Here are some of the latest news stories on water and the environment:

LEED From Behind: Why We Should Focus on Greening Existing Buildings: “In an era of LEED-certified construction and growing concern for sustainability, it comes as a surprise that constructing new, energy-efficient buildings can be less eco-friendly than renovating old ones. A study by the Preservation Green Lab of the National Trust for Historic Preservation shows building reuse almost always has fewer environmental impacts than new construction—which means we’d be smart to spend at least as much time renovating existing buildings as we do lionizing fancy new green construction.”

Floods, heat, migration: How extreme weather will transform cities: A new report examines “how climate change will modify the weather in 24 countries around the world. While findings vary from region to region, it forecasts an overall increase in this century of coastal and river floods, extreme weather events and a global temperature rise of between 3-5C, if emissions are left unchecked. According to climate change experts, cities from New York in the U.S. to Dhaka in Bangladesh are likely to be heavily affected.”

AFP/File, Martin Bernetti

The Glacier Thief:  “Police were investigating a criminal gang that allegedly stole blocks of ice from the Jorge Montt Glacier in southern Chile.” The stolen goods were meant to be used for designer ice cubes in bars and restaurants.

Antarctic Glaciers and the Global Water Crisis,  by Al Gore: “As the global population tops 7 billion, nearly 800 million people do not have access to clean and safe drinking water. The climate crisis could make this problem worse. As sea levels rise, saltwater can contaminate sources of freshwater near coastal cities and towns. When too much saltwater seeps into lakes, rivers or the soil, the water becomes undrinkable and unusable for agriculture. Nearly 635 million people – one out of every 10 people in the world today – live in low-lying coastal areas that are susceptible to inundation and disruption of the water supply.”

Depave, a non-profit based out of Portland, Oregon, is re-claiming abandoned or under-utilized paved spaces in urban communities and turning them into green spaces for the public to enjoy. In an effort to address problems of water and air pollution, this non-profit has brought together local volunteers to rip up the black and bring up the green. So far 94,000 sq. feet of previously ugly abandoned lots in Portland have been transformed into community gardens, soccer fields, playgrounds and public green spaces.

PARKING LOTS to PARADISE // Documentary from Joey Dello Russo on Vimeo.

Bringing back a natural space isn’t just an aesthetic improvement, it can also reduce water pollution. Unlike soil, pavement is impervious so rainwater runs off it and into storm drains. Along the way, water becomes contaminated with chemicals, trash, pesticides, fertilizers and heavy metals. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, these pollutants account for approximately 70% of all water pollution in the U.S because this “urban runoff” goes directly into the ocean and local bodies of water without being treated first.

Restoring un-used paved areas also improves air quality. Dense urban areas experience the urban heat island effect in hot weather, increasing summertime peak energy demand, air conditioning costs, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Also, Depave recycles the pavement and also shows you how to do it yourself on their website.

And on a cheesier note, green spaces bring people together and nature makes us happy. So does beating the hell out of cement. If you can’t get to Portland, Depave has a wealth of easy-to-follow online resources so you can learn how to start your own project wherever you are.

I have recently discovered a series of interesting articles about solutions to health problems using improved water sanitation technology on The New York Times’ Opinionator blog and in their Small Fixes column. Here are some highlights:

Keeping the Water Flowing in Rural Villages : “A new program was started recently by WaterAid in the north of India.  It trains local people, including many women, to repair water pumps. They now run businesses that charge villages low fees for quick, guaranteed and reliable repairs when their hand pumps break down.”

To Maintain Water Pumps, It Takes More Than a Village: This is the follow-up to the “Keeping the Water Flowing” article above. “Readers responded with many practical ideas and incisive comments — some of them speaking from sad experience — to the last column on the sustainability of water pumps.”

