Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - July 27, 2015, Winnipeg, Manitoba C M Y K PAGE A4 A 4 MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015 MANITOBA winnipegfreepress. com Craig and Marc Kielburger Craig and Marc Kielburger co- founded Free The Children and are authors of the new book, Living Me to We: The Guide for Socially Conscious Canadians. metowe. com/ living Technological solutions for a thirsty world by: Craig and Marc Kielburger When Archie Barrie heard pounding on his metal roof, the terrified child bolted into his mother's arms. The two- year- old boy, who lives on a farm in central Australia, had never heard or seen rain before. Australia has endured chronic droughts for 20 years. Some areas haven't seen a drop of rain in years. California is in its fourth year of a record- breaking dry spell. And in June, scientists at the University of California studied NASA satellite data and made a terrifying discovery- eight of the world's 37 biggest underground aquifers, which provide water for some of the most arid regions on earth, are in severe danger of running dry. Five more aquifers are only barely keeping up with demand. Last week, we wrote about the water issues facing Canada- such as the droughts in Western Canada- and the need for Canadians to reconnect with water. But no matter how bad our water woes are, Canada is a drenched paradise compared to other regions. Access to water is one of the biggest challenges facing the planet today. We have to address the underlying causes, like climate change, overconsumption, waste and pollution. However, that alone won't overcome the problem- not in time for millions of people in need of fresh water. Fortunately there's some incredible technology emerging to recycle or create new sources of water- dowsing rods for the 21st century. Seventy- one per cent of the world's surface is covered by water. But the vast majority of that is ocean- salt water we can neither drink nor use to irrigate our crops. Technology to take salt out of water has existed for a long time. But the different methods- boiling water in a vacuum, or running it at high pressure through membranes in a process called " reverse osmosis"- consumes massive amounts of energy. A promising partnership between California's Humboldt State University and the University of Southern California has come up with a system where salt water under high pressure drives electricity- generating turbines. The salt water provides the power for its own desalination process, reducing energy use by 30 per cent. But desalination is only a solution for countries with access to an ocean. What about arid land- locked nations, as in central Africa? Anyone who's seen Star Wars remembers Luke Skywalker tending his uncle's moisture vaporators- machines that sucked water from the air. It's one technology that's made the leap from science fiction to reality. Eole Water, a French company, invented a wind turbine that powers a cooler compressor. The compressor then harvests water from condensation in the atmosphere. The device can produce 60 to 100 litres of water per hour out of thin air. Technology not only creates new water sources, it can also reduce waste, helping recycle the water we use. We were astounded when Alex and Tyler Mifflin- TV Ontario's " Water Brothers"- told us that Israel reclaims 75 to 80 per cent of its industrial and household wastewater. Israel invested heavily in developing and improving watercleaning technology from ultraviolet filters to centrifuges. ( Canadian businesses and politicians might want to note that Israel is raking in $ 1.5 billion a year exporting this technology.) In Canada, Calgary- based Livestock Water Recycling ( LWR) Inc. is making waves with technology that recovers water from farm animal waste. Agriculture accounts for an estimated 70 per cent of the world's water use. The LWR system extracts and purifies water from manure so it can be reused on farms. The byproduct is a liquid fertilizer that's less environmentally damaging than applying manure directly. There are many more technological advances out there than we can't fit in here- from irrigation smart metres and micro- irrigation systems to nano- filters. With the water challenges facing the world, they must become a priority for research and investment. Humans can't summon clouds to release rain, but we can put our wits together to ensure every child has access to clean water. Brothers Craig and Marc Kielburger founded a platform for social change that includes the international charity, Free The Children, the social enterprise, Me to We, and the youth empowerment movement, We Day. H IS Worship. The honorific written on the first official document in 1992 Winnipeg's first and only female mayor, Susan Thompson, had to sign. Two words Thompson describes in 2015 as a pretty big message the city was not prepared for a female mayor. " I said to them, ' Are you trying to tell me that here I am, the first woman to become mayor, the city is 119 years old and never once when you printed those documents did you ever think to put her/ his? Did you never anticipate that a woman might someday become mayor of