Toxic waste and pollution have sources, pathways and final fate in our environments. They may end in your blood, lungs, lever, kedney, bones, ….. and anywhere else in your body. How and why, and what are the impacts are frequently asked questions. To get answers is not as simple as it seems, it is a matter of imagination and hardwork to sort out misleading information from the reality of what is really happening in our waters.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/n2ya650p466mq8u/finalversion%2C%20open%20house%20Tracers%20as%20detectives.ppt?dl=0

The planet as is managed today is facing a failing reality because of increasing and fragmented competition on natural resources with little attention to proper protection and conservation of these resources, in particular water and energy. Management of education, research and technology should consider the urgent necessity for sustainable and appropriate coupling to society, population and market needs. The increasing global population, the random use and consumption of natural resources has caused severe threats to, and degradation of, all life forms on the planet.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7euopk4zjqpom3w/Why%20Sustain-earth%3F.docx?dl=0

Management and pricing of water resources are important issues for improving access to water and sanitation, and also for achieving sustainable socio-economic developments around the world. Financing the sustainable management of water resources is a major and accelerating challenge because of the increasing competition on water resources, still growing populations and expanding needs. Water resources and their uses shift greatly around the world and in water resource management there are increasing attention to how pricing of water could be best coupled to financial strategies as well.

Achieving sustainable managements policies is very much related to appropriate optimization of water uses to achieve the “best value for the water resources” on all levels with attention to enhancing accessibility and affordability to water and sanitation. The cost of managing water resources to reach social, economic and environmental goals is increasing due to population and economic growth as well as to climate change. This is generally true in the developing countries especially in Africa.

Formed in 2003, the European Union Water Initiative Finance Working Group (EUWI-FWG) is focused on helping to shape the financial strategy of the EUWI. The FWG group encourages innovation, the development of institutional and regulatory frameworks and capacity building. It also encourages the use of development funding as a catalyst to leverage other forms of finance, including national budgets, donors, user and private finance, to improve access by the poor to water and sanitation services.

Click to access Water_Pricing_FINAL.pdf

Management of drinking water is becoming a global issue and it is not any longer a problem in the developing countries but it is, also, appearing in developed countries as well. National Geographic along with other news media, e.g. “The Guardian” are describing the accelerating demands on water resources, in particular the decreasing accessibility and affordability to drinking water. In this case it is Detroit, USA, which indeed is situated in a region rich in fresh-water resources: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/special-features/2014/08/140822-detroit-michigan-water-shutoffs-great-lakes/; http://www.theguardian.com/environment/true-north/2014/jun/25/detroits-water-war-a-tap-shut-off-that-could-impact-300000-people

According to “The Associated Press ABC 7 News” Detroit water shutoff controversy ignited nationwide debate in the USA http://www.wjla.com/articles/2014/07/detroit-water-shutoff-controversy-igniting-nationwide-debate-105641.html

A pressing and urgent question now is: how would drinking water be treated in the future and how far would we go on with privatization of drinking water. Also, how would the pricing of drinking water look like in the future and how public drinking water facilities be financed?  These are typical management issues where policy-makers should be prepared to deal with.

http://www.filmsforaction.org/watch/detroit-water-crisis-a-prelude-to-the-privatization-of-water/

“Knowledge” is needed in all sectors and on all levels in any society, however the content of knowledge for achieving “sustainable socio-economic developments” needs not necessarily to be of the same components, structure and organization. To bring about changes and developments in any society knowledge has to be “fresh” in the sense that it has to be up-dated or “refreshed” not only to mitigate historical imparities but also to meet emerging necessities and to have capabilities and instruments to deal with any future known or unknown challenges. Knowledge has, also, to be individually adapted to maximize engagement and integration of all citizens and stakeholders for the benefits and welfare of the society.

In our ICT-based “Information Communication Technology” societies there are huge capital and diversity of knowledge resources, though needs of more knowledge still remain to be among essential priorities. Problems and difficulties in many societies for bringing about changes, especially what regards sustainable developments, are not a priori related to availability and accessibility of knowledge but rather the management of knowledge in terms of structure, transfer and adaption on both vertical and horizontal levels. In this context, instruments for appropriate coupling of science and technology to society and market needs is an imperative part of structuring, transferring and adapting knowledge. This is the essence core of successful knowledge-management policies where the coupling goes through citizens and stakeholders, i.e. within and between the very building blocks in the society, i.e. “individuals” and “groups”, in all society levels and sectors.

