A billion people have no regular access to clean drinking water, according to the World Health Organization. One company is using the sun and a simple chemical reaction to produce clean water wherever it’s needed – including in disaster zones. Ben Gruber reports.
‘Tech addicts’ asked to give up gadgets for 24 hours for charity
March 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment
London, Mar 26 (ANI): A charity has posed a challenge to technology addicts to go without their beloved gadgets for 24 hours.
Charity Practical Action has laid down the challenge to raise awareness of the technology-poor developing world.
They are asking for techno addicts to switch off their phone, unplug their games console and shut down their laptop for one day on March 27.
And if people are able to do it, the charity wants them to report their experiences in blogs, videos, photo diaries or cartoon strips but not until March 28.
Tom Wiggins, news editor of Stuff Magazine, found his bash at the blackout “liberating” but admitted it was tough.
“Asking a tech journo to go without gadgets for a day is like getting a hairdresser to give up scissors,” Sky News quoted him as saying.
Writer and broadcaster Adam Hart-Davis described a “wonderful” day mucking out chickens and planting trees.
“I also read the newspaper, which I decided was intermediate rather than high-tech,” he said.
Describing the day’s serious side, David Grimshaw from Practical Action said: “No Tech Day will help people reflect on the role of technology in their lives, not just today but tomorrow.
“In Nepal or Zimbabwe tomorrow…people will not have a choice about the technologies they use.
“They will not have internet access, mobile phones, electricity and clean water unless we address the multi-faceted problems of poverty,” he added.
Practical Action provides developing countries with simple technology in a bid to improve their lives. (ANI)
GOACAN to highlight World Water Day theme
March 22, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Panaji, Mar 22 (ANI): The Goa Civic and Consumer Action Network (GOACAN) will on Monday highlight the theme of the World Water Day ”Importance of water quality” eyeing upon conveying the message to consumers to get involved in protecting water quality.
The GOACAN has organized a public program at the Mapusa Municipal Hall here this evening.
The United Nations has designated March 22 as the World Water Day to highlight the importance of fresh water and managing water resources.
This year”s theme is ”Clean Water for Healthy World”.
The overall goal of the World Water Day campaign is to raise the profile of water quality at the political level so that water quality considerations are made alongside those of water quantity. (ANI)
Aussies line up for world’s largest toilet queue
March 22, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Organisers of a Guinness World Record attempt to form the longest toilet queue say more than 400 people supported their effort in Melbourne.
People lined up in Federation Square to raise awareness about about the lack of clean water and sanitation in developing countries.
About 4,000 children die each day from preventable diseases in some parts of the world.
Melbourne was the first stop in a global attempt, with thousands of people in 70 countries expected to take part.
The chief executive of WaterAid Australia, Adam Laidlaw, says the current toilet queue record stands at about 800.
“And if you like, there’s an A to Z of toilet queues around the world,” he said. “And it started in Australia and may well end in Zambia.
“So we’re really hopeful that we’ll break the record. That would be nice, but it’s really the strong message behind that record.”
Endangered fish released for breeding
March 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment
More than 3,000 fish are being released for breeding at a reservoir at Chewton near Castlemaine.
Fisheries Victoria says the macquarie perch is an endangered species and needs help to survive.
The fish used to be common until the late 1800s, but is threatened by habitat changes and introduced species.
Spokesman Travis Dowling says the Expedition Pass Reservoir was chosen for its clean water levels.
“It’s got good structure, good water temperature, low predation from other species,” he said.
“It’s basically a habitat where macquarie perch previously would have been quite prevalent and up until the turn of the century they were quite prevalent.”
Secret behind underwater shoot of Keira Knightley revealed
September 1, 2009 By Leave a Comment
London, Sept 1 (ANI): The secret behind Keira Knightley’s underwater shoot is finally out.
The actress was snapped in a special 1.2 million litres tank built tank at Pinewood Studios that has also been used to film sequences in action flicks like The Bourne Ultimatum and Casino Royale.
