December
18th

Hansgrohe save water

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Rubinetto risparmio acqua Always at the forefront of finding sustainable solutions using a precious resource such as water, Hansgrohe is to win a new record high environmental standards by January 2010 all of the company taps Schiltach (brand Hansgrohe and Axor) will reduce the water flow from the normal 13 to 5.2 liters / minute.

Merit of EcoSmart technology, that makes it possible to limit the scope of taps and showers while increasing the volume disbursement through special speakers forfeited air particles in the water, making the jet more fluffy and comfortable. EcoSmart it uses a O-ring detail that responds flexibly by allowing the water pressure to reduce water consumption. When the pressure is high, the O-ring reduces the opening through which the water is low and when it enlarges the opening, while maintaining a constant volume of water used. EcoSmart Alongside are two other Hansgrohe patents specifically designed to ensure efficiency and long life to tap: the Air Power supply system, which produces a jet of water and soft voluminous enriched air and anti QuickClean function, which protects the nozzles of disbursement with small bumps in Silicone to eliminate any residual limestone easily with a simple rubbing.

Among the first European companies to use renewable energy sources and enhance the production line at any time, in terms of environmental impact, Hansgrohe takes very seriously its responsibility towards the environment and water resource. 'It is important to best use water available to us, learn to save money and respect it, without losing sight of the welfare and comfort that gives us, "says Maurizio Lunardi, CEO Hansgrohe Italy. "Water is a luxury and should be experienced as such, and realizing that we live every day of the privilege and the importance of safeguarding the environment in which we live."

From Edilportale of December 18, 2009

December
16th

Beijing diverts river to quench thirst

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Yellow_River Seven channels total many thousands of kilometers long, passing through China from south to north to bring water from the basin of the Yangtze River, suffers from periodic flooding, the Yellow River basin, dry for several months a year. All to be built in just ten years. This water diversion project, like almost everything that characterizes China these years, is designed on a scale unprecedented in human history. A project that seems unnatural and ecologically tune, if not out of place, leapfrogging into the new environment during the climate conference in Copenhagen. Critics of the mega project pointing the finger at nearly 500 000 people to evict to make way for the channel that comes up to the metropolis of Tianjin, near Beijing. Among the potential evacuation of local residents have someone protest, or request fees higher for houses and land they are ceding to the government. Others object that if one part water around the Chinese capital is scarce indeed, there are many wasteful, since in the area there are, for example, forty golf courses, some hundreds of hectares large, green and always Irrigated . Many other water diversion project seems only a newer version of the Maoist gigantism that has already led to the construction of the Three Gorges Dam, the engineering giant whose usefulness remains questionable. Moreover, to find a precedent we must go back to the USSR of Brezhnev, who wanted to hijack the "useless" rivers of the North to irrigate crops in Central Asia, a project blocked only with Gorbachev. The Chinese engineers involved in the project but shake their heads, here is another story, they say. "There are various problems that foreigners mingle and mix in a kind of salad but in elementary school taught us that apples and pears can not be added together," says an engineer working on the project. There is a first real problem: the South there are floods that kill hundreds of people each year, while North, home to about one third of the population is desertified and on average people have less than half the minimum set of water UN standard for "water scarcity". The most serious problems in the North are not golf, but agriculture continues to use primitive forms of irrigation. The fields are flooded, and have had scant success experts Israeli efforts to introduce more efficient irrigation techniques such as drip systems. "They cost a lot in terms of facilities, and have no effect on small lots, those of the average peasant," explained Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing. It 'also true that by the time the project was conceived, 8-9 years ago, the climate seems to change. Rainfall has increased in the North and South This seems also decreased due to the efforts of the last 20 years to halt desertification in the north of Beijing. Thousands of hectares of trees were planted and this has improved the conditions in the region around the capital. Still remain two problems that must be addressed separately: waste and water shortages in the North. This is changing the type of agriculture, which means an end to the small land ownership, a process that has already begun but will take decades. Meanwhile, water reserves are running out of northern cities. The water diversion is precisely to ensure water in the North. In addition, the eastern channel of the project to be completed first, in 2013, modeled largely on the route of the imperial canal. This was used to carry water but not for the transport of goods. This will also feature some of the channels further, explaining the ministry of water resources and take to highlight the differences between the Three Gorges and the diversion of water: the dam project had no international support, while the diversion has a row of collaborations around the world, including the Italian Ministry of the Environment. There remain many other problems for water in China. 60% of the courses and water bodies are polluted to levels much higher, in many cities water is not drinkable. Heavy industry in the last 20 years the backbone of development, China has used 4-5 times more water per dollar of output than developed countries. And here the diversion can not do anything. Remains in the eyes of the Chinese a great stimulus of development. With its 26 billion of planned spending is a powerful injection of economic growth in otherwise hard and lean years for the crisis.

