Green Business Gazette Issue 4

Page 10

Catching the fog

COUNTRIES BEGIN TO HARNESS WATER FROM FOG AND LOW LYING CLOUDS DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE by Tawanda Collins Muzamwese

I

magine making a cup of coffee using water harnessed from the fog! Dire situations are befalling countries of the world due to the advent of climate change. Water scarcity has already driven some countries into conflict, sexual exploitation, crop losses and low food security. Globally 1 in 10 people lack access to water. This number is set to increase in years to come. Due to necessity, new innovative ways of doing things are emerging. Fog

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GREEN BUSINESS GAZETTE

catching has emerged as a technology of harnessing water from areas of high altitude. Fog nets woven from polypropylene and other synthetic materials can be used for fog catching. Careful erection in a symmetrical shape, coupled with a mechanism to collect at the bottom is proving to sequester high yields of water. High altitude is associated with fog and

low lying clouds. As this cold air passes through the fog catching site, it passes through a film of synthetic material thereby condensing the water vapour. Micro-droplets of water condensing during fog catching can support irrigation and drinking water. Over a long period of time, droplets can yield significant amounts of water which can be deployed to users of water. Erratic droughts and low precipitation will surely drive many communities


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