growth in coursework each year that introduces students to corporate sustainable practices involving water.

One example of of such programs is at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business, where students can join a dual MBA/MS in Environmental and Risk Management, with coursework that focuses specifically on water issues. Some graduate business programs, such as at the Illinois Institute of Technology, offer classes in Water Policy and Management. Much of this new coursework, such as elective classes offered that highlight water conservation, look specifically at how sustainable initiatives and renewable resource use can be beneficial for business. The Boston University School of Management offers such elective courses that consults water issues. A new MBA program at UC Davis boasts coursework in ethics and sustainability. Online MBA programs are now offering MBAs in Sustainability, including Antioch University New England. Offering a Green MBA is expected to be a growing trend both online and on campus. 

Outside of the MBA track, students at seasoned, new, and forthcoming programs also have the opportunity to study business ethics and tactics as they relate to water. Programs such as the MS in Environmental Systems Management at Pratt Institute offers coursework in both environmental economics and water quality issues. Milano The New School for Management and Urban Policy also offers an area of specialization in Sustainability Management with classes that examine water issues and policy. Next year Milano will begin offering an MS in Environmental Policy and Sustainability Management, of which one goal is to train professionals to possibly enter the business world and act as sustainability officers and leaders in the corporate environment.

The aforementioned are only a few examples of graduate-level programs that explore water issues in terms of good business. Although the number of current MBA programs is small, more departments with interests in water conservation and sustainability are forming each year. Conservation and "going green" are growing interests in both the business sector and business schools, and there is most definitely hope for a sustainable corporate future.

Photo Credit: "University" by OddBod from Flickr used under the Creative Commons Copyright

A known carcinogen, hexavalent chromium has been found in water supplies all over the United States. The chemical, also known as hex chrome, is used in the production of stainless steel and as an anti-corrosion substance.

Some experts are worried about the findings, including the chairman of the department of environmental medicine at New York University's School of Medicine Max Costa who calls the levels "disturbing."

Currently, the EPA does not regulate the amount of hexavalent chromium in drinking water, though they are considering whether to establish a limit.  California is also proposing a "public health goal" to limit the chemical to .06ppb (parts per billion)--a number that some industries consider unreasonably low.

Others, however, are unconcerned with the current rates in drinking water.  Berkley's School of Public Health epidemiology professor Dr. Allan Smith notes that "the public should not be alarmed by the very small concentrations being reported for most cities."  He feels that worrying about hexavalent chromium "diverts energy and resources from more important public health concerns."  He notes that nobody is paying attention to much larger problems in our nation's water supply such as the "large number of private wells in the U.S. [that] contain arsenic at much higher concentrations than the...drinking water standard."

Photo Credit water drops, Rene Ehrhardt, Flickr used under Creative Commons Copyright.

Governor David Paterson has taken the middle ground on the issue of fracking until more of the science and groundwater effects are documented.

Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is a technique used to access natural gas by drilling into rock formations and injecting a slew of chemicals, water, and sand.  Many environmental groups argue that this process can be extremely hazardous in polluting groundwater sources, since companies are not obligated to disclose the types of chemicals that they use.  There are two types of fracking: lateral and horizontal. While lateral is the most common, horizontal fracking is the more worrisome of the two. After drilling deep into the ground, they proceeds horizontally, reaching more surface area, which has a higher risk of contaminating the water table with chemicals and gas.

 

Paterson vetoed a bill that would have curbed fracking, and instead issued a moratorium on "high-volume, horizontal hydraulic fracking."  While the moratorium is set for a longer period (July 1, 2011) than the original bill's May 15, 2011 expiration date, it only applies to certain kinds of  horizontal fracking, that are less common. The vetoed bill would have applied to all fracking activity. 

 

Executive Director Brad Gill of the Independent Oil and Gas Association of New York is "pleased" on the governor's decision and agrees with Paterson's statement that the bill was "well intentioned, [but] would have a serious impact on our state if signed into law," including job losses.

 

However, not everyone is so contented with the outcome.  Watershed program director Craig Michaels of Riverkeeper, a New York based environmental group, worries that companies will abuse this partial moratorium.  "The environmental community will be watching closely to assure that industry does not side-step environmental review by conducting an onslaught of vertical drilling and then converting those vertical wells to horizontal wells."

