Snowy Books at the Water Library

We're excited to add two classic children's books about snow to our collection today. Stop by and check these out!

Ezra Jack Keats: The Snowy Day

In this Caldecott winner from 1962, a little boy goes out to play in the snow- and learns that when you put a snowball in your pocket, it just might melt!

Jan Brett: The Mitten

A little boy loses his mitten in this traditional Ukrainian folktale, but some forest animals decide it makes for a cozy new home.

We'll be taking these books on the road next week for a fun winter-themed children's story hour. Click here to see our other weather books for kids!

Delivering Energy Efficiency to Middle Income Single Family Households

A new report titled "Delivering Energy Efficiency  to Middle Income Single Family Households"
asks how this demographic group can be encouraged to seek out comprehensive energy upgrades. Energy upgrades can be beneficial both environmentally and economically, though they can be expensive initially.

Thanks to the recession, many American families are struggling financially. Effective upgrades can cost from $5,000 to 15,000 per household, money that many just don't have. The report, from Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory, discusses how best to motivate and empower middle income single family households to make these upgrades.

Click here to access the full report.

Avoiding a "Mega Drought"

In the last decade, Australia experienced a period of extreme dryness. For its residents, this meant increased fires and dust storms, and thousands of farming families unable to make a living. Though this drought ended in 2010, we have not seen the end of this kind of weather. According to an article in this month's issue of Scientific American titled "The Coming Mega Drought," the southwestern United States could be headed in the same direction. Its climate changes and straining water supply issues are similar to that of Australia prior to its Millennium Drought.

While the Millenium Drought had devastating effects, it woke the country to the need for effective water conservation strategies as well as the dangers of climate change. Scientific American reports that between 2002 and 2008, per capita urban water use in Australia decreased by 37 percent, thanks to increased water research, funding, and conservation policies. With Australia as a model, the United States could potentially lessen or even avoid this kind of disaster.

For more information,

• Learn more about Australia's water policies
• Access Scientific American at the UW Madison Libraries and Wisconsin's Water Library

The Water Library is currently featuring a book display about water conservation. Check these titles out!

Cove Guardians Activist Arrested

Cove Guardians are a group of individuals who seek to expose the tragic abuse of dolphins in Taiji, Japan. The 2009 documentary The Cove, first exposed the ethical issues behind the dolphin industry. In a secret cove in  Taiji, dolphins are abused and killed for their meat, or sold live to marine attraction sties around the world.

This week, a member of the Cove Guardians was arrested in Japan and charged with assault. Erwin Vermeulen was attempting to film the transport of a dolphin into a holding pen. After the arrest, police were able to raid the hotel where Cove Guardians were staying, confiscating any recording device or footage obtained by the group. According to an LA Times article, police continue to protect the secrecy of the cove, increasing the difficulty of putting a stop to the animal abuse.

To learn more...

• Read the article from the LA Times
• Visit the official website for "The Cove" 
• Check out the documentary on DVD from the Water Library

Ancient Water Harvesting

Water harvesting and water supply issues are pressing concerns in today's society. However, in some societies, ancient methods of collecting and transporting water are still used, and are often superior to modern structures. Anupam Mishra is an environmental activist who studies rainwater harvesting methods in the Indian desert, such as wells, filter ponds, and other systems.

In a 2009 TED Talk, "The ancient ingenuity of water harvesting," Mishra states that, "The center of life is water." He cites four steps in the process of developing successful systems: concept, planning, making, and perhaps most important, maintaining. Many societies maintain succesful harvesting methods without a dedicated government department or any funding at all. The secret, according to Anupam Mishra, is respect. In the desert communities he studies, clean water is a high priority, and everyone works to protect the water supply.

Looking for more info? Check out our drinking water resources at the Water Library, or click here to view Anupam Mishra's full TED Talk.