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Ozonation
Most sources on the internet state that ozonation water treatment dates back to the 1800s. The truth is that ozonation could only take place once electricity was discovered, so ozonation as a water treatment method wasn’t studied until the 1840s. The most basic ozonation system includes a transformer, circuit, and water. Take caution if you…
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Aquaporins
Aquaporins are water channels in the cell wall that allow water molecules to travel in and out of the cell so that the cell won’t swell and explode. Scientists discovered that by using aquaporins, you can sort out water molecules from otherwise impure water. Aquaporins themselves are very small and delicate, so a screen is used…
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Wonderful Lakes
What makes Lake Rotomairewhenua of New Zealand the cleanest lake in the entire world? It compares to distilled water in its level of clarity and cleanliness. In my last post I covered the possibilities of UV radiation, decreased air pressure, freezing cold temperatures, and limited human interference. After a little digging, I found The Freshwater…
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New Zealand Wonder
Blue Lake or Rotomairewhenua of New Zealand contains the cleanest natural water in the entire world. It is protected not only by Nelson Lakes National Park but also by a local tribe for its sacred waters. If you’re anything like me, you probably wonder why and how Rotomairewhenua came to be this way. Although only seven meters deep,…
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Education and Leadership
The Education and Leadership Fellows for Sustainability (ELFs) program at my University (SUNY at Buffalo) was recently featured in the UB Reporter. While at the event I had the pleasure of conversing with President Tripathi on some ideas I had for sustainability on campus. He shared some useful advice on how to succeed in University that…
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Cap It
In the early 1900s, Onondaga Lake had a lot to offer. There was entertainment, like rowing, canoeing, strolling, swimming, fishing, and even amusement rides. Now some call it “The Most Polluted Lake in America”. Detrimental chemical dumping took place in Onondaga Lake from the 1920s to the 1990’s primarily by a company called Allied Chemical,…
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Salt Water and Groundwater Distillation
Distillation isn’t the fastest method of purifying water, but it works. It can be performed to attain pure water from salt water, but also to attain clean water from soil moisture as is shown above. This method typically isn’t practiced because it uses too much energy to be efficient, but in places like California where…
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Fish Water?
When I visited the famed underground cistern of Istanbul, which once provided a constant water supply for a massive palace, I noted that fish swam around in the water to “reduce bacteria”. Fish owners often use algae eating fish such as pleckos to keep tanks clean. However, the fish used in the cistern were massive fish that…
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What a Trip
Wow. I have learned so much from studying abroad in Turkey! Although I was unable to use the WaterBobble due to a lack of background information on the efficiency of its bacteria removal, I was able to bring back lots of knowledge on environmental issues abroad. It is impossible to recount my experiences perfectly but…
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Simple Solar Water Heating
Black tarp, plywood, plexiglass, tubes, clamps, and a bucket is all you need to make a thermosiphoning Simple Solar Water heater according to Renewable Energy UK. This set up looks a lot like a maze. Except instead of a little ball, water shoots up through the small space between the plexiglass and the tarp. As…
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writing about the environmental issues nobody is writing about.
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