*By Dr. Joakim Harlin, UN-Water Vice Chair and Chief, Freshwater Ecosystems Unit of UNEP. We usually talk about the water and sanitation crisis in terms of what people lack when they don’t have safe water to drink or a decent toilet: dignity, health, and especially for women and girls, safety. But what if we focused on the human potential that could be unlocked by water … [Read more...] about UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Urban Wastewater Treatment in Brazil
Challenges and solutions applied for sewage treatment in Brazil *by Marcos von Sperling Brazil is a country with continental dimensions and, as a result, has a large diversity in climatic, economic and cultural characteristics. As for other developing countries, sewage treatment is a major challenge. This is reflected in the difficulties in having a high coverage of sewage … [Read more...] about Urban Wastewater Treatment in Brazil
FOUR REASONS WHY CITIES ARE INVESTING IN GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE
*By Germán Sturzenegger (IDB), Jeffrey Cowan (TNC) and Carlos Hurtado (FEMSA Foundation) Cities have historically developed around one key resource: water. This dependence explains why water security is at the core of every city’s future. This is particularly important in Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC), where 80% of the population lives in urban areas. When it comes … [Read more...] about FOUR REASONS WHY CITIES ARE INVESTING IN GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE
OUCH! MY MOBILE PHONE MAY BE CONTAMINATED WITH FECAL MATTER
I am Italian. I am a man. I go to the bathroom. Do I always wash my hands after my morning duties? Of course I do! I am a diligent clean person! I mean, OBVIOUSLY when I just pee and I do not get pee on my hands, once in awhile I may just skip it. And sure, if I am in a rush to work, I may just rinse them quickly… but water “cleans it all”, right? This is so, so wrong. There … [Read more...] about OUCH! MY MOBILE PHONE MAY BE CONTAMINATED WITH FECAL MATTER
Garbage: As easy as child’s play?
This year, my family and I decided to spend the holidays in the Caribbean: we spent our days under the sun walking on fine white sand enjoying the weather and delicious food. Everything was just like a postcard, except for one detail – trash on beaches. Although waste management may seem easy like child’s play, it is actually quite complicated! We are used to watching … [Read more...] about Garbage: As easy as child’s play?