food security and water recycling government initiatives

NO WASTE WATER: 

© Terence Westgate 2010 NO WASTE WATER

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Animal life is metabolic energy All energy emanates from the sun in the form of photons Animals cannot use photon energy directly Green plants transform photon energy into carbohydrates Animals burn carbohydrates to produce their energy

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PHOTOSYNTHESIS & RESPIRATION

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Plants need soil and non-saline or ‘ fresh ’ water In a growing proportion of the Earth demand for fresh water is outstripping supply Most fresh water is wasted

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THE WATER CYCLE Delivery of water depends on weather. Sea water evaporates leaving salt behind Clouds of fresh water particles are formed Which falls from clouds as rain Rain that falls into the sea becomes saline Rain that falls on land tends to find its own level & return to the sea

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Extracted from rivers Filtered Chlorinated Piped into buildings Used once Sent to sewage plant 1890’s processing Bio-reaction Sedimentation Decanting Discharge to river THE WATER CYCLE

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THE WATER CYCLE Rivers return water to sea Fresh water becomes salt water again The sea to rain to sea cycle starts again

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In a growing proportion of the Earth demand for fresh water for crop production is outstripping supply

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Percentage of all Water Withdrawals used for Irrigation Water Used in Irrigation (Cubic Kilometers) Irrigated Land as a Percentage of Cropland Irrigated Area (1,000 Square Kilometers) Country World 2,296 19 2,226 69 China 513 52 400 87 India 490 29 353 93 USA 209 11 196 42 Pakistan 163 80 151 97 Mexico 62 25 67 86 Egypt 33 100 47 86 LEADING IRRIGATION COUNTRIES

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Life on Earth depends on a thin layer of topsoil which supports the source of nutrients for plants, crops, forests, animals and people. Topsoil is disappearing at a rate of 18 billion tons per year. When the topsoil is all gone, none can survive and mankind will perish OUR FRAGILE ECOLOGY

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Nature and human activity are destroying plant-life through soil erosion

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INTRODUCTION TO DESERTIFICATION The UN Convention on Contra Desertification defines "desertification" as the "degradation of land in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas resulting from various factors including climatic variations and human activities.“ Better known as SOIL EROSION

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AUSTRALIA 85% Arid or semi-arid AFRICA 66% of total land area is arid or semi arid USA 40% of land is vulnerable to desertification EUROPE Desertification is in Spain France Italy Greece and Turkey GLOBALLY Of the world’s 5 billion hectares of agriculturally used drylands, 70% is subject to desertification Currently over 250 million people experience the direct consequences of desertification SCALE OF THE PROBLEM

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Physical Causes Drought Over-cultivation Deforestation Poor irrigation CAUSES OF DESERTIFICATION Underlying causes Poverty High population growth Refugee flows Government policies

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GLOBAL DESERTIFICATION

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EARLY EFFECTS OF DESERTIFICATION Organic matter in topsoil dries out and is blown away by wind or washed away by rain to the sea

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INTERIM EFFECTS OF DESERTIFICATION

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ULTIMATE EFFECT OF DESERTIFICATION

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Desertification can be reversed

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Create humus from organic waste CONTRA - DESERTIFICATION

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Urban waste is divided into 2 categories: Solids – also known as MSW Liquids – mostly water and sewage TOPSOIL FROM WASTE

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MSW comprises: Metals Glass Plastics Paper Cardboard Organic materials Waste foodstuffs TOPSOIL FROM WASTE

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TOPSOIL FROM WASTE MSW may be separated before collection Unsorted MSW must be sorted after collection to separate non bio-degradable materals

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TOPSOIL FROM WASTE Cardboard may be collected separately where possible

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TOPSOIL FROM WASTE Trimmings from trees and hedges - green waste balances the carbon/nitrogen ratio

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The materials are shredded TOPSOIL FROM WASTE

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TOPSOIL FROM WASTE The prepared organic materials are mixed

