Latest news with #AquaTower
Associated Press
28-04-2025
- General
- Associated Press
Providing Clean, Safe Water to Communities in India
Written by Amanda Davis | Sr. Manager, CR and Environment Gen Blog | People & Impact For eight years, we have partnered with Planet Water Foundation to help bring clean water to India's rural population. Employee volunteers from our office in Pune have joined Planet Water staff each year on World Water Day to build AquaTowers in rural schools, not only expanding access to safe water for drinking and sanitation but also providing hygiene education for the wider community. These efforts are part of our company-wide culture of giving, which empowers our teams to use their skills, time and passions to make an impact in their local communities. Confronting India's growing water scarcity crisis is important to our team members in India. The Ministry of Water Resources found that the country's average water availability per capita qualifies the region as 'water-stressed,' and even in communities that have regular access to water, it isn't always safe to drink. Yale University's 2024 Unsafe Drinking Water Index ranked India 144th out of 180 countries, placing people of all ages at greater risk of waterborne diseases that can cause health problems, financial hardship due to missed work and gaps in education due to missed school. At Gen, we're doing our part to change that. Since the start of our partnership with Planet Water, our work has: Bringing Clean Water to Our Communities Rural regions in India are at an increased risk of water scarcity. Villagers must travel long distances to collect water from far-away access points, a responsibility that often falls on women and children. Planet Water's AquaTower installations significantly reduce that burden, bringing water access to the center of the community. The AquaTower is a water filtration system capable of producing 1,000 liters (~265 gallons) of clean drinking water per hour and functions as a handwashing station for students. The system is also open to the wider community, expanding access to health and hygiene resources. This year's build took place on March 26 at the ZPPS Valti school in Pune, which serves 116 elementary and middle-grade students in a rural community of 3,000 people. Eleven volunteers from our office in Pune joined the effort this year, further demonstrating our commitment to supporting the communities where we work and live. 'The families in our village get water from the well even if it is not safe for drinking,' said Santoshi Purushottam Sutar, a teacher at the ZPPS Valti school. 'Now, we would not worry anymore about where to get clean water for our students because Gen built an AquaTower in our school.' Improving Hygiene Community-Wide When clean water is scarce, residents are forced to drink contaminated water, which can carry diseases and lead to frequent illness. Students and their families who are sick often miss school and work and incur higher healthcare costs. The AquaTower not only reduces the spread of disease but also helps students attend school more regularly, supporting the overall growth of the community. This year's project is one of dozens of similar initiatives Planet Water organized for this year's World Water Day, all in support of progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 of achieving water and sanitation for all by 2030. The organization has reached more than 4.5 million people in 31 countries since 2009. Our work with Planet Water Foundation is part of our efforts to manage our environmental impacts and empower our employees to care for the environment. You can read more about our environmental stewardship efforts in our Social Impact Report. This grant was awarded from the Gen Foundation, a corporate advised fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation. Visit 3BL Media to see more multimedia and stories from Gen Digital Inc.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Experts baffled by results of unlikely solution to troubling bird fatalities: 'It was almost miraculous'
McCormick Place's Lakeside Center, a convention center in Chicago, has long been a death trap for birds during migration season. But with bird-safe window film, the number of collisions has fallen significantly, reported. For over 40 years, thousands of birds collided with the center's windows each year, mistaking the glassy, reflective surfaces for open sky or safe habitats. But last fall, after the bird-safe window film was installed, only 18 deaths were recorded, a 90% drop from the previous year. The dramatic decline shows the promise of preventive measures and is a sign that similar solutions could be applied across other at-risk buildings. "To me, it was almost miraculous," Dave Willard, retired bird division collections manager at Chicago's Field Museum of Natural History, who has monitored the site since 1982, told The transformation came after Lakeside Center's operator worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Field Museum, and local bird monitors to install bird-safe film. Applied at a cost of $1.2 million, the film features small dots that make the glass visible to birds, preventing deadly crashes. The film is now gaining traction. Feather Friendly, the company behind the bird-safe film, has landed contracts for at least nine more buildings in Chicago, with clients requesting the same solution used at the convention center. The window barrier doesn't just reduce bird collisions. It also safeguards ecosystems. Birds ingest nearly 500 million tons of insects per year, controlling pests that threaten forests and agricultural products. They also pollinate around 5% of plants humans use for food and medicine. As more cities follow Chicago's lead, these conservation measures could pave the way for a cleaner, safer future for animals and urban life to coexist. The window film joins an expanding list of design interventions engineered to make the built environment more bird-friendly. In Chicago, architect Jeanne Gang designed Aqua Tower, an 82-story building, with a wavy exterior so birds can see the building more clearly to avoid collisions. Beyond design, companies are coming up with creative solutions to protect birds. England's Manthorpe, for instance, manufactured a hollow brick with a small entry hole that provides a nesting spot for swifts, an endangered bird species. Do you worry about air pollution in your town? All the time Often Only sometimes Never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. As spring approaches, Willard hopes that birds will continue to survive into the new season during their migration. With the film, he has "no reason to think" the worst. "I turned into a believer," Willard said. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
