Entries by Cody Pope

U.S. funded wastewater treatment plant flounders in Falluja

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The Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR) found major delays and setbacks in the wastewater reconstruction project for Falluja. Federal investigators determined that the project is more than two years behind schedule and nearly three times over budget. The report, released today, said that the project — originally slated to bring clean water to […]

Water: A hidden cost in alternative fuels?

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Alternative fuels can be water-intensive. That’s according to a new report by researchers from the University of Texas at Austin. The report, Water Intensity of Transportation, highlights the hidden costs associated with extracting, refining and producing various fuel alternatives. Co-authors Carey King and Michael Webber examine fuel sources as diverse as biofuels, compressed natural gas […]

Photo essay — “Thirsty world: Desperate quest for water”

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What Matters, a new anthology by David Elliot Cohen, continues to make waves with its water-focused photojournalism. CNN recently featured a photo essay by Circle of Blue contributing photographer Brent Stirton and the Pacific Institute’s Dr. Peter Gleick The slide show, narrated by Gleick and featuring Stirton’s photography, highlights the global water and sanitation crisis. […]

Senator Obama’s comments heat up water wars in Southern U.S.

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At an official campaign stop in Florida, Presidential hopeful Barack Obama vowed to help protect Florida’s Apalachicola Bay and the water resources of the Panhandle. The comment has the Senators of Georgia fuming, as Florida, Georgia and Alabama all position themselves for the limited water resources in the region. “As president, I will make protecting […]

Opinion: Where Water Trumps Energy

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A new plan to drill for natural gas along America’s East Coast could endanger water supplies.

Texans Protest “Thirsty” Nuclear Power Plants in Chicago

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Protesters from Texas made their way to Chicago to demonstrate against a new nuclear plant

Plant a forest, save an orangutan, make rain?

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Willie Smits’ plan to save the orangutans of Borneo by planting a new forest has had an unintended side effect: rain. Smits, a forestry scientist turned great ape conservationist, began his project to protect the orangutans nearly 20 years ago, when he rescued an abandoned infant in the street markets of Balikpapan. “She was so […]

Bottled water not always purer than tap

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Bottled water contains contaminates, other impurities, often found in tap water a new report by an environmental advocacy group says. The Environmental Working Group found that ten major brands contained 38 pollutants, with an average of eight per brand. Though none of the levels were above the standards set by the federal government, two brands […]

Energy from Water: New Dam Projects Proposed in Tibet

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China plans to build a string of new dams throughout Tibet.

Australian Farmers Welcome Drought Relief

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Hit by one of the worst droughts in 150 years, southern Australian farmers in Victoria are benefiting from a new relief package rolled out this week by the state government. The $115 million package (82.6 million USD) includes relief in the form of water-rate discounts, infrastructure development and unemployment programs. The farm package is one […]

Op-ed — Chenab waters and Pakistan’s fear

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Circle of Blue recently reported on the Baglihar Dam controversy and the role of the U.S. in international water policy. Find a full size map of the region here. From the Daily Times of Pakistan: India’s National Security Adviser Mr. Narayanan has stated that India will not block the Chenab waters to hurt Pakistan and […]

Shortages at the tap prompt “water emergency” in Kentucky

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With water in short supply, Governor Steve Beshear has declared a “water emergency” in Magoffin County, Kentucky. The county of some 13,000 residents in Eastern Kentucky, is facing a water shortage due to the low-levels of the Licking River. So far conservation efforts have been enough to stave off serious problems, but without rain the […]