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The shredded mixture is stacked into windrows TOPSOIL FROM WASTE

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Naturally occurring airborne bacteria will reduce the mixture to Organic matter – the vital component in topsoil. TOPSOIL FROM WASTE

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The compost self heats which kills pathogenic organisms TOPSOIL FROM WASTE Temperatures are monitored regularly

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Compost is turned regularly to: Prevent over-heating Provide oxygen for the bacteria TOPSOIL FROM WASTE If necessary, water may be added to sustain bacteria

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Over a matter of weeks humus is formed rich in nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous TOPSOIL FROM WASTE

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The humus will transform soil to retain water and support plant life TOPSOIL FROM WASTE

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TOPSOIL FROM WASTE And reverse the process of desertification RECYCLING TODAY’S ORGANIC WASTE CAN REPLACE UP TO 80% OF LOST SOIL

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WASTEFUL IRRIGATION Up to 90% will be lost to evaporation

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EFFICIENT IRRIGATION

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EFFICIENT IRRIGATION DRIP FEED IRRIGATION CAN REDUCE FRESH WATER CONSUMPTION BY UP TO 80%

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EFFICIENT IRRIGATION From $500 per hectare

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EFFICIENT IRRIGATION

BELLAGIO FRAMEWORK: 

BELLAGIO FRAMEWORK “Reuse and decentralization will be essential for meeting human needs for water and sanitation in both developing and developed countries. Membrane bioreactors (MBRs) will be an essential part of advancing such water sustainability, because they encourage water reuse and open up opportunities for decentralised treatment.” Conclusions of a Rockefeller Foundation-sponsored Team Residency held at the Bellagio (Italy) Study and Conference Center on April 23-26, 2003.

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NO WASTED WATER Membrane bioreactor raw sewage tank containing 9,600 flat panels at Westbury, Wiltshire, UK. Coarse bubble aeration. Crystal clear germ free water extracted from above tank under 1 bar gravity suction.

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MEMBRANE BIO-REACTORS Efficient Proven Economical Available Modular Reference sites

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MBR CHARACTERISTICS Local systems – no large scale sewer pipes Scaleable – from single dwelling to a town Stainless steel – long life Replaceable components – continuous systems Small footprint – 10% of traditional plants Low power consumption –energy efficient Germ free re-usable output – no wasted water MEMBRANE BIO-REACTORS CAN REDUCE FRESH WATER CONSUMPRION BY UP TO 80%

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STRATEGY FOR CHANGE -WATER 1. Central and local governments to create awareness and encourage adoption of local MBR recycling plants 2. Retro-fit MBR technology to existing wastewater treatment plants 3. Central and local governments to encourage development of waterless compost toilets Central and local governments to raise awareness of water recycling potential in rural areas 5. Central and local governments to encourage Installation of efficient irrigation systems

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STRATEGY FOR CHANGE - SOIL 1. Central and local governments to create awareness change attitudes to organic waste recycling Local governments to organise organic waste separation and composting Central governments to generate rural initiatives to reduce field sizes and separate with trees & hedges Central governments to encourage local farm shredding and composting Central and local governments to establish standards and testing points for compost

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MINE THE CITIES FOR HUMUS AND NPK CLEAN AND RECYCLE USED WATER

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AMACORD ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES SORT MSW SLUDGE TOILET WASTE GREEN WASTE DIRTY WATER Screen 6mm Macerate Screen 3mm Aerate coarse bubble Membrane filter CLEAN WATER ‘Hard’ Recycling Plastic Glass` Metal Paper ‘Soft’ Recycling Cardboard Organic waste Green waste Mix Shred Remix Accelerate Compost Cure NPK HUMUS INPUTS Mycorrhiza Innoculation LIVE TOPSOIL SLUDGE

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Is in our hands ……… FOOD SECURITY

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THE END or a new beginning? terencewestgate@ymail.com