 

Governor Paterson is not the only decision-maker on the topic of fracking, though.  The Delaware River Basin Commission, which oversees the Delaware River watershed is moving to allow fracking, which will affect parts of New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania.  Paterson objected to these proposed rules, stating that it would only cause "confusion, duplication, redundant regulatory fee assessments, differing regulations in different locations, and possible mismanagement."

 

The EPA is investigating the potential effects of ground water pollution while Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is debating forcing gas companies to disclose the chemical concoction they inject into the ground during hydraulic fracturing.

Photo Credit: PGH2 10, Marcellus Protest from Flickr used under Creative Commons Copyright.

A recent report titled the Overview of Greywater Reuse conducted by the Pacific Institute in Oakland, CA has demonstrated the potential use of gray water systems. Gray water systems reuse excess water created from our showers, washing machines, or sinks and after treating it though a filtration system.  About half of the water used in American homes can actually be reused for jobs such as watering lawns or flushing toilets, potentially reducing our water usage by half.  In a typical home without a gray water system, the water used to do these jobs are as clean as the water flowing from your faucet.  A gray water system offers an alternative that prevents pure water  from being unnecessarily used when recycled water could do just as well.  In essence, we don't need clean drinking water flowing into our toilets.

 

Gray water might just be the step into the future that we need to help staunch the endless need of water in this country.  Pacific Institute's senior research associate Juliet Christian-Smith explained, "The 20th century was dominated by a paradigm of water supply and water extraction which focused on large-scale centralized resources like reservoirs, canals and pipelines that have been very successful at moving water and providing a higher standard of living but also come with social, environmental, energy and economic costs that weren't apparent from the beginning...As we move into the 21st century, we're starting to think about other options ... such as demand management - conservation and efficiency - and to look at new technologies that reuse water."

While there are no federal guidelines for gray water systems and regulations vary from state to state,  most do have some laws concerning how citizens are able to reuse their water.  While some states such as California allow the water to be filtered naturally through the soil, most states require it to be treated before reuse to remove any pollutants.  Many states, including New York, are realizing the benefits of reclaimed wastewater and offering tax credits to install gray water systems.  Interested in helping reduce your water usage? 

Check out New York's Green Building Tax Credit or contact the Department of Environmental Conservation at 625 Broadway Albany, NY 12233-1750 Phone: 518-402-9469 Fax: 518-402-9168.

For information on other states' gray water policies, including California, Connecticut, New Jersey, and others, check out Oasis Design, who gives not only __ but also explains more about the importance and benefits of gray water systems.

One great way to be more sustainable is to  eliminate single-use plastic bags by replacing them with reusable ones.  Well, that may be the right answer to the problem, but you have to be careful of what types of reusable bag you use.

 

There are reports that several types of plastic reusable bags contain levels of lead that may cause issue when they are disposed of, seeping dangerous heavy metal into the groundwater.  They may also be harmful if paint from the bag begins to flake off and touch food.

 

Many New York City residents are frustrated by the news, feeling that using reusable bags should be reducing waste, not creating potential water pollution. Yet there is a solution to the lead problem: don't use plastic reusable bags. Instead, try canvas or other cloth bags. 

Bags such as those made by The Cloth Bag Company are made in the United States and can be made from either 100% cotton or EcoSpun®, a fiber made from recycled soda bottles. Bags can also be printed with a customized image such as a company logo using silkscreening or heat transferring, neither of which will leave you worrying about dangerous heavy metals.

Other companies such as One Bag At A Time also offer tons of great options for reusable, non-toxic bags, including bags made of the plant jute, which is completely biodegradable in your garden or compost pile once you've gotten years of use out of it.  They also offer canvas-like bags made of recyclable, non-toxic, and non-allergenic polypropylene. Bags can be made in dozens of colors, including custom designs. One Bag At A Time also makes a wide variety of specialty bags such as insulated, wine, and lunch bags. 

Also check out ReuseIt.com, who makes "reusables for every part of your life." They also give ideas for all types of reusable products, including gift wrap and produce bags.

 

New York Democrat Senator Charles E. Schumer has written the Food and Drug Administration to investigate the issue, but in the mean time, start thinking about the benefits of using toxic-free bags such as those made by The Cloth Bag Company or One Bag At A Time.

Photo Credit: One Bag At A Time