1053 Resources
Urban and Agricultural Water Use in California, 1960 -2015
June 22, 2020 | publication
Water is the lifeblood of California, providing for the household needs of 40 million people and supporting one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world, various commercial and industrial activities, and the health and viability of the state’s aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.
June 2020 Newsletter
June 20, 2020 | announcement
The monthly newsletter features the Pacific Institute’s research, publications, news about past and upcoming Institute staff outreach efforts, and media coverage of its work and analysis.
Fact Sheet: Utilities and Building Managers Must Take Steps to Protect Public Health Before Reopening Buildings
June 5, 2020 | announcement
June 5, 2020, Oakland, California -- After a long period of shutdown, stagnant water can pose risks to health if not carefully managed. These risks include growth of bacteria including Legionella (the cause of Legionnaires’ disease) and the leaching of lead and other metals from pipes and plumbing.
Water and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Reopening Buildings After Shutdowns: Reducing Water-Related Health Risks
June 5, 2020 | publication
Under normal conditions, the flow of tap water through building water systems prevents the buildup of bacteria and metals in pipes, and hot water tanks. But after a period of shutdown, like during the coronavirus pandemic, stagnant water may breed bacteria...
Pacific Institute Speaks Out on Racial Injustice
June 5, 2020 | announcement
June 5, 2020, Oakland, California -- The murders of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky, Tony McDade in Tallahassee, Tennessee, and the killing of Ahmaud Arbery outside Brunswick, Georgia, are the latest horrific reminders of the systemic racism in the United States.
The COVID Crisis is Slashing California’s State Budget. What Does it Mean for Water Management?
May 26, 2020 | post
It goes without saying that California today, in the throes of the coronavirus pandemic, looks very different from the California of January 2020. Governor Gavin Newsom’s May Revisions to the 2020-2021 state budget reflect this drastic change in circumstance, announcing a $54.3 billion budget deficit and proposing $18 billion in cuts to State funds expenditures.
COVID-19 and the Importance of WASH for Businesses
May 26, 2020 | video
This webinar brought together companies and WASH4Work partners to share their experiences in coping with the COVID-19 pandemic.
May 2020 Newsletter
May 20, 2020 | announcement
The monthly newsletter features the Pacific Institute’s research, publications, news about