Cowboys, frontier grit, accented English, and wild, wide open spaces are just a few of the similarities shared by Texas and Australia. Both places also have an energy-water problem. But, the good news for Texas is that it’s not too late for us to learn from Australia’s mistakes – and a few successes, too. In… Keep reading →
California Governor Jerry Brown announced mandatory water restrictions for the first time in the state’s history. The dramatic order comes in response to an ever deepening drought crisis now in its fourth year. Gov. Brown held his press conference in an open field in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The field would normally be covered in… Keep reading →
In an age where technology enables consumers to track their meal from field to table, and beverages from orchard to refrigerator, sustainability has become an increasingly powerful market force. Customer demand for information is leading to improved labeling and sourcing information that is impacting supplier behavior across a broad range of consumer and business goods.… Keep reading →
Atlanta, Texas, California! As drought has moved across the country, Americans have had to look out for their water supply. Empty reservoirs led to restrictions on use. In many places, lawns are being replaced by xeriscaping. In many California cities, strict watering schedules are being enforced. In Texas, California and Florida, many people developed rain… Keep reading →
Farmers in California are facing another water crisis with the federal government confirming it won’t send any of its reservoir water to the Central Valley. “Many farmers had been bracing for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s announcement as California’s drought enters its fourth year. Some farms are exempt from complete cuts under California’s antiquated water… Keep reading →
The Hamilton Project at Brookings and the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment recently hosted a forum on the water crisis in the US. This resulted in the release of two interesting new discussion papers – “New Directions for US Water Policy” – charting feasible paths for improving water management in the US in the… Keep reading →
A new World Economic Forum report on the Water-Energy Nexus explores the link between water quantity and electricity production and specifically looks into strategic considerations for energy policy-makers on how best to plan energy and water infrastructures for the future. In short, sensible planning is a prerequisite for responsible management. As demand for electricity grows… Keep reading →
The energy-water nexus has been gaining traction around the globe, including serving as the theme to this year’s World Water Day, and now we are finally seeing some movement on Capitol Hill. In January, Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) introduced S. 1971, the Nexus of Energy and Water for Sustainability Act of 2014, or… Keep reading →
This Tuesday marks the 45th observance of Earth Day, an annual time to focus on the importance of taking good care of our planet. Here at Energy.gov, we’re celebrating Earth Day all week long. We’ll focus on climate change, highlight Earth Day events and share ways Americans #ActOnClimate — from climate scientists at the National Labs… Keep reading →
Here’s a cool infographic from the Thirsty Energy website to illustrate where we are and where we’re headed. Energy and water, two of our most important global resources, are inextricably linked. And yet when it comes to planning, the regulatory agencies in charge of managing these precious resources are often separate and uncoordinated in their decision-making. With the… Keep reading →
