Category: environment

Fun Fact Friday – actually a fun story this week! A giant ice castle. (i.e. Frozen Water)

Incredible Ice Castles Grown by a Minnesota Man Using Geothermal Heating Systemthis year the giant ice castle is a tall, long wall measuring 65 feet at its height and 85 feet long with multiple tiers of ice layers. This year’s project began in November when Hanson set the poles and started growing the initial layers the first week of December. Now that it’s February, the ice castle will start to melt and eventually disintegrate around the end of April.

http://inhabitat.com/art/

Read more and see more photos: Incredible Ice Castles Grown by a Minnesota Man Using Geothermal Heating System Minnesota Winter Wonderland – Inhabitat – Green Design Will Save the World

 

Some pretty deep holes

Moe put on his glasses to read this article.

“We’ve managed water, and often not managed water, in ways that have landed us in some pretty deep holes. Groundwater levels are declining in many parts of the state faster than they can be replenished, threatening the communities, industry and streams that depend upon that water.”

This article is about Washington Sate – but the facts seem global to Moe.

“Fact #1: Our past cannot be our future.
Fact #2: Water management is hard, but it will get harder.
Fact #3: Our water resources are finite.

It’s time to modernize water management, and agree that all interests are essential to the future we want.”

http://bit.ly/eVH3pB
By Ted Sturdevant
Director
Washington Department of Ecology

Whimsy Wednesday and Liquid precipitation.

Zoie got caught tin the rain today… but she doesn’t really mind.  She is happy  that it is liquid precipitation, as opposed to non-liquid kinds of precipitation such as snow, hail and sleet! So Hurrah for the rain – may it melt the snow and bring on the spring flowers.  She has read that rain drops range in size from oblate, pancake-like shapes for larger drops, to small spheres for smaller drops.Who would have thought that?

Zoie did a little research and found out that  ” Precipitation is a major component of the water cycle, and is responsible for depositing most of the fresh water on the planet.
The globally-averaged annual precipitation is 990 millimeters (39 in)…
Antarctica is the Earth’s driest continent…
Rain is also known or suspected on other worlds, composed of methane, iron, neon, and sulfuric acid rather than water.”     http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rain

I never knew- Thanks Zoie!

To learn more about Zoie. (Her physique is of a Magnolia Bud.)

International Women’s Day-Women and Water

From The Nature Conservancy http://www.nature.org/initiatives/freshwater/features/art33145.html

Women & Water: Do women have the power to heal the world’s waters?

“And this March — from International Women’s Day on the 8th to World Water Day on the 22nd — is a great time to recognize and celebrate the positive impact women can make for water.  Through my work as a Conservancy freshwater scientist, I’ve learned that water isn’t just a world crisis, it’s a women’s crisis. In many societies, women and girls spend much of each day collecting and preparing water for cooking, cleaning, drinking and maintaining sanitation. ….. “Everyone has a role to play, but making a difference for water involves bringing people together and tackling complex issues — two things women are particularly good at,” says Silk. “Women can be a force for steering sustainable use and conservation in households, classrooms, farms, governments and businesses around the world.”  –Kate Frazer is a senior writer for The Nature Conservancy based in Boston, MA. Read the whole article at  http://www.nature.org/initiatives/freshwater/features/art33145.html

“Women are like teabags. We don’t know our true strength until we are in hot water!” — Eleanor Roosevelt

Moe Says- “Woman, Water, how great is that. What a great way to teach water awareness.”  http://bit.ly/gLSJ2R

Stay tuned — Tomorrow will Zoie will be making an appearance.