Category: Engineering

Long-Term Rainwater Storage for Droughts

Long-Term Rainwater Storage for Droughts

Long-Term Rainwater Storage for Droughts

01/10/23

“How can we use long-term rainwater storage for droughts?”

Places like California and Turkey can suffer revolving rounds of short, intense suffocating rains and long, parching droughts. This puts a strain on water resources, as infrastructure is either being destroyed or dry foliage leads to fires. However, can citizens and organizations take advantage of these patterns to build some adaptive capacity? Well, we know that we receive a plethora of rain during flooding season and a deluge during droughts. So what if we were to capture and store some of this water instead of letting it go to waste? By using Long Term Rainwater Storage for Droughts, we can make our communities more safe, resilient, and healthy.

Why Heavy Storm Water Can Damage Transmission Lines

Why Heavy Storm Water Can Damage Transmission Lines

Why Heavy Storm Water Can Damage Transmission Lines

01/09/23

“Why can heavy storm water damage transmission lines?”

Electrical transmission lines typically have water-resistant polymers coating their cables to protect them from water damage. But during heavy rain storms, some water may get through and enter. The presence of moisture can heavily speed up the current in the circuit, blowing the fuse and destroying current flow. If the grid system does not have sufficient redundancy, outages can ensure. This is Why Heavy Storm Water Can Damage Transmission Lines.

Disaster Shelters for Unhoused People

Disaster Shelters for Unhoused People

Disaster Shelters for Unhoused People

01/08/23

“How can we provide climate shelters for unhoused people?”

Shelter is essential for disaster protection. However, many unhoused people lack access to adequate cover. This can be life-threatening during more extreme events. To help, officials should implement Disaster Shelters for Unhoused People. Such infrastructure can come in many forms. Unused homes and hotels can be temporarily repurposed for safeguarding people. Trailers and cabins can be brought to centers during events. Gyms and stadiums can also be used to help people live their lives. 

Why Emergency Management Professionals Need to Consider Unhoused Peoples’ Needs During Floods

Why Emergency Management Professionals Need to Consider Unhoused Peoples’ Needs During Floods

Why Emergency Management Professionals Need to Consider Unhoused Peoples’ Needs During Floods

01/07/23

“Why do emergency management professionals need to consider unhoused peoples’ needs during floods?”

Floods are very painful events. Homes are destroyed, roads are impassable, and in the worst case, lives are lost. However, one particular group is often left out of the discussion during these disasters. Unhoused people. Emergency plans often do not consider that unhoused communities do not have ready access to shelters or capital. Community engagement with unhoused people is commonly lackluster, making it difficult to address their needs during disasters. As a result, unhoused people are some of the most vulnerable during these events. Since it’s the public responsibility to care for those most in need, it’s clear Why Emergency Management Professionals Need to Consider Unhoused Peoples’ Needs During Floods.

Why Transparent Device Covers Should Be Used for Engineering Education

Why Transparent Device Covers Should Be Used for Engineering Education

Why Transparent Device Covers Should Be Used for Engineering Education

01/01/23

“Why should transparent device covers be used for engineering education?”

Engineers learn many skills by analyzing how devices work. However, much of the time they are protected by a physical cover, blurring everything out of site. But if these were replaced with transparent covers, then every detail will be up for view. This will show the true beauty of human ingenuity. Clocks will have their intricate gears visible, blow driers their electromechanical workings, and countless more items. Engineers can greatly improve their understanding of the field if they have access to this. This is Why Transparent Device Covers Should Be Used for Engineering Education.

U.S. Executive Order 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad

U.S. Executive Order 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad

U.S. Executive Order 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad

12/31/22

“What was the executive order that rolled back much of the Trump environmental policies and provided a course correction roadmap?”

A week into taking office, U.S. President Joe Biden signed U.S. Executive Order 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad. This lengthy executive order not only rolled back much of the previous administration’s environmental policies but also set a course correction roadmap. Specifically, it tried to organize the U.S. federal agencies to reduce carbon broad-scale carbon emissions in the economy, promote climate adaptation, protect public health, lands, waters, and biodiversity, and spike union jobs and economic growth by driving the clean energy sector.

Why Climate Adaptation Planners Have to Select an RCP Forecast

Why Climate Adaptation Planners Have to Select an RCP Forecast

Why Climate Adaptation Planners Have to Select an RCP Forecast

12/28/22

“Why do climate adaptation planners have to select an RCP Pathway?”

Climate adaptation planners have to predict how climate change will evolve over the years. However, analyzing the future is excruciatingly difficult. There are untold ways for society to change and temperatures to rise. Planners can simplify matters by selecting an RCP forecast. These IPCC-developed pathways are vetted by some of the world’s preeminent scientists and are already standard practice in climate work. This is Why Climate Adaptation Planners Have to Select an RCP Forecast.

Why New Adaptation Initiatives May Want to Implement Easier Projects Earlier

Why New Adaptation Initiatives May Want to Implement Easier Projects Earlier

Why New Adaptation Initiatives May Want to Implement Easier Projects Earlier

12/27/22

“Why may new adaptation initiatives consider implementing easier projects earlier?”

New climate adaptation initiatives may have to learn quickly and show their effectiveness early. One potential avenue to accomplish this is to concentrate on implementing easier projects earlier. Not only will this show stakeholders visible progress, but also enable more rapid learning that will lead to more success with long-term projects. This is Why New Adaptation Initiatives May Want to Implement Easier Projects Earlier.

Leading Practices in Climate Adaptation

Leading Practices in Climate Adaptation

Leading Practices in Climate Adaptation

12/26/22

“What exactly are leading practices in climate adaptation?”

“Best Practices” is a term often applied to standard-bearing methodologies in a field. However more nascent and rapid-growing fields such as climate adaptation do not have the maturity to label a certain practice as “best” A technique that is popular today may become obsolete in a couple of years. For this reason, the Water Utility Climate Alliance (WUCA) has adopted the term Leading Practices in Climate Adaptation. Leading Practices are practices that are currently popular, but (like everything in the field) may be subject to change.