Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Fighting climate change by desalinating seawater

 
 
 
The island country Cyprus faces climate change among other problems. To fulfill the growing demand for water, the republic uses  seawater desalination plants with a new technology.
Drinking water is a scarce commodity in Cyprus. Intensive agriculture and a growing tourist industry are adding to the strain on water resources. Water scarcity causes significant hardship to the island's population. It defines their daily lives. The hope is that ultrafiltration will help secure the island's water supply in future.
"Everything depends on water. The whole of society." Yianna Economidou, chief engineer of the Water Development Department in Cyprus, is sure that sea water desalination is the only way to make Cyprus independent from climatic conditions. Ultrafiltration membranes play an important role in desalination. 
With this type of desalination, salt water is forced through a reverse osmosis membrane under high pressure. The water passes through the membrane while the salt stays behind. An important first step toward a sustainable water supply, but research into improving the membrane material goes on. The aim is to develop membranes that produce clean drinking water while using the least amount of energy.
When fresh water becomes scarce... and it eventually will, most of the countries in the world may have to build desalination plants. The Earth is 71% water. Most of it is salt water but it is a resource that we can use. Water can also be made by combing oxygen gas and hydrogen gas and heating it to start the reaction of producing water. We won't die of thirst.... But when the time comes that we have to desalinate or create water, it will mean that the rivers and lakes have dried up.

1 comment:

  1. Aunt Jeannie ,
    It is shameful how we take for granted that fresh water will be here forever , the oceans and seas are the bodies of water that is rising , no one will ever convinced some people the climate is changing .
    We had Nanook meeting today because tomorrow is Good Friday , there is always someone in the audience that asks a question , this lady said she read a post on Nanook one was about the bees disappearing , she said she thought about it , she had not seen many bees in quite awhile , she has plenty of flowers . She told the audience that they should read Nanook , It is posted on our bulletin board with the address . A few people wrote it down .
    Daddy said that was a good sign , start small and grow big .
    Aunt Jeannie , Man is working on his post , I told daddy man can spell better if he slow down , daddy told him to take all the time he need to find the right keys , daddy bought a new keyboard with big letters , Man told daddy he type fast , daddy told Man when he was his age poppa had a typewriter and he typed with 2 fingers , he said son your spelling will come , Daddy said the dictionary is to look up words not to sit your butt on .
    Love you
    Crusader Jenny , Nanook & Mika

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