Military water purification pill

I just recently found this product from Camping survival really interesting. It is currently used by Red Cross, Oxfam and the US department of Defence for water purification purposes.

Currently used by the US Military ( National Stock Number NSN 6850-01-352-6129), 30 tablets per box, eliminates Giardia, bacteria, viruses, removes sediment. Each 600 milligram tablet provides 1.4% available chlorine, and enough flocculating agent for the clarification and disinfection of 1 L (1.10 qts)of water from polluted sources at temperatures of 77 degrees F (25 degrees C). At 41 degrees F (5 C) two 600 milligram tablets will provide 2.8% available chlorine for the same purpose.

Instructions:

1) Add 1 or 2 tablets (600 mg) to 1 liter (1.1 quart) of water
2) Shake for 1 minute to make sure that the tablets dissolve completely
3) Wait for 7 to 10 minutes (or the necessary time) then strain through a piece of broadly woven cloth (t-shirt material, etc.) into clean container.
4) The clarified water is now ready for drinking.
5) If water is still murky add an additional one-half tablet and repeat steps 2 and 3.

77F (25C) - Add 1 Tablet - Wait 7 Minutes
58F (15C) - Add 1 Tablet - Wait 15 Minutes
50F (10C) - Add 1 Tablet - Wait 15 Minutes
41F (5C) - Add 2 Tablets - Wait 15 Minutes


For further details, please view the information on this website:

http://www.campingsurvival.com/milwatpurtab.html

Go Green China

Jean Yang
17th April 2007

Frederic J. Brown / AFP-Getty Images

In a recent environmental sustainability conference featuring presentations by former Vice-president Al Gore and Dr. David Suzuki, held in Montreal, Canada, the two environmentalists emphasized the importance of a greener planet. As China rapidly expands economically through its manufacturing sector, the issue of global warming as it relates to that country was one of the key points focused upon.

In 2006, China established its financial position as the fourth strongest nation, with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) economic output of $2.68 trillion. With constant production demands from the Western world and the influx of people rushing into the Chinese market, the nation seems triumphant in its success. However, its booming economy simultaneously brings certain environmental consequences.

Currently, 16 of the 20 most polluted cities in the world are located in China, and it is the second largest emitter of energy-related carbon dioxide after the United States. China relies on coal for 70 percent of its energy needs, and discharges a large amount of pollutants into its rivers. The increase of the economy's energy demands is also the cause of higher greenhouse gas levels, as many Chinese companies build coal-fired plants and operate them without the government's consent.

According to a World Bank report issued in May 2006, China's greenhouse gas emissions increased by 33 percent between 1992 and 2002. However, Cheng Siwei, vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress quickly defended the nation's record by stating: "China's per capita emissions still remain below the world average. If you look at the history of emissions from the 1950's to 2002, we have contributed 10 percent. How can anyone say we are responsible?"

Global warming, led by increased greenhouse gas emissions, is causing the meltdown of China's Qinghai-Tibet glaciers. Based on research conducted by the country's Aero Geophysical Survey and Remote Sensing Center for Land and Resources, the glaciers have been melting at 131.4km a year over the last 30 years and will likely be reduced to a third of their current size by 2050, if global warming persists.

The water level in the Yangtze River is another sign of China's progress leading to environmental damage. Chinese hydrologists state that the river's water level is at its lowest in 140 years due to the construction of the Three Gorges Dam. This is causing a change of volume of water flows in some of China's lush valleys, in turn producing a severe shortage of water for millions of people in the central and western parts of the country. The situation is even more critical in northern areas, where the rivers are now running dry. The Yellow River, also known as the China Sorrow, has lost its ability to inflict destructive floods, and has run dry for 226 days. According to environmentalist Wang Yongchen, the water crisis is due to logging and draining of lakes, and by the over-exploitation of water resources.