December
4th

Anticipation of likely future

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zingonia acqua Mounted a protest in Zingonia, where water from the taps in five of the six tower blocks this morning comes out more: the buildings are dry after the Bas has literally cut the pipes too many years because no one pays the bills. For the requirements of "minimum subsistence" were placed outside two fountains: one in the courtyard of apartment blocks, the other on the street, being Europe.

The action - taken at 9 and ended around 10 o'clock - took place without major problems: the technicians sent by Bas literally off the counters, effectively cutting cleanly through the pipeline leading to the apartments. Of all the buildings except one, the accounts of which are regular.

But then, around the 11, the protests of residents, mostly immigrants, began to grow, perhaps at that time residents of the palaces had hoped another court. Then in the courtyard and the street came mostly mothers with children, lamented the fact of having clean air, and cold. And in the late afternoon promptly at 18 has taken the announced protest by blocking roads. The demonstrators put on tilt by blocking the movement Monaco, Europe and finally the road course Francesca, under the close observation of the police. Watch the video of the protest

At 18.45 the protest broke up and fifteen residents rose in the office of mayor Aeneas Bagini for comparison. Also present at the Christmas Zucchetti former mayor (now Councillor for the Environment, Land and Services) and Deputy Mayor Mario Antonio Cattaneo. At 19.30 the tension between the protesters resumed and a group of immigrants broke the morning from a source located in the municipality. The mayor advised by telephone, sent technicians to repair it.

At 19.45, right in the meeting, came the news that another group of migrants had threatened to set fire to portable toilets and showers that the administration had planned to deliver the 21 residents of apartment blocks. Now the mayor has blocked the delivery and urged residents to calm the minds of their fellow citizens. Some immigrants are so left the town hall and are back in the palaces to quell the protests.

After the meeting it was decided that the condominiums will seek to raise at least an amount equal to the extraordinary last year (amounts ranging from eight thousand to 22 thousand euros, depending on the stable) to convince the Bas groped to restore water . "The money collected so far are not enough, you must make a greater effort", said Bagini. And Friday, December 4, the delegation of the residents and the mayor will meet again to take stock of the situation.

The latest developments of the story
The latest reminder of Bas dates back to September 30. Bas SII, the company that takes care of the A2A water dispenser in Ciserano, had written to the directors of condominiums and Anna Athena to seek payment of the installment of water, but nothing. A reminder was even turned back.

Hence the decision, inevitable: the valves closed and about 150 families of Athena palaces and Anna. A choice that Bas SII, prefecture and municipality of Ciserano have tried in every way to avoid. But now amounts to 300,000 euro debts that blocks of five of six towers are in relation to integrated water services company. The situation went on like this for at least four years.

Rifondazione: 'Decision inhuman'
"The decision to cut supplies of drinking water to the inhabitants of the palaces of Zingonia in the Municipality of Ciserano is inhumane." This commentary by Francesco Moro (Prc-Ciserano) and Ezio Locatelli (CRP federation secretary-Bg). "Many serious problems have for years lived this neighborhood, but is certainly not the way to deal with them. The measure of Bas is quite obviously a source of threat sanitation for tens of families involved and for some time, however, live in a particularly uncomfortable. We ask the Prefect of Bergamo, the mayor of Ciserano, Bas and all the authorities for it to be reactivated once the supply of drinking water to the inhabitants of the palaces of Ciserano-Zingonia.