Services, i.e. serve and get served, production and consumption have to be shaped and based on sound economic policies involving all basic sustainability requirements, i.e. the conservation and protection of natural resources. If all natural resources are consumed, wasted and/or degraded, then it wouldn’t be possible to have life any more. In a knowledge-based society difficulties don’t exist in how knowledge can be obtained and how “citizens”, as carriers, transformers and generators of knowledge, can be engaged to form and shape “consumption”, “production” and “services” for the benefit of their society. The optimum functioning of any society is therefore a balance of these components: why knowledge is needed; what and when knowledge is required; how can knowledge can be produced, transferred, disseminated and propagated.

A major part of the capital knowledge of humans is stored in “virtual memories” around the world. However, such knowledge is accessible but not necessarily affordable for everyone. The Internet provides knowledge with variable quality and in a very scattered and random way though search engines may provide certain limited structuring. Traditional sources of knowledge through libraries are still important sources to “on-line” publishing with excellent audio-visual illustrations and “open-access” versions. In social and human sciences, for example, morals and ethics can be biased by historical misconceptions with negative impacts on freedom of speech as expressed by the public on the Internet. Quality of knowledge is, therefore, essential not only for sustainable socio-economic development but also for lasting security, safety and political stability.

Issues and topics of relevance for achieving socio-economic developments around the world are being discussed and detalied in http://sustain-earth.com

According to a report by sustainability investment firm Robecosam Sweden is ranked as the most sustainable country in the world. But why? and such a status was achieved? What long-time is took to get their? and how it was possible to revert Sweden poverty to what Sweden is today?

Some reasons are its use of renewable energy sources and low carbon dioxide emissions, as well as social and governance practices such as labor participation, education and institutional framework.

Follow http://sustain-earth.com to know more about sustainability.

http://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/08/19/sweden-most-sustainable-country-in-the-world/

Water quality is often understood in its narrowest meaning where the focus is limited and reduced to portable water. Often at homes, schools, and communities as well as even among policy-makers and politicians, especially in developing countries, the knowledge is still limited to drinking water. This can be true on short-term and small-scale levels to secure affordable and accessible water resources with acceptable quality to mitigate immediate and epidemic impacts on human health.

However, this understanding has generated serious and widespread global threats with disastrous impacts on ecosystem and human health worldwide. This is evident from historical “palaeo-environmental” data that gives information on evolution of water quality and its degradation in natural water resources, e.g. rivers, lakes, reservoirs, marine coasts, wetlands and groundwater. Long-term and large-scale monitoring of the quality of natural water resources and associated impacts on eco-system and human health are IMPERATIVE and there are standard ways to do such studies. Typically, there are two approaches: (1) continuous monitoring of contemporaneous water quality status, such as those given in the present report given in the provided link; (2) full historical records on the evolution of water quality due to point/diffuse pollution sources.

Both approaches are necessary have different and important benefits. The first one is used for “Early Warning” with direct coupling to enforce regulation and laws on stakeholders regarding production of waste/pollution, also to take necessary measures and solutions to cope with the threats, and to give relevant information to the public. While, the second is important for uncovering long-term and large-scale impacts on water quality, e.g. acidification, eutrophication, chemical pollution, other industry/agriculture associated threats and climate impacts. It is, also, useful for assessing consequences of environmental and ecological impacts of pollution/waste in terms of their cycles from source to sink. This outcome of the seconds approach has feedback impacts on international laws and regulations and for implementation appropriate rehabilitation strategies.

Click to access water_quality_human_health.pdf

Solar panels don’t come falling out of the sky – they have to be manufactured. As is the case in any production of electronics and computer chips, this is a dirty and energy-intensive process. Raw materials have to be mined, transported and treated,  i.e. quartz sand for silicon cells and other metal ores for thin film cells. Treatment requires different steps, e.g. purification, crystallization and wafering, also deposition). Upgraded materials have to be manufactured into solar cells, assembled into modules and transported. These steps brings with them air pollution, heavy metal emissions, and they consume energy and add more greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.

How electricity from solar panels is generated (existing three scenarios of energy mix), in which part of the world (solar insolation), and for which purpose (energy generating or energy guzzling equipment) solar panels are being used, these factors allow more appropriate assessment of the ecological burden of solar panel technology. Additional relevant factor for full assessment are how solar-technology is likely to develop in future and manufacturers warranties of life expectancy versus existing consumers laws/incentives. With these factors more realistic conclusions can be deduced what concerns “energy-ecological assessment” of solar panels.

Now What is New and have to be taken in consideration. First, solar cells are far from a zero emission technology, they do add pollution and carbon dioxide to the environment, and with considerable amounts. Solar panels can be a doubtful choice in less sunny regions and solar panels mounted on gadgets are completely insane. Solar cells should be recycled but who would do it, would the huge amount of waste be transported all the way around the world to the manufacture? Also, some law or incentive should be introduced to guarantee longtime of life expectancy so as the technology can survive. If possible and as an important conclusion, solar thermal power should have priority over solar PV power.

