molly walton's blog

GE is looking to ride the wave of water purification, increasing its investment in the business of large-scale purification in addition to its investments in waste-water reclamation. Over the last decade GE has increased its stake in water, though until recently the company has focused mostly on issues of quality rather than scarcity.

The massive dump of the junk (i.e. the Federal Cash for Clunkers program) looks to be this summer's top grossing attraction. Yet, ironically, four of the five most popular substitutions for clunkers are not produced domestically. What gives? I thought this was DOMESTIC stimulus? Well it is, but logic lends that if the most fuel efficient cars in the market are made in Asia, then these cars will be the most sought after.

Turkmenistan wants to make its desert bloom. So what is a sandy, water barren country to do?

Let's face it; pond scum doesn't exactly conjure up the loveliest of thoughts. But what if that pond scum, better known as algae, could be made into fuel?

My colleague and I went to an event yesterday at the World Bank on water management and technology for water-scarce nations. The presentation showed the audience that critically evaluating water use can have profound positive impacts on the economy, environment, and national security of a nation. We were surprised to see, however, that the only water served came in a bottle, which time and again has proven to be detrimental to the environment. Unfortunately, this disconnect is common and seems to be a fixture of countless conferences throughout D.C.

Circle of Blue is reporting that AIGA, the professional association for design, has begun to review and develop the projects that were selected as finalists in the Aspen Challenge: Designing Water’s Future. The goal of the contest was to bring students together across disciplines to create innovative solutions to address the global water crisis.

A study titled "Croppers to livestock keepers: livelihood transitions to 2050 in Africa due to Climate Change" released in early June estimates that by 2050 climate change will affect between 500,000 and 1 million square kilometers of marginal farmland in Africa. To offset the potential impact of climate change the report recommends farmers to shift towards raising heartier livestock (i.e. camels, donkeys, goats and cattle).

'Climate conflict' has a nice alliterative ring to it. It's almost as catchy as 'water wars,' and just as unfounded, inflated, and oversold.

Last Thursday's hearing by the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on the Challenges and Opportunities for U.S.-China Cooperation on Climate Change drew a full house. Senator Kerry presided over the hearing which heard testimony from William Chandler, Elizabeth Economy and Ken Lieberthal.

The third annual Global Peace Index was discussed in earnest this afternoon at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, which worked alongside the Institute for Economics & Peace to coordinate the event. Harriet Fulbright opened up the discussion by commenting that while we demand comprehensive and creative leadership in war, we do not expect the same for peace.