The Telegraph quoted photographer Phoebe Rudomino, as saying about Knightley: “She was naturally very good. She was wearing a fairly heavy dress which made it hard but she was surrounded by safety divers and she did very well.”
The 24-year-old beauty was shooting to promote the charity Fresh2o, which provides clean water to people.
Knightley said: “There may be gaffer tape holding a bikini together or divers hanging upside down to keep someone in a certain position but the viewer will only ever see the final polished shot.”
The photos will now be showcased in a forthcoming exhibition called Water on the Lens, in London in October. (ANI)
Gwyneth Paltrow donating session with personal trainer for charity
May 9, 2009 By Leave a Comment
London, May 9 (ANI): Hollywood actress Gwyneth Paltrow is donating a session with her personal trainer Tracy Anderson to a celebrity charity auction.
Tracy Anderson, who also trains Madonna, will give personal training session to bidders in a bid to raise money for the Clear Water Initiative, a charity seeking to provide clean water to those without it, reports The Daily Express.
Jessica Alba, on the other hand, has offered daughter Honor Warren’s Maclaren Juicy Couture Ryder Stroller and some of her baby clothes.
The auction is taking place on eBay.com until May 14. (ANI)
Timberlake, Fiasco to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro for charity
April 11, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Washington, April 11 (ANI): Justin Timberlake and rapper Lupe Fiasco will team up with pop singer Kenna to climb Mount Kilimanjaro to raise funds for charity.
The singers will be amongst other adventurers to mount the 19,000-foot African peak as part of the effort to create awareness for the global water crisis.
Kenna, co-ordinator for the giant ascend, revealed it would further fulfill a personal but a noble ambition.
“My dad almost died as a child from waterborne diseases in Ethiopia, and he had talked to me about digging a well there, and I thought, ‘I have too many friends who would be concerned with the subject of clean water. Maybe I can help out,’” Contactmusic quoted him as telling Elle magazine.
Meanwhile, Fiasco insisted he was looking forward to playing mischief-maker.
He said: “I’m an adventure junkie. Part of the motivation is beating Kenna to the top. Sabotaging his tent, taking the lining out of his coat, lacing it with ants or something like that.” (ANI)
India will emerge as world’s technological leader, say Americans
March 5, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Washington, March 4 (ANI): A survey of U.S. public opinion has revealed that half of Americans expect India, China, Japan or Europe to emerge as the world’s technological leader in the future.
Duke’s Pratt School of Engineering commissioned the survey, which was titled “Americans’ Attitudes Toward Engineering and Engineering Challenges.”
Americans with more education are even less optimistic about the likelihood the United States will be the world’s technological leader in the 21st century.
China was cited by 20 percent of all the respondents as being most likely to assume this position, followed by Japan and Europe at 10 percent each, and India at 4 percent.
Americans were just as likely to say their country’s ability to compete technologically over the past century has worsened as to say it has improved.
Among those who see a decline in America’s ability to compete technologically, 55 percent say the situation is temporary and 39 percent say it is long term.
“Americans understand that innovation is critical to their future, but also recognize that our country’s continued leadership isn’t assured just because we invented everything from the airplane to the personal computer,” said Thomas Katsouleas, dean of the Pratt School.
In response to a list of major engineering challenges facing the world, those surveyed gave highest priority to developing better medicines, providing clean water around the world and developing environmentally friendly power sources.
They gave less priority to securing cyberspace against attacks or to restoring and improving deteriorating urban infrastructures.
The respondents said the best ways to improve U.S. global competitiveness are with more training for workers, improved K-12 math and science teaching, and tougher standards for public school teachers and students.
They were much less likely to endorse tax breaks for business and investment, or new immigration policies to attract foreign engineers and other technical experts.
A majority of the respondents – 58 percent – said engineering is losing out to other professions when it comes to young people choosing careers.
They said this is happening because engineering does not pay as much as other fields, requires extensive schooling and is seen as being difficult.
“Not as glamorous” was cited least often among seven possible answers in explaining why engineering has been a less attractive career choice. (ANI)