Entries by Sarah Haughn

New Amazon Deforestation Plan Grows Money on Trees

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Brazil has a new plan to reduce deforestation by 70 percent over the next decade. Starting what it calls the Amazon Fund, the nation hopes to garner financial support from monetarily stable countries. Norway has already pledged $1 billion over the coming seven years. The aid, however, depends on evidence that deforestation rates have reduced […]

Uganda’s Child Soldiers Become Child Artists during CSIS Exhibit

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What if artful living could improve access to water? For children of conflict-scarred Northern Uganda, learning to express their experiences and ideas marks the starting point to healing their hearts and rebuilding their communities. That is the mission of Freedom In Creation — an arts-based, water-focused community development initiative working with child soldiers in Northern […]

Australian States Legislate Rescue Team for Murray-Darling Basin

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Victoria, the final state to sign a water bill that allows the Commonwealth to manage the river basin waterways, finally consented. According to the Australian Broadcast Corporation (ABC), the bill gives the Commonwealth the right to establish a Murray-Darling Basin Authority to control funding that should aid the drought-stricken region. Victorian Water Minister Tim Holding […]

Obama Policies Could Clean Up Water Act

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An insistent cadre of experts and activists have high hopes for the nation’s water infrastructure under current President-elect Barack Obama. During his campaign he pledged to preserve and rebuild wetlands and waterways across the country. Obama recently emphasized his support for infrastructure improvements, improvements that he believes can stimulate the nation’s economy. “If we want […]

Detroit Attempts to Overcome Water Squabbles, Improve Infrastructure

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DETROIT — Uncle Sam could soon loosen his grip on Detroit’s water system, handing over the reins to the city and its exurbs. As both the metropolis and its outlying communities build a unified front, they hope President-elect Barack Obama will allocate federal dollars toward rebuilding their crumbling water infrastructure. But cooperation proves a challenging […]

Blessing or Blunder? South Korea to Build Wealth from Wetlands

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BUAN, South Korea — From a scenic dyke in the peninsular nation’s rural north, South Korea seeks to conjure a commercial and residential development seven times larger than Manhattan. While some scoff at the feasibility of such a feat — noting infamous environmental failures like Japan’s Isahaya Bay — the Saemangeum land reclamation project is […]

EPA Recognizes First Water Efficient House

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CHAPEL HILL, North Carolina — As green builders proliferate across the nation, blue buildings are claiming their fifteen minutes as well. This November U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials celebrate the very first water efficient house in the country. Certified by EPA’s partner program WaterSense, the Briar Chapel Community home uses 10,000 gallons less water […]

Buffalo Rustlers in Hot Water as Company Cracks Down on Resource Theft

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BUFFALO, New York — Homeowners unable to pay their water bills sometimes circumvent the system, reconnecting to the source themselves. But no longer will that be possible, reports The Buffalo News. Upon finding that 18 percent of delinquent consumers turned the pipes their way without paying, the company responsible for Buffalo’s water works has decided […]

Global Trends 2025: Water shortages threaten food security, energy supply and geopolitical stability

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The word on the world is out and, water-wise, it is far from encouraging. The National Intelligence Council’s (NIC) Global Trends 2025 report predicts that by the year 2025, 600 million people across 21 countries will experience cropland or freshwater scarcity. “Among the new entrants will be Burundi, Colombia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Malawi, Pakistan, and Syria. […]