Besides the water shortage in China, the waterways are also polluted. It is estimated that 70 percent of China's rivers and lakes are contaminated, with approximately 200 million tons of sewage and industrial waste pouring into them.

The water calamity is not the only critical factor that could lead to environmental catastrophe. The deforestation of China is also an alarming issue that geographers and environmentalists have been keeping a close eye on. It is estimated that the deforestation, caused by low rate fertilizers and farm chemicals, has created groundwater pollution, reduced land fertility, and caused geographical desertification by soil erosion in agricultural areas.

It is estimated that the desertification will lead to a loss of 5,800 square miles of grassland every year, which is approximately the size of Connecticut. The Minister of Forestry in China believes that, if no effective measures are adopted, desertification will expand by as much as 1,430 square miles annually over the next 10 years. The erosion of the soil has led to an increase of sandstorms in Beijing, and causes roughly a third of China's air pollution. The environmental degradation is not only negatively impacting China, but has also affected the air in Korea and Japan.

According to a new report released by the United Nations International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in January 2007, the world has 10 years to reverse carbon emissions, or climate change could lead to many parts of the planet becoming inhabitable. Nevertheless, under the conditions of the United Nations' Kyoto protocol, China as a developing country is under no obligation to cut emissions during the pact's first phase until 2012. The situation was worrisome to politicians gathered at the recent World Economic Forum in Switzerland. According to participants at the Davos forum, major emerging economies like China and India need to pay more attention to their greenhouse gas emissions.

As China represents one-sixth of the world's population and with an economy growing at 10 percent a year, its pollution has become a growing concern for those who see a possible forthcoming environmental disaster. If the country continues to discharge as much pollution as the Western countries did during their industrialization, the impact of global warming will become irreversible, and potentially lethal to the future of human civilization.

http://www.worldpress.org/Asia/2756.cfm

How clean is your water?

April 4th,2010
Jean Yang

picture from Alliance/dpa, Germany federal foreign office

  In the current world, the water crisis in the underdeveloped countries has become alarming matter. It has been stated that one-third of the World Bank monetary lending, approximately 54 billion, has been linked with water issues from the year 1997 to 2007. According to the World Bank’s Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) newest report, within the next five years, people without drinkable sanitized water might reach 800 millions.

This number stresses the importance of changes. Every year, Pakistan, the world’s 6th most populous country, struggles with water quality and shortage. Over 1.2 million Citizens of Pakistan face death due to water-borne diseases, and causes 60% of the death in children under the age of 5.Children often face diseases as: Diarrhea, cholera, typhoid, hepatitis A and E, trachoma and intestinal worms. According to Benazir Bhutto Hospital, Director of Emergency, Dr. Muhammad Mujeeb Khan states: “In Pakistan, with approximate 630 children dying daily from Diarrhoea.”

Though sanitation education has been implemented, such as “World Hand Washing Day”, “World Water Day”, the toll of death still requires faster changes. As the secretary of Environment, Khushnood Akhtar Lashari states: “In Pakistan, diarrhea killed 11% of total children before their fifth birthday.”

The World Health Organization states 80% of the infections are caused by poor water conditions.  Yet, there isn’t a safe effective policy regarding drinking water treatment, or a measurement on its standard and quality. Dr. Khan also says that: “Water in many cities of Pakistan is unsafe for human consumption due to both bacterial and chemical contamination.”

The authorities do not have the right equipments, not enough chlorine gas cylinders, and not the adequate training to resolve the issue. Consequently, the habitants are suffering from the aggravating situation. Health experts observe: “About 80% of Rawalpindi population drinks contaminated water. Every day, nine out of ten times, the glass of water turns out to be ‘unfit for human consumption’ as the situation of public water sources, storage tanks, distribution channels etc has become horrifying.”

Though experts say methods to resolve the issue is by informing the local community concerning the “rusty water pipelines”, and replace them by newer ones, the fundamental problem still remain unresolved.