LifeStraw Saves Those Without Access to Clean Drinking Water: “LifeStraw, produced by the Swiss company Vestergaard Frandsen, was designed for the poorest of the poor. The personal version works like a chunky drinking straw and can filter about 1,000 liters, enough to keep a person hydrated for a year. The family version — which looks something like an IV drip that ends in a water cannon — can purify 18,000 liters, serving a typical family for about three years.”

Photo credit: Vestergaard Frandsen

Clean Water at No Cost? Just Add Carbon Credits: “Now there’s a new way to save water projects from an early death: make clean water a for-profit business, charging people an unusual price: zero. Several multinational companies, such as Bechtel and Suez, already have run for-profit water systems in cities around the world. These companies have attracted a lot of criticism, especially for the way they treat rural people and slum dwellers. The companies have little incentive to lay pipes to reach people who are far away, and if they do, they charge very high prices. I’m talking about something different: a water business run by a company that has headquarters in Switzerland, Vestergaard Frandsen, that plans to provide clean water to some of the world’s poorest people and charge them nothing. Where will the profits come from? Polluters.”

Follow-up to “Clean Water at No Cost?”: Green Strategies for the Poorest:  The author, who had discussed the LifeStraw Family in the article above, writes about how this product’s manufacturer,Vestergaard Frandsen, is planning to make money with it. “Not from the poor families who use it — they will give it away in western Kenya. Instead, the company plans to be paid in credits they can sell on the global carbon markets. In this system, credits are awarded to projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They may then be bought by polluting companies or governments to offset their own emissions. LifeStraw Family users no longer have to boil their water to make it safe to drink. Less boiling means fewer emissions.”

Folding Saris to Filter Cholera-Contaminated Water : Rural Bangladeshi women often use pieces of saris, the traditional dress, to filter sweetened drinks to get rid of leaves, insects and other visible debris. About 10 years ago, researchers in Maryland and Bangladesh, looking for ways to reduce the prevalence of waterborne diseases in local communities, came up with a ridiculously simple solution: Wash and fold the sari. Bangladeshi women in 27 villages were trained to cover water-collecting urns with a laundered sari folded four times before scooping up river water. The cotton fibers strain out 99% of cholera bacilli. “Over the next 18 months the rate of cholera in these villages dropped by about 50 percent, compared with other villages — about the same effect as that achieved by a much more expensive nylon water filter.”

The PeePoo, a Biodegradable Toilet for the Developing World:  Forty percent of the world’s population (2.6 billion people) does not have access to a toilet. To address this problem, a  Swedish architect and professor named Anders Wilhelmson has invented a biodegradable toilet called a PeePoo which resembles a plastic bag. “After it is used, the bag is knotted and then buried or sold back to the manufacturer. A lining of urea crystals in the bag helps transform the waste into fertilizer…Currently, about 6,000 PeePoo bags are produced every day and distributed in slums in Nairobi, Kenya…Mr. Wilhelmson’s company buys back the used bags for a third of the original price, and the waste is turned into fertilizer.”

My friends at Rainwater Warehouse, a leading provider of rainwater harvesting technologies, asked me to publish this press release about the introduction of a complete line of rainwater harvesting systems and products now available for purchase on their new website. I was happy to oblige since I thought many readers who are green professionals  might be interested in this product line.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, DECEMBER 19, 2011 — Rainwater Warehouse has launched a new website offering a complete range of rainwater harvesting systems and products. According to Principal Jack Burden, Rainwater Warehouse provides a complete range of residential and commercial rainwater harvesting products. The company offers packaged solutions directly to green build developers, builders and homeowners. They also provide commercial grade rainwater harvesting components to builders & owners of commercial properties.

The company offers complete rainwater harvesting systems and rainwater harvesting components with field-tested dependability. These systems include the highest quality components, separating their systems from the likes of those you may find at a boxed retail location. “It is important that you pay close attention to the components that are included in any rainwater harvesting system. Many systems on the market today are made with low quality components; our systems are built to last,” Burden explained.

