A report mapping the benefits of ocean ecosystems aims to assist governments and businesses in making informed decisions when using marine and coastal resources.

The Atlas of Ocean Wealth, published last week, compiles data and qualitative information on the benefits of coral reefs, marshes, mangroves, seagrass meadows and oyster reefs. It finds that fish catches are declining, ocean temperatures are warming, sea levels are rising, and extreme weather events are threatening coastal habitats. Read more

Cyanobacteria, more commonly known as blue-green algae, can potentially be quite nasty. Some types of the bacteria produce toxins, which can poison humans or other animals that ingest water in which they’re present. Now, however, scientists are developing a portable sensor that will instantly alert users to the presence of the microbes in water samples.

You probably wouldn’t need to be told not to swim in this – a particularly scummy cyanobacteria infestation

According to the World Health Organization, cyanobacterial toxins can cause reactions such as skin irritation, stomach cramps, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, fever, sore throat, headache, muscle and joint pain, blisters of the mouth and liver damage. Those toxins can be ingested not only through deliberate drinking of the water, but also via bathing. Read more

Low-flow shower heads are a good way to save water, but using one can be a bit like showering with a spray bottle. New Zealand company Felton, in collaboration with Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), has developed the Oxijet – an “air shower” head that injects tiny air bubbles into the water droplets to make the shower feel like it’s at full pressure, yet while using 50 percent less water.

“Traditional flow restrictors reduce flow and pressure, whereas Oxijet uses the flow energy to draw air into the water stream, making the water droplets hollow,” Dr. Jie Wu, a fluids specialist at CSIRO said. “This expands the volume of the shower stream, meaning you can save the same amount of water, while still enjoying your shower.” Read more

It’s a given that recycling waste products is a good thing. It’s certainly better than sending our trash to landfill where it will sit rotting (or not, in the case of non-biodegradable waste) for decades to come. However, even better than recycling is to not create the waste in the first place. Bottled water is now big business, and more popular than ever before, but bottled water guzzles energy and creates waste that really doesn’t need to be created. The WaterBean portable water filter offers one possible solution to the problem.

WaterBean is a portable water filter which “purifies” tap water. The word “purifies” is in quotation marks because WaterBean will not turn a dirty puddle into water you’d want (or be advised) to drink. Rather than being designed as a system for people in developing countries to use to make dirty water clean enough to drink, WaterBean is designed to persuade people who currently buy endless bottles of water to stick with one bottle for a long time. Read more

Most of us, at one time or another, have forgotten to water houseplants or flowers sitting in a vase in our homes. It’s very easy to do, particularly if you have a busy lifestyle and one too many chores to do each day. If only housebound flowers and plants had a way of communicating with us their need for a drink … Now they do, thanks to Water Balance.

Water Balance is a concept design for a unique vase that hangs on a wall in your home as a reminder to water your plants. It was created by Risako Matsumoto, a member of the Design Soil collective.

By using a rounded piece of wood balanced on a fulcrum, Water Balance gives a voice to the flower contained in the small cylindrical vase that hangs on one side of the pivot point. On the other side is an adjustable weight that counterbalances the flower when it is topped up with water. As the water evaporates, so the weighted side drops. Read more