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Why did Elon Musk change the “government funded” to “publicly funded” on BBC Twitter account? While some might smile and nod, others would have their reservations. Businesses that pivot easily with changing circumstances are considered more fit than those that are slow to adapt. When it comes to infrastructure, most still tend to rely on the government to call the shots. At a local level, the needs of the public can be addressed more directly. Individual participation and volunteering are also more readily accessible at a local level.  

Mindful, Doable Conservation Hacks

Northern California has had unprecedented rainfall this Spring. People cordoned off their doorways and crevasses on the periphery of their homes with heaps of sandbags to prevent water seepage, even then the roadways were covered in mud that eroded down the mountains and highlands. There were road closures in the Big Sur due to landslides from heavy rains.

The rains also turned the bald and brown denuded hills into lush velvety expanses intermittently covered with patches of Douglas iris, Sky Lupine the Sticky monkey flower, Redwood sorrel and the California poppies that seem to spring out of the face of a rock sometimes…

The dry brittle earth binds together, and the rainwater runoff flows into little brooks and streams. For all the water crisis in California, the rainwater runoff could perhaps be harnessed inexpensively for cleaning and watering gardens when the rain is sparce. A little mindfulness can go a long way towards keeping water among the mostly free resources for the masses.

Teesta Dam Disrupts Biodiversity in the Himalayan Foothills

Typically, nature allows and needs a degree of destruction to maintain biodiversity. When it comes to controlling floods and generating hydro power, building dams to control the course of the river has been a go to solution. While that has addressed certain short-term goals, it changed the course of nature in ways that impacted ecology in the long run.

Teesta and its tributaries make up for much of the life source for the people and industries on the foothills of the Himalayas. Water, historically a scarce commodity on the mountains, was accessible even though one would have to carry container loads up the slope to their homes. The Teesta valley in Sikkim is rich in biodiversity, and the river provides livelihoods for the residents along its entire length of 245 miles. The people in the region also suffered floods from overflowing of the river during the monsoon seasons.

The government built several dams along the course of the river, thus slowing down the flow, making parts of it so still that it catches dust and debris from nearby construction sites, plastic residues from trash. The dam made several of its tributaries dry up almost entirely. People need to wander quite far from their homes to avail themselves of the water, where mostly there is not enough.

Dams also block fish from moving along their natural pathways between feeding and spawning grounds, causing interruptions in their life cycles that limit their abilities to reproduce. Apart from affecting biodiversity, dams also disrupt homeostasis in the water cycle by blocking the flow of water through rivers. Increased rainfall has seen a rise in flooding and landslides in the area.

Clean Up of Toxic Spill in Ohio

“At least 15,000 pounds of contaminated soil and 1 million gallons of contaminated water was removed in Ohio” – reported ABC news which may sound as if adequate measure is being taken to ensure clean up of soil and under water contamination due to a massive chemical spill. Norfolk Southern Railway will be required to continue cleaning up the contaminated soil and water and transport it safely; reimburse EPA for cleaning services; and attend public meetings at EPA’s request and share information. The company, however, did not say which chemicals were found in either the soil or the water that was removed.

The Ohio River is the source of drinking water for many communities. Water samples are continuing to be collected from 30 locations stretching from East Liverpool, Ohio to Cincinnati, Ohio. Most of these samples are collected by what’s known as a surface grab. EPA is running sulfur tests to ensure water usability. In the meantime, the health of the people in the affected areas are being monitored. The effectiveness of both programs is yet to be seen.

How to Stop Passing the Buck

Seventy per cent of the sewage that India generates is not treated. More than 4,000 septic trucks full of sludge are disposed of in the Ganges, its longest river, and its tributaries every day. Each truck would contain, on average, 5,000 liters of human waste. Aug 12, 2022 (CNN)

Experts flagged many issues – from policy gaps to legislative corruption – that have been affecting overall water management. (Times of India) The first step in such initiatives may be to stop passing the buck. More local initiative might prevent go-between agents and ensure accountability of initiatives and distribution of resources.

When an initiative is undertaken at a local level, it is driven by self-interest and the interest of the immediate community. Educating and enabling local communities while keeping checks and balances in place might seem like a tall order, but AI and ML might go a long way towards ensuring effectiveness of such measures. Companies face challenges in incorporating new technology into old business processes when instituting environmental CSR efforts. Technology may yet eliminate the scope for finger pointing and yield real results at a local level when entrusted to the locals.

Clean air, water and better public health may be prioritized by clever business models – to ensure sustained profits, without expectations of altruistic inputs – rather a shift in vision. Since the measure of business footprint today is primarily online, it is easy to fall back on simulated online success. Although the effectiveness of CSR initiatives, if implemented with checks and balances in place, enhanced technology may go a long way in regenerating the environment without breaking the bank.