When you think of radioactive waste (and hopefully, you don’t think about it often), you probably don’t think about the massive clean up efforts that happen for years after a disaster. In 2011, the Fukushima nuclear plants suffered severe damage from the earthquake and tsunami. The entire area is nearly a ghost town now due to radioactive waste concerns. From an international collaboration, two scientists have discovered a new use for graphene oxide.

In an experiment, the scientists simulated radioactive waste in their lab so they could test how the graphene oxide reacted. Without getting too technical, when graphene oxide mixed with waste particles, and attracted to the worst toxins, binds itself to them. From there, giant clumps of radioactive waste are formed, within minutes of the graphene oxide’s introduction. The two researchers working on this project worked on removing the 30 rare Earth elements on the periodic table from the simulated waste liquid.

In addition to graphene oxide playing a major role in cleaning up radioactive waste, it can also help clean up the same radionuclides present in fracking fluids. One of the scientists, James Tour, said, “When groundwater comes out of a well and it’s radioactive above a certain level, it can’t be put back into the ground. Companies have to ship contaminated water to repository sties around the country at a very large expense.” The idea is to be able to use graphene oxide as a way of clumping these radionuclides together while still being able to use the water that comes from fracking.

Since this information is new and these experiments have only been performed with simulated waste, there is no real way to predict what could happen with graphene oxide. However, if it can help clean up  radioactive waste spills and remove radionuclides from fracking water, who knows how else it could be used. Clean water will become a major concern in the coming years, so everything we can do to help conserve what we have will prove to be very helpful.

It’s been years since people were talking about acid rain. At one point in time, you may have thought that little rain droplets would fall from the sky only to melt off your skin. Luckily, that didn’t happen. But now, nearly 10 years since acid rain was the leading story on the news and the talk of Earth science classrooms everywhere, is acid rain really a problem?

What is Acid Rain?

Acid rain is a type of precipitation that has an unusually low pH. It’s caused by sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from both man-made and natural events. Acid rain can be rain, snow, sleet, fog, and dew. Back in the 17th and 18th centuries, several Englishmen noticed the deteriorating conditions of marble details on buildings. It wasn’t until the mid-1800s that the relationship between acid rain and air pollution was noted, however, scientists only started studying acid rain in the 1960s.

What Does Acid Rain Do?

Acid rain affects nearly everything. While erupting volcanoes and lightening strikes can bring out the chemicals which create acid rain, the majority of the problem is caused by human activity. Burning fossil fuels accounts for the majority of harsh gases entering our atmosphere. From there, they mix with already forming precipitation and find their way back to Earth. Winds can carry acid rain hundreds of miles. Even if there are no fossil fuel burning plants in a particular area, the effects can still be felt. Areas with high levels of rain are at a greater risk for damage from acid rain.

When this toxic precipitation falls to the ground, it deteriorates trees, shrubbery, buildings, and statues. As it hits the ground, the plants soak up the water (and the chemicals) and the remaining water goes into our runoff, aquifers, and groundwater. While this does effect the clean drinking water supply for humans, there are other concerns as well. The extra acidity in the water creates a reaction with any aluminum particles that have found their way into the environment. The acid rain causes soil to absorb the aluminum which creates many problems for aquatic life.  Acidic waters are toxic to shellfish and aquatic mammals. If the increased toxicity doesn’t cause the animal to die, humans who eat these animals (crab, shrimp, crayfish, clams, oysters, mussels) can unintentionally ingest very harmful and poisonous chemicals. Overtime, the bio-accumulation of SO2 and NOx can cause major problems in people.

Is Acid Rain Still A Problem?

In short, yes. Acid rain will always be something we should be concerned about. Although the USA has very strict rules regarding air quality and pollution, other developing countries have not yet put these regulations in place. Toxins from factories in China and India can easily make their way across the ocean and fall as rain or snow in North America. Even if the most stringent laws were enacted tomorrow in every country in the world to stop these gases from being released into the atmosphere, it would still be dozens of years before the harmful effects of acid rain disappeared.