These facts mean that ALL SUSTAINABILITY factors should be taken in consideration for the best promotion of solar technology. For example, it’s much better using solar panels to make energy generating equipment instead of energy guzzling equipment (like computers, mobile phones and car electronics). It should be realized that solar panels first raise the amount of greenhouse gasses before they help lowering them. If the world collectively would embark on giant deployment of solar energy, the first result would be massive amounts of extra greenhouse gasses, due to the enormous production of the cells. Rush using a technology that is still developing and to accept it as universal solution anywhere and for anything wouldn’t be the best eco-friendly optimized solution specially that the recycling-technology of used solar panels is not yet in place. Recycling-technologies and handling of waste and pollution of all types of industries are IMPERATIVE for conservation and protection of natural resources and the environment.

Solar planels can be only used as energy resource but petroleum “oil” is not just a fuel but thousands of products can be processed and produced from petroleum (http://www.ranken-energy.com/Products%20from%20Petroleum.htm). About 54% of petroleum is used for the processing of these products and their production doesn’t necessarily yield carbon dioxide and/or pollution and recycling technologies of these products are already in place.

http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2008/03/the-ugly-side-o.html

The global food chain involves people that are enslaved, tortured and even killed while working to get the food that ends on our tables. One example is the seafood sold in the US, UK and Europe where enslaved people are forced to work hard and with no pay and under huge threat of extreme violence. They work under horrific conditions, including 20-hour shifts, regular beatings, torture and execution-style killings. Trafficking victims tell stories about fellow slaves murdered or committing suicide in front of them.

“Asian slave labor” are bought and sold like animals and held against their will on the fishing boats of prawns or shrimp sold in leading supermarkets around the world, including the top four global retailers: Walmart, Carrefour, Costco and Tesco. The world’s largest prawn farmer, the Thailand-based Charoen Pokphand (CP) Foods, buys fishmeal, feeding its farmed prawns, from some suppliers that own, operate or buy from fishing boats manned with slaves. CP Foods – annual turnover of $33bn (£20bn) that brands itself as “the kitchen of the world” – sells its own-brand prawn to other farms, international supermarkets, food manufacturers and food retailers, with frozen or cooked prawns and ready-made meals, also raw prawn materials for food distributors.

The alarm over slavery in the Thai fishing industry has been sounded before by non-governmental organizations and in UN reports. But the Guardian has established how the pieces of the long, complex supply chains connect slavery to leading producers and retailers. “If you buy prawns or shrimp from Thailand, you will be buying the produce of slave labor,” said Aidan McQuade, director of Anti-Slavery International.

An interesting observation made by a US researcher is that global warming introduced negative impacts on the labor market and forced people to slavery. Increasing sea level caused enhanced salinity of agricultural land in coastal areas of Asia with effects on people to leave agriculture to fishing industry and the threats of being unemployed made them victims for slavery.

http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2014/jun/10/supermarket-prawns-thailand-produced-slave-labour

Our environment, in particular water, land and air, has been the victim of all sorts of attacks, either of natural, e.g. hurricanes and earthquakes, and/or of man-made origins. Waste and pollution from man-made activities such as wars, explosions, accidents, chemical spills, etc. has caused enormous threats to all life forms on earth. This video gives a summary on the 25 biggest environmental disasters of history, however waste and pollution remain to be major threats for all life forms on earth.

Food pollution is a global threat and the very origin of food pollution is polluted water or/and polluted soil as failing farming and agriculture practices. “Sustain-earth” will bring to you more information and data on existing global threats that cause degradation in food quality and the growing fear from unhealthy food.

http://love-theearth.com/en/food/food05/

Mismanagement of freshwater resources is still taking place around the world though previous disasters that is worthwhile to learn from. The overuse of water resources is currently a major global problem and the outcome from such overuse wouldn’t be different than what happened to Aral Sea. Water management policies should be based on appropriate “Environmental Consequence Analysis” with consideration to large-scale and long-term impacts and not on short-term economic interests only.

The story of the Aral Sea is one of such lessons. In 1950’s the water of the Aral Sea were largely untouched with two rivers replenishing the sea. The Soviet Union that managed the region at that time did major water projects with the goal of boasting the economy by converting land-use from pasture to cotton fields. Along with farming and other industries considerable amounts of water were consumed from the rivers, the water feeding the sea became so scarce and gradually evaporated away.