The government has often failed to take in consideration of the precarious water contamination and water inadequacy issues, and address 80 times more funding into its military instead of its water provision. For instance, the year 2009-2010, Pakistan budget for the military spending is set at Rs.343 billion. Additionally, United States agency for International Development (USAID) will provide for the next 5 years 1.5 billion of non-military aid to the development of Pakistan, which fears to get lost in bureaucracy. As Roger Bates, American Enterprise Institute says: “When you are spending large amount of money at arm’s length, operating in hostile environments, it is very easy for money to get spent corruptly and/or badly…”

Consequently, one of the resolutions to evade the alarming situation is by better management of water resources, and redistribution of funding by the Pakistani Government.

Ever since the global warming caused the dissolving of the Himalayan glaciers and diminution of water flowing into the Indus River system, it led to the sufferance of agricultural lands. It has been stipulated that the country can experience a 30 to 40% decline of wheat production since water sources have been diminishing drastically. As president of farmers’ association of Pakistan, Muttahida Kisan Mahaz states: “wheat crops in Sindh and Punjab are in danger as the growers’ community is facing worst water shortage.”

The sugarcane production also faces precarious changes, as the water shortage is affecting the growth of sugarcane, a major bread winner for the farmers, and a source of employment for many Pakistanis. As official estimates: “the country needed about 67.110 Million Acre Feet(MAF) water for the entire Kharif season but for this year the estimated water availability is about less than 67 Million Acre Feet, and the water shortage would badly affect particularly sugarcane and rice production. Last year in Kharif season (April to Sep) there was 67 Million Acre Feet water available for agriculture.”

Presently, 24 percents of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in this Muslim country is attributed to agricultural sector, and earns 60 percents of the country’s export earnings. Thus, water scarcity of Pakistan will lead to detrimental consequences to its people, with the inability to feed themselves, nor sustain an income; which will result in famine in the long haul.

            As a result, it would be an important matter that specific policies implementation are set for the water pollution and water shortage, in order to save the slow death of its population. A superior communication and education toward its community toward eradicating water shortage will also alleviate its problematic issues. Instead of pointing fingers toward the Indus Water Treaty, a peaceful cooperation might be a baby step to resolve the water crisis occurring on both side of the frontier.

Three Gorges Dam

OOSKA NEWS writer and Jean Yang
October 9th, 2007

Environmental experts are continuing to express concern about the ecological effects of the Three Gorges Dam, as the huge weight of water behind the dam has started to erode the Yangtze River’s bank in many places. This in turn has caused high variability in the water levels and led to a series of landslides.

“The shore of the reservoir had collapsed in 91 places and a total of 36 kilometres of shoreline had caved in,”said Tan Qiwei, vice-mayor of the city of Chongqing in Sichuan Province.

Huang Xuebin of the Headquarters for Prevention & Control of Geological Disasters, said the dam’sreservoir has produced waves as high as 50 meters. The waves have crashed into the adjacentshoreline, causing more damages.

Local government officials have acknowledged that the water quality of the Yangtze has drastically

decreased due to the sedimentation from the dam, threatening the safety of 50,000 local residents’ drinking water supply.

The pollution level has also caused the downstream growth of algae and led to a reduction of aquatic life in many rivers.

“We absolutely cannot relax our guard against ecological and environmental security problems sparked by the Three Gorges Project. We cannot win passing economic prosperity at the cost of the environment,” said Wang Xiaofeng, the director of the administrative body in charge of the dam.

In an unusual turn of events, Chinese government officials have been frank about the environmentally destructive characteristics of Three Gorges Dam. Their admissions come less than a month before the ruling Kuomintang holds its five-year national party congress.

“The government knows it has made a mistake,” Dai Qing, a vocal environmental critic of the Three Gorges Dam project, told The Times. “Now they are afraid that the catastrophe that they cannot prevent will spark civil unrest. So they want to go public before the troubles start.”

