Newsbits |
EcoEng Newsletter No. 7, May 2003 |
Finland: |
Dry Toilet 2003: Conference Announcement |
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The international target of halving the world population without access to clean water by the year 2015 cannot be achieved without consideration to the sanitation issue. Properly organised and maintained sanitation facilities provide not only a cleaner environment, but also keep the water supplies free of the polluting human excreta factor. Ecological sanitation becomes the keyword to areas with water shortages or without water-borne sewerage systems. There has been many meetings, the latest the 3rd World Water Forum in Kyoto, Japan in March 2003, with fine discussions on the issues of clean water and sanitation. The DRY TOILET 2003 conference wishes to provide a forum, where concrete actions, concrete results and concrete solutions to the world's sanitation problem can be evaluated and learned from. With concrete actions we mean introducing local projects taken towards sanitation management, with results experiences on improved sanitation conditions and the benefits for the communities. Finally with concrete solutions we wish to present a wide variety of different types of dry toilets and technical issues needed for proper maintenance of both the excreta and the toilet building. One of the main themes is the cultural barrier to toilet discussions. In some cultures human excreta is such a taboo subject, that it is absolutely not talked about. How to overcome this taboo and how to make people understand the benefits of proper sanitation are questions this conference hopes to answer. A wide variety of speakers from all over the world have been chosen to present their experiences and research results. Some of the actions and solutions are more fitted for the developed countries, where ecological sanitation is a viable option especially to sparsely populated areas as well as for the many nature parks. In Finland the main users of dry toilet systems are summer cottage inhabitants, with 400 000 cottages and most of them by the lakes and far apart no centralised sewerage system is possible. In order for a cottage to build a water closet expensive on-site waste treatment equipment must be purchased. The modern day need for luxury and comfort also at the cottage has given a boost to the technical development of dry toilets. Today there are many models on the market, which can be fitted indoors without the fear of smell and flies. Tampere, a beautiful city located between two lakes, is a perfect venue for the DRY TOILET 2003 conference. Water has always been an important factor for the city inhabitants and presently the higher educational facilities carry out extensive research on water and sanitation related subjects. We wish you warmly welcome to participate in this conference and to visit our city in August 2003! The Organising Committee of DRY TOILET 2003 Further information: Source: Email by Tittiina Repka |
Greece: |
2004 Conference on the Use of Vegetation to Improve Slope Stability |
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as. There will be a conference in Thessaloniki, Greece, in September 2004 that is focussing on "eco-engineering" methods used in fields such as erosion control, coastline and riverbank protection, slope protection and the like. The 1st announcement can be downloaded here. Contact: |
Norway: |
Course Invitation: Appropriate sanitation in the developing world |
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The focus of this course is to explore ecological solutions for developing countries. Specifically, recycling and low-tech waste treatment systems will be examined in depth. Five case-studies will be presented by sanitation specialists, followed by in-depth analysis of associated issues, both technical and social. The range of case studies covers Asia, Africa and Latin America. And the scope of analysis offered by engineers, scientists, and public officials is wide and timely. Target group The course is designed for both the professional and student. Its purpose is two-fold: (1) to illustrate how ecological sanitation is applied in developing countries, and (2) to explain, in-depth, the principles of ecological engineering. Participants are expected to include professionals from consulting firms (e.g. civil engineers), NGO personnel (field and administrative), public officials (e.g. health and foreign service), research scientists. The course takes place at the Agricultural University of Norway, Aas, 30 km from Oslo. Course responsible: Prof. Petter D. Jenssen http://www.nlh.no |
Switzerland: |
Novaquatis Project: Interactive Information Tool Now Available in English |
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as. The Swiss Novaquatis project (see also the article by R. Gilg and J. Lienert in this newsletter) is dealing with the implementation of urine separating toilets (also called NoMix toilets) in an urban setting. In order to convey the idea to a larger audience, an interactive information tool has been developed (the "NoMix" tool). This tool is now available in English at http://www.nomix.ch/english/NoMixtool_e.html . You need a Flash player to look at the NoMix tool (a standard plug-in in most modern browsers). |