The vanishing of the Aral Sea and the associated transformation the landscape to huge desert and salty areas is “one of the planet’s worst environmental disasters”. The Aral sea-region once prosperous fishing industry with natural land that could otherwise be used for many other purposes has been essentially destroyed, bringing unemployment and economic hardship. Such destruction brought severe environmental degradation and heavily pollution with consequent serious public health problems. The blown up sand, dust and salt caused large-scale degradation of soil fertility. In addition to these impacts, the retreat of the sea has also caused local climate change, with summers becoming hotter and drier, and winters colder and longer. Local citizens can tell about the damage brought about by short-term policies without consideration to the existing population. The local population was faced with lack of future, increasing unemployment for young people and no work for decades.

The people there have already begun to reverse the drain and restore the Aral Sea “Back From The Brink” through loans from the World Bank. Dried up wells started to be replenished and life started to be better (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEd0hz4Axp4&feature=youtu.be)

Safe water and air are essential for all life forms on earth and there are “safety limits” where water and air can turn unsafe, dangerous or even toxic. Healthy water is carrier of nutrients and healthy air is carrier of oxygen and carbon dioxide (with specific composition), both of which are required for healthy life. Healthy water and healthy air are, also, fresh and free from toxic matter “clean”, under such conditions all forms of life are healthy.

Fresh water, fresh air and healthy eco-systems are related in complex web of functioning, interactions and metabolism. Nature managed to great extent to “clean” itself, to optimize and fix all life parameters in an extremely accurate and delicate balance. Evolution of life on earth struggled for millions of years to bring about perfect living environments and climate conditions. As a reslut of such long struggle earth provided humans with healthy food. What didn’t happen over-night we succeeded to change over-night. We are competing more and more to degrade the life quality on the earth and we are succeeding.

The water and air we are polluting are the raw material and the natural resources for our life. If we ignore them and don’t take care of them, i.e. make them fresh, they wouldn’t care about us and they will ignore us. If we turn them to victims, they will also turn us to victims!

file:///Users/farid/Desktop/Chemical%20pollution%20of%20European%20waters%20is%20stronger%20than%20anticipated%20%7C%20Science%20Codex.webarchive

The role and involvement of individuals in achieving sustainable water resources is becoming an important component in water management. Understanding how to act, react and interact to protect water resources involves understanding the major components that influence water quality of the natural water resources.

“POLLUTANTS” that influence “WATER QUALITY” have different “SOURCES” and get mobilized to  “WATER SYSTEMS” by various ways and dynamics by which water move and get transported from one place to another “HYDROLOGY”. How pollutants get mobilized is dependent on the “USES” of water and the “Practices” utilized by all involved stakeholders/consumers. In order to take part in SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTIONS it is essential to understand how different pollutants are produced from various sources and stakeholders, their pathways and their impacts of on water quality. This allows active participation in sustainable management of water resources.

The human waste is growing faster than the increasing global population. By the end of this century, the production of waste is expected to peak at three-times today’s current generation rate. Urbanization “Cities” is supposed to be the best bet we have to meet global poverty reduction targets through feedbacks on wealth, culture, and innovation. However, there are many severe negative impacts from urbanization on environmental conditions in particular aquatic and ecological qualities as well as the global biodiversity. Urbanization is taking place and expanding so rapid that it is, at the same time, bringing with it huge shares of the world’s GHG “Green House Gas” emissions, increasing decline in biodiversity, lots and fast generation of amounts of solid waste.

If we don’t urgently invest and put huge efforts in management of our waste and mitigating their impacts on water, eco-systems and biodiversity future generations will be forced to spend their lifetime in environmental and ecological bankruptcy resulted from our “production-consumption” civilization. Most of the time for future generation, in particular in the next century, have to be spent not only for searching about food but, also, for finding non-toxic and healthy food. The priorities of the next century will shift towards fighting against increasing degradation of environment and water resources; putting more resources, energy and efforts in waste-treatment, fighting against diseases, spending much of their resources on medication and protection from pollution and waste.

http://blogs.worldbank.org//sustainablecities/peak-waste-and-poverty-powerful-paradox

Increasing consumption of water for agriculture and food production, as consequence of feeding an ever growing world population, is causing geographical expansion of “Peak Water” around the world. Lack of sufficient water for irrigation and food production is already turning vast regions of land to “virtual deserts” that gradually and eventually will develop to permanent deserts through an accelerating degradation of soil quality and erosion of top fertile soils.

Also, the increasing decoupling of “surface water – groundwater” through the action of “Peak Water” in combination with degradation in soil quality, i.e. decreasing organic content “mineralisation”, will force increasing water-consumption for irrigation with gradual development of “Virtual deserts”. Furthermore, excessive use of surface water and groundwater pumping in combination with global warming will enhance expansion of dry land.

http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2013/jul/06/food-supply-threat-water-wells-dry-up