In Arlington, Virginia, a county board member is crusading to ban bottled water and plastic bags in his city. In his campaign, he will use the argument that it takes 17 million barrels of oil to produce bottled water each year.

In Virginia, local municipalities cannot regulate or tax any product without first having General Assembly approval. Unfortunately, attempts to tax, restrict, or ban bottled water and plastic bags were thwarted. Now, county board member Jay Fisette will launch a grass roots movement to win over the General Assembly.

Fisette said, “I will work up a very serious campaign or crusade that will take root… because the quality of bottled water is unregulated, unlike the quality of tap water.”  Armed with this knowledge,  he is setting out to teach people the truth of bottled water. For his campaign, he is using these statistics:

• About 20% of plastic bottles are recycled while the other 80% end up in landfills of incinerators
• Bottled water is 2-4 times the price of gasoline
• It takes 700 years for a bottle to start decomposing
• Bottled water usually costs over 1,000 times the cost of tap water

Luckily, the other county board members and residents in his town stand behind him on his quest. At the county board meeting on New Years Day, other board members gave their official approval for Fisette to spearhead this effort.

China is a growing global power in many ways and they are not afraid to spend money to increase their presence and power in the world. The 2008 Summer Olympic Games Opening Ceremonies demonstrated that, if nothing else, the Chinese are precise, dedicated, and committed to the country’s cause. With a massive push to entice Americans and Europeans to visit China, the government has had to do its fair share of clean up to make things “Westerner friendly.” In 2012, China spend about 68.3 billion US dollars (430.3 yuan) on improving water quality and conservation.

The record breaking amount spent on water in China bodes well for the future of the country. In many places, including Western style hotels, the water is not drinkable from the tap. In addition to not having adequate drinking water, thousands of people all over China die each year from flooding because of poorly maintained dams and levees. In 2012, the Chinese government reinforced 5400 reservoirs and helped manage nearly 2200 places along various rivers which are prone to flooding. By 2015, the government wants to contain an additional 5000 places along rivers as well as improve early warning systems for floods and storm surge.

In the next 2 years, China has committed to spend nearly 200 billion yuan to improve its drinking water quality for citizens around the country. China will also work on improving is irrigation systems for both landscaping and agricultural uses in 2013. All of these steps are part of a broader plan for China to improve the quality of life for all people. With a rapidly growing population, China must continue to improve these areas to stay on pace with the world.

Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) updated its rules regarding surface water treatment. Now, it’s going after different pathogens, like Giarda and Cryptosporidium, more aggressively.  These two microbes have been known to cause severe illness and sometimes death  and they are extremely resistant to chlorine based disinfection processes. The EPA is now recommending treating threatened water with ultraviolet radiation to deactivate the pathogen. The UV radiation also prevents the microbe from reproducing.

A UV treatment system is very unique. UV lamps are suspended in pipes where the illumination is monitored by nearby sensor units. Because each pathogen is killed by different wavelengths, it’s been hard to treat water this way until recently. Now, medium pressure UV lamp technology can allow UV light output at wavelengths less than 240 nano-meters  Now that scientists have been able to unlock the ability to kill viruses and pathogens in water using UV radiation, it’s possible it can be used in other ways to render other chemicals harmless. A collaborative project at the University of Colorado is under way to to answer these questions. It has the backing of the Water Research Foundation to help develop future testing systems.

While many filters can remove Cryptosporidium and Giarda, these viruses can find their way to you through the shower or bathroom faucets if there are no filters there. An easy way to protect yourself is to install a whole house filtration system and use a half (.5) micron activated carbon filter. This will greatly reduce the chances of icky viruses like Cryptosporidium, Giarda, and other cyst-like parasites from entering your home.

Fish make great pets, especially for young children who are learning responsibility. However, many people don’t realize how much care goes into maintaining an aquarium. The most important thing you can do to keep your fish healthy is to give them clean water. Because fish eat and, you know, do their business, in the water, it gets dirty very quickly. Using a water filter is a great way to maximize the life of the fish and to minimize the amount of cleaning you have to do.