USA: |
EPA Issues Voluntary Guidelines for Management of Onsite and Clustered (Decentralized) Wastewater Treatment Systems |
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The US EPA (=Environmental Protection Agency) Assistant Administrator for Water, G. Tracy Mehan III, announced the release of new guidelines that are designed to help local governments strengthen their management of septic systems and other small, privately owned wastewater treatment systems. The Voluntary Guidelines for Management of Onsite and Clustered (Decentralized) Wastewater Treatment Systems complements EPA's efforts to help state and local governments strengthen their oversight of septic systems and other small, privately-owned wastewater treatment systems. EPA worked with stakeholders from the public and private sectors to develop these voluntary management guidelines. The guidelines along with an accompanying management handbook, titled, Handbook for Management of Onsite and Clustered (Decentralized) Wastewater Treatment Systems are now available for public comment, to provide local governments with a risk-based model for evaluating local conditions, and contains a five-tier system which helps develop an appropriate management program to address local conditions. EPA has been working to help local governments build better septic system management programs. EPA recently released a CD-based outreach kit to assist communities in their efforts to educate citizens about proper septic system management. The Voluntary Guidelines document (EPA 832-B-03-001) is available for download at www.epa.gov/owm/onsite. Copies are also available by calling +1-800-490-9198. The public is also invited to review and comment on the companion handbook for Management of Onsite and Clustered (Decentralized) Wastewater Treatment Systems. The public comment period closes on May 27, 2003. For more information, please contact Joyce Hudson at +1-202-564-0657 or Steve Hogye at +1-202-564-0631. Source: Email by Sukhjeet Sahni, May 5, 2003 |
USA: |
3rd Annual Meeting of AEES (Amercian Ecological Engineering Society) |
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as. The Biological Resources Engineering Department at the University of Maryland College Park invites you to attend and participate in the American Ecological Engineering Society's 3rd annual meeting to be held May 28-30, 2003. The purpose is to provide a venue and forum for meaningful discussion dedicated to theory, principles, practices and academic foundations of Ecological Engineering. For details see: http://www.bre.umd.edu/aees2003/ |
USA: |
IEES Conference 2003: Ecological Engineering for Integrated Water Management: Designing Industrial and Urban Watersheds |
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From: 2003-10-31 to 2003-11-02 Ecological Engineering for Integrated Water Management intends to promote integrated water resources management by viewing urban, domestic, commercial, industrial and agricultural landscapes as watersheds that collect water, use water, and dispose of stormwater and wastewater within larger regional watersheds. The conference will examine how these water flows can be collected, stored, treated, used, and recycled in order to preserve water resources, to reduce environmental impacts and to reduce costs associated with water supply, stormwater and wastewater treatment. The conference will consider the challenges and opportunities related to managing the water balance (water available versus water needed) at multiple spatial scales, large and small. It will explore the conceptual, analytical, and design tools that can be employed to increase the efficiency of water consumption and of the related material, energy, and economic flows. The conference will feature innovative solutions, practical, state-of-the-art instruction and bring together a unique collection of leading designers, engineers, planners, managers, strategists and regulators Organizers: Center for Technology and Environment, Harvard Graduate School of Design; Contact: Brian Kenet |
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www: |
Ongoing Internet Conference on Ecocity Development (Feb-June 2003) |
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Jackie Foo wrote on May 4, 2003:
Hello Everyone, The Internet Conference is organized with 10 discussion sessions that are conducted between Feb and June 2003. In May and June, we will launch the last 4 sessions. To join the virtual room where these sessions will be held, click on the weblink provided below.
May 12-30 Session G: Urban impacts and the peri-urban environment Weblink: http://segate.sunet.se/archives/et-zeus.html Nr of Abstracts and Papers: 20
Session H: Industrial Ecology Weblink: http://segate.sunet.se/archives/et-w3.html Nr of Abstracts and Papers: 17
Session I: Human Ecology and Capacity Building for eco-culture Weblink: http://segate.sunet.se/archives/et-loke.html Nr of Abstracts and Papers: 31
June 10-27 Session J: Panel Discussion on Issues and Future of Ecocity Development |
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© 2003, International Ecological Engineering Society, Wolhusen, Switzerland |