Winnipeg?' " she told city officials that first day as mayor in 1992. Her solution was prudent and simple: take a red pen, cross it out and scribble, " Her Worship" on every single one. A practice she continued until the supply of gender- specific documents ran out. When they eventually reprinted the documents, they read, and still do this day: His/ Her Worship. Thompson pulled off a surprise victory when she bested 16 opponents, including then councillor Greg Selinger. Not only was she walking into a council unfamiliar with having a female leader, she was an outsider who stole the mayor's chair out from under three incumbent councillors who ran against her. As part of the Free Press' s Women's Democracy Project, a series of news stories written in advance of the 100th anniversary of Manitoba women's right to vote in January, the Free Press sat down and spoke with Thompson about the challenges she faced on the road to the mayor's chair and her six years in office. " I believe most women go into politics to make things better; it is not a power game," she said when asked how she decided to enter politics. " They are driven to go in to make a difference, and that was my motivation." From the onset, it was not an easy glass ceiling to break. During the campaign, she spoke of a radio interview in which a host questioned whom she'd take to the social events required of a mayor, since she wasn't married. " Not a question about my economic policy, or social policy or my qualifications - the second question was who is going to be my escort because I was single," she told the Free Press . " You're not asking the three other lead candidates if their wives are going to join them; you're asking me because I am single and a woman." Once in office, she faced councillors who spoke down to her, accusations from the media she lacked " substance" and constant criticism about her weight or choice of clothing. Criticism that male or female, a new mayor could face, but compounded by the fact Thompson was a woman. In 1995, she was able to prove the naysayers wrong and won a second term. It's been 20 years since Winnipeg has elected a female leader. In last year's civic election, two women ran for mayor, and Judy Wasylycia- Leis spent a large portion of the race as the front- runner, although she ultimately lost. However, four women were elected to council, one of the best showings for women in recent years. Echoing the wise words she once heard from Supreme Court Justice Rosalie Abella, Thompson argues for women to achieve equality, it is through legislation and laws. " And the way you do that is by getting elected," she said. " When you talk about why women should run, it is a much bigger picture, and in my opinion, right about now women have to understand that the most important level of government going forward is city government; the majority of people live in cities." When asked how she feels, knowing she blazed the trail for future women to lead Winnipeg, the word she used was " fantastic." " Another barrier was broken, and history was made for women, so just by the very nature of history and breaking that barrier, it opened up a whole world of possibilities for other women to know this was possible," she said. kristin. annable@ freepress. mb. ca ABOUT THE NELLIE AWARDS THE Nellie Awards will honour Nellie Mc- Clung's vision by recognizing the spirit of her life's work that's being advanced by female leaders of today. The Nellies will salute the contributions of these women to social justice, to the arts and to promoting democracy. The Nellies will be awarded in conjunction with the Nellie McClung Centennial Gala on Jan. 28, 2016 ( the 100th anniversary of women getting the vote in Manitoba). ELIGIBILITY A woman, or a collective of women, who are making, or who have made an impact in the areas of social justice, the arts and promoting democracy for the advancement of the rights of women and girls in Manitoba. NOMINEES MUST: . have lived in Manitoba for a minimum of seven years and be considered to have ongoing ties to the province. . have worked, volunteered in a role that had significant impact on Manitobans, particularly women and girls. . have made an impact in issues of social justice, women and human rights. . have promoted democracy, social justice, and/ or the arts. . have demonstrated leadership and acted as a role model. . reflect the spirit of Nellie McClung. . have reached the age of majority ( 18 years or older) at time of nomination. NOT ELIGIBLE: . Women who currently hold political office at a local, provincial or national level. . Women who will be participating in the selection process. . Women sitting on the Nellie McClung Foundation board of directors. . Women who are deceased. For more information and to nominate, go to winnipegfreepress. com/ the- nellies. WOMEN'S DEMOCRACY 100 th A N N I V E R S A R Y When His Worship was a Her Susan Thompson broke new ground Kristin Annable RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Susan Thompson was elected Winnipeg's first female mayor in 1992. She is still the only woman to have held that post. A_ 04_ Jul- 27- 15_ FP_ 01. indd A4 7/ 26/ 15 8: 25: 48 PM ;