Internal Filter

There are usually 2 types of an internal aquarium filter. Typically, fresh water tanks use a filter placed under the gravel. This helps to collect extra food and fish waste in the gravel. What makes it through the gravel gets sucked up by the filter and kept out of the water. For freshwater tanks, you can also use activated charcoal ( just like we use in drinking water) to remove excess minerals from food and fish waste. The activated charcoal filters are the most common and easy to use. Many pet stores recommend these because they are so user friendly and help to cut back on the number of water changes for the fish.

External Filter

External filters are the best filters, for most types of aquariums. They can be more expensive than the internal filters, but all the filtering is done outside the tank. This type of filtration typically occurs with salt water tanks. Although they are common with salt water tanks, they can definitely be used for fresh water tanks. For salt water aquariums, a sump tank is used. It typically sits below the main tank and is usually hidden by the tank stand. A tube inside the aquarium allows the water to flow down into the sum, where it is pumped through a line of filters. These filters catch the waste, particulates, and bacteria. From there, the filtered water is pumped back to the top of the aquarium. This system keeps a constant flow of water going in the tank, just like the ocean. This the reason it’s so essential to have this type of filter for salt water aquariums.

No matter which type of filter, or fish, you get, you’ll love having an aquatic pet! They’re fun and interesting, and very low maintenance. With proper care and excellent water quality, even a typically gold fish can live for a very long time!

By now, most of the world understands what climate change is. Formerly touted as “global warming,” we now know it’s much more than the Earth getting a tad warmer. After years of extensive testing and research, few can deny that our weather patterns are drastically changing. Many factors contribute to this, including fossil fuel use, the increased production of greenhouse gases, and massive deforestation.

After Superstorm Sandy hit the New York and New Jersey areas in October 2012, most of the world took notice. Around the world, there are major weather events happening every 2-3 years that should only occur every 70-100 years. More and more people are convinced that major climate change is happening and affecting new locales. With these new and worsening weather events, some have started thinking how climate change will affect our water quality and accessibility.

It’s no secret the world is rapidly running out of fresh water. It’s believed that with the rise of sea levels worldwide, more areas will see an increase in groundwater contamination, particularly in low-level areas. The coastlines are most at-risk since the groundwater will be first to notice contamination. Constant pollution from humans into our oceans coupled with pollution from boats (cruise, fishing, and shipping industries) has led to a massive increase in pollutants. Some of these pollutants, like oil and heavy metals, are known and can be removed from our water supply by simple water filters. However, many more contaminants like pesticides and pharmaceuticals are making their way into our water supply which are not as easily removed.

In addition to groundwater contamination along coastlines, temperature sensitive areas along the equator and at the poles would see the most dramatic change in local climate. The North and South Poles are losing ice mass at alarming rates and will continue to do so. The Amazon rain forest and sub-Saharan Africa would also be dramatically affected by continued climate change. These warmer, tropical areas are already faced with malnutrition and water-borne illnesses on a daily basis. Further water contamination would simply add insult to injury, possibly costing more lives due to unnecessary diseases.

Knowing this information about climate change, it may be hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. However, we all can do our part to help! If you’re in the market for a new vehicle, look into electric or hybrid-electric cars from Tesla, Toyota, or Nissan to help cut down on carbon dioxide emissions. Better yet, cut down how much you drive in general by planning your errands in advance, carpooling, or walking or biking to your destination. Electric power generation for homes and businesses is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. If you’ve been thinking about a home-improvement project, consider adding solar panels to your roof or re-landscaping your yard with native, water conserving plants. Even in your daily activities, you can help reduce your impact on climate change by switching to energy efficient lighting, buying Energy-Star rated electronics and appliances, and unplugging any electronics (including phone, tablet, and e-reader)and their chargers when not in use.