The $25 billion USD dam project has been compared to the Great Wall of China in scope. It is among the world’s biggest hydro-electric projects, with the capacity to produce 18,000 megawatts of power, 20 times more than the Hoover dam in the United States. The dam also is intended to deter floods in the basin of Yangtze River.

China water pollution threatens livelihood of fishes

By Jean Yang

                                             Picture  Courtesy of Chinh's News

     It is estimated that 70 percent of fisheries in the world come from China, and it is a major provider to the United States, Japan, and Europe. But Chinese fish farmers who catch their product in grimy water sources now face problems both in the country and on the international market. Farmers failure to deliver the goods that meet the standards of food security and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) might lose its future market partners if the situation persist.

It is estimated that 70 percent of fisheries in the world come from China, and it is a major provider to the United States, Japan, and Europe. But Chinese fish farmers who catch their product in grimy water sources now face problems both in the country and on the international market.

Officials from the Ministry of Fisheries say they have acknowledged the problems of pollution and water shortage since contamination has become a challenge for these industries.

Ding Xiaoming, the director of aquacultures in the ministry,says: “water quality is the top issue for Chinese aquaculture…Without good water quality, Chinese aquaculture cannot develop.”He believes Chinese rapid urbanization and industrialization is to blame for the polluted water streams.

Lin Sunbao, a fish farmer in Fujian, says his best years were the early 1990s. He only had one aqua farm and he earned over $500,000 USD a year.Then the electrical and textileindustries arrived in the area, and the basins and rivers became contaminated with petroleum, lead, mercury and copper. The streams have been classified as unfit for human consumption.

Fishermen have been trying to adapt to the environmental degradation by injecting illegal veterinary drugs and pesticides into the fish feed to keep their stock alive, leading to harmful side effects including cancer and liver diseases.

“They are heavy metals, mercury and flame retardants in fish samples we’ve tested. We’ve got

to stop the pollutants entering the food system.” says Ming Hung Wong, a professor of biology at Hong Kong Baptist University.

Just last year, between January and April, the United States refused 37 percent of catfish shipments, 20 percent of shrimp shipments, and 22 percent of eel products. The refusal rate on the grounds of veterinary drugs in 2007 made up 19.5 percent of all seafood, in comparison to 8 percent in 2006, and 3 percent in 2005.

The United States Food and Drug Administration is not the only one keeping an eye on these products. European Union regulators and Japan have also put temporary bans on seafood due to illegal drug residue.

In order to improve the situation, China has created the “Plan for rapid response to emergency food safety”, and shut down a couple of seafood companies who do not meet the standard of water protection.

On the other hand, Thailand, another major exporter of seafood to the Supply of United States, had only two rejections involving illegal drug usage, compared to 210 refusals for China.

Wang Wu, a professor at Shanghai Fisheries University says: “We’ve blindly emphasized economicgrowth. The only pursuit has been GDP, and now the water turns dirty and the seafood gets dangerous.”

Though environmental conditions seem to trouble the Chinese seafood industries, the decline in fish stock in the oceans favors the Chinese fish farms. China is the biggest producer of farmed seafood and aqua farming. It brings in 115 billion pounds of seafood and cultivates 70 percent of farmed fish world-wide.

Environmental experts say the economic growth and demand will overwhelm the water quality and

endanger seafood production. According to the China Environment Forum, the regulations on food

safety in China have been loosely implemented: by a weak monitoring system, strong local government protectionism of the industries and little consumer protection surveillance.

Therefore, new laws should be created for the safety of food export, the forum says.

Yet, Chinese officials downplay the food safety issue, saying it is exaggerated. “It is a question of

common sense. Do you believe that fish can live in toxic water?Personally, I believe that this report

is sensational and misleading” says Vice Minister Gao Hongbin.

The state controlled news media has also criticized the issue as “totally groundless,” and says these concerns are stirred up by interest groups in the United States and Japan in order to stop China from acquiring market share.