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On World Water Day, let us recall that we are unnecessarily squandering one of our planet’s most vital resources, considering that approximately 2.2 billion individuals lack access to clean water.
In Hong Kong, we are observing severe water loss Unmetered water usage constitutes 37 percent of overall consumption. In the previous year, the leak rate from governmental pipelines stood at 13.4 percent. It is believed that the leakage percentage in privately owned conduits is around 12 percent. This significant amount of water loss and wastage of public funds likely goes unnoticed by many people.
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Reducing water loss is crucial for minimizing avoidable waste and cutting down on carbon emissions. Treating water and providing continuous supply to inhabitants in tall apartment buildings requires significant amounts of energy. Decreasing water loss could also ease the government’s fiscal strain, particularly since the city is dealing with a substantial budget shortfall.
Hong Kong can draw numerous valuable lessons from various sources. For instance, Denmark has managed to achieve an average water loss rate of just 7.8% through the use of advanced technology along with financial sanctions applied to utility firms when their water distribution losses surpass 10%.
Last year, the smart meter penetration in Guangdong’s Shenzhen hit 73 percent. Through incorporating advanced technology into their water management systems, the city managed to reduce its total water loss down to 5.1 percent. It serves as an excellent example for others to follow.
As the Northern Metropolis expands and the information technology sector grows—requiring substantial amounts of water for cooling purposes—the city’s water usage is projected to increase by approximately 40 percent by 2050.
Authorities ought to expedite the implementation of digital water management technologies like smart meters and AI systems capable of monitoring real-time usage and swiftly identifying leaks.
Minimizing water waste and developing additional water resources—such as utilizing treated graywater for non-drinking needs—will conserve public funds and preserve environmental health. Given its status as an international hub, Hong Kong mustn’t lag behind major Chinese cities or global metropolises like Singapore, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Melbourne, and Dubai, which have implemented advanced digital technologies to ensure water safety.
The government ought to increase public understanding regarding water shortages and the capacity constraints of nearby reservoirs in meeting total usage demands. It’s crucial that we take action promptly to preserve water resources, aligning our efforts with the specific deadlines set out in various United Nations Sustainability goals for 2030.
Edwin Lau Che-feng, who serves as an executive director at The Green Earth,
Could music ignite a movement towards sustainable agriculture?
Imagine a scenario where a farmer sits amidst his fields and plays a musical instrument, convinced that this practice can boost the development and quality of his crops.
The concept may appear as though it comes from a sci-fi novel, yet this is exactly what a Greek farmer allegedly attempted. He opted for classic music to cultivate his flourishing watermelon crop, convinced that the tunes enhanced their quality even under chilly winter conditions, which typically create unfavorable growth environments.
In conversations about creatures that respond to their surroundings, plants are often left off the list of responsive entities. Nonetheless, they defy this common view through unexpected complexities like emitting volatile substances to ward off pests and showing supportive actions toward kin.
For example, certain plants might secrete compounds into the soil to boost the growth of neighboring plants from the same species and could produce inhibiting substances aimed at non-related plants, thereby enhancing the likelihood of survival for their kin.
Nevertheless, they do not have feedback signals — an essential characteristic of the nervous system linked to consciousness.
Furthermore, critics argue that numerous investigations into how music influences plant growth often face challenges related to result replication and insufficient control measures. The exact ways in which sound can impact plants continue to be inadequately comprehended.
Is the impact purely mechanical, or do these processes involve more intricate biochemistry?
The concept of plants sensing and reacting to their environment in sophisticated manners might be leveraged to boost agricultural development, paving the way for innovative approaches to enhancing crop yields. sustainable farming .
In a world grappling with growing environmental issues because of climate change and resource depletion Such advancements might help create farming techniques that are more eco-friendly and decrease dependence on chemical fertilizers and pesticides, which can harm soil health and ecological systems.
For instance, should subsequent experiments validate the efficacy of employing sound frequencies to enhance agricultural output, it could potentially diminish the reliance on expensive chemical interventions or environmentally harmful agricultural inputs.
These approaches might prove especially beneficial in distant rural regions where farmers do not have the means to purchase fertilizers and pesticides. This concept could motivate novel agricultural policies designed to boost enhancement. food security By increasing the efficiency of farming and reducing costs over time.
Asia Alhammadi, Taiz, Yemen
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The article initially appeared on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), which is the premier source for news coverage of China and Asia.
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