It seems that no matter how hard municipalities work, people still spend tons of money on bottled water. The cost of bottled water is anywhere from 750- 2700 times more expensive than tap water, but chemically, it is no different than what usually comes from your faucet. In addition to bottled water being significantly more expensive than tap water, the toll it takes on the environment is terrible! The Pacific Institute, an environmental research non-profit organization, estimates that it takes about 3 liters of water to produce one liter of bottled water. The process of bottling water is estimated to use more than 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide without factoring in transportation, refrigeration, or recycling.

Because the bottled water industry is held by private companies, they can throw millions of dollars at marketing and advertising. By doing this, these companies make the public believe bottled water is of higher quality than tap water. The truth is, drinking bottled water won’t make anyone any better than if they drink water. Sadly, municipalities and local governments can’t compete with the advertising from private companies.

Regardless of the cost of bottled water to the consumer and to the environment, bottled water is not necessarily cleaner or safer to drink. The Safe Water Drinking Act (SWDA) requires the EPA to regulate public water. The EPA requires regular testing by certified laboratories and if there are violations of the SWDA, they must be disclosed to the public immediately. The FDA regulates the bottled water industry and around 60-70% of bottled water is exempt from the FDA’s set standards. There are also no federal requirements for the disinfection of bottled water.

Knowing this, it seems that drinking tap water is a clear choice, however many people still buy bottled water. If you are concerned about the quality of your water, find a filtration system that works for your water and your home. You’ll still be saving hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars each year and you’ll be helping to protect the environment.

The word “pollutant” is common when discussing water filtration. Customers frequently want pollutants removed from their water for drinking, showering, and watering their plants. However, pollutants has become a catch-all word used to describe a complex situation. Water pollution or pollutants are terms used when undesirable elements, chemicals, sediment, and items show up at high levels.

A pollutant is anything that changes something from pure to impure. Thoughts, air, water, and food can all become polluted. Water pollution can  take the form of lead, mercury, iron, arsenic, sand, silt, pharmaceuticals, and petrochemicals. Waste and runoff from manufacturing, agriculture and mining practices, and transportation are often causes of pollution.

While learning about the gazillions of pollutants out there, it’s important to know what you can do to help yourself and your family. Everyday use water filters for your refrigerator, faucet filters, and whole house systems will remove many unwanted contaminants from the water. It’s very important to change your filter regularly so the pollutants don’t clog up your water flow. If your research and new found knowledge does scare you about our water supply, you can always invest in a reverse osmosis system. This type of water filtration removes everything from the water. No minerals, no salts, no nothing. Just pure, unadulterated water. Those with compromised immune systems, pregnant women, and children should always drink filtered, distilled, or reverse osmosis water to help protect their bodies.

Hearing the term ‘gray water’ might cause your stomach to turn a bit, but in Texas, it’s quickly becoming a great way to conserve clean drinking water. Gray water is the leftover tap water from bathtubs, showers, washing machines, and other “soapy” water used in the house. It should not contain serious contaminants. Water from the kitchen sink or toilets is known as “black water” and is not safe to use for irrigation as it carries a higher risk for contamination.

According to a researcher at Texas A&M, 50-60% of home water usage is for landscaping. A four person family can produce around 90 gallons of gray water each day which would drastically help water conservation efforts. Depending on the types of plants used in the landscaping, the usage of water can increase or decrease. Plants native to the area are usually the best choice for homes as they have already adapted to life in that particular climate.

Gray water is being used in some parts of Texas already with some restrictions. It is easily captured and contained after use and then it is redirected to an irrigation system outside the home.  Currently, researchers at Texas A&M are conducting experiments using gray water and clean water to see the effects on plants. One major concern about using gray water is the salt content and its threat to the flora. There will also be more experiments testing the differences between hard gray water and soft gray water. It is possible those interested in incorporating gray water into their conservation efforts will have to have a small retrofit to the their home filtration system and plumbing system. These various tests and experiments could take up to one year for results.