Featured on the website is the Rainwater Warehouse Deluxe Rainwater Harvesting System, sold with a 300 or 500 gallon tank. The system offers multiple mounting options for downspout, filter and tank placement and boasts of easy installation in fewer than 30 minutes. Included is an overflow system, 3/4″ hose bib, Leaf Beater, 300 or 500 Gallon UV inhibited tank, 1/6hp submersible pump w/ 8′ electric cord and assembly instructions. The systems are turnkey, no additional parts are required.

The Deluxe Rainwater Harvesting Systems are supplied with corrosion-resistant schedule 40 PVC pipe and fittings. “Thinner wall pipes will decay and become brittle after prolonged exposure to sunlight. These systems are field tested to stand up to the sun, lawn equipment and are tamper resistant,” Burden asserted.

The tanks have manways installed at the top which are sealed tightly to prevent accidental death or injury. Molded of food grade polyethylene resin, the tanks have a long term UV package and are suitable for use in or out of direct sunlight. The high impact resin is not affected by warm or cold temperatures. This allows captured water to be used for emergency supply if required,” said Burden.

If you are not in the market for a package system, Rainwater Warehouse also provides individual components and downloadable kit plans for the “do it yourselfers”. They offer a range of products and services including fixed cost design review, the Apex PumpBuddy®, Leaf Beater® and custom made commercial grade downspout filters. The filters come in your choice of aluminum, stainless steel or copper.

Also available for purchase is a decorative downspout filter and a custom decorative pipe sleeves with a special precast footer. The decorative systems can add an architectural element to the home or hide the visible elements of a rainwater harvesting system. “Homeowners can now harvest rainwater without detracting from the beauty of their homes,” stated Burden. “We offer solutions that are not only dependable, but allow the average homeowner to install and use with ease.”

Homeowners once purchased rainwater harvesting systems to decrease their water footprint or save money on their utility bill, but rainwater can also prove to be a useful asset in times of emergency. “Rainwater harvesting systems can prove to be a necessity in the event of wildfire, flooding, drought or other domestic or natural emergencies,” said Burden.

Create peace of mind with an independent, alternative water source using a Rainwater Warehouse Deluxe Rainwater Harvesting System. You will never have to worry about water regulations or drought when you have your own source of harvested rainwater. When you purchase a system from Rainwater Warehouse you aren’t just buying a system, you are buying independence. Rainwater Warehouse provides only the most durable systems and components, field tested and proven to withstand the elements.

All major credit cards are accepted and the team is available to speak to if you have any questions prior to purchase. For more information you can visit Rainwater Warehouse on the web at www.rainwaterwarehouse.com.

Chevron, one of many companies grabbing at Brazil’s huge underwater oil reserves, is in trouble with the Brazilian government after a major spill off the coast of Rio de Janeiro last month. After 3,000 barrels of crude oil from a Chevron-operated well poured into the ocean in November, Brazilian police filed an $11 billion lawsuit against Chevron and rig owner Transocean (the same firm that owned Deepwater Horizon) on charges of negligence and environmental crimes. The National Petroleum Agency has also temporarily banned Chevron from further drilling in Brazil.

An aerial view of the Chevron spill on 11/18/11. Photo credit: Reuters

Federal prosecutors urge for charges to be brought against 17 Chevron and Transocean employees, including Chevron’s president in Brazil George Buck, for withholding information and committing environmental damage. The officer leading the investigation, Fabio Scliar, stated, “I am utterly convinced that the company’s institutional policy is reckless and irresponsible. Therefore, the executives are responsible.” Chevron has apologized but stressed that the allegations are “without merit.”

The outrage in Brazil might be compounded by the fact that the World Cup and Summer Olympics are coming there in 2014 and 2016 so there is pressure for the beaches to look picture perfect. Also, Chevron’s disgusting environmental track record doesn’t inspire confidence. AlterNet, an independent environmental news agency, ranked Chevron the number one worst energy company in the world partly due to their toxic dumping and human rights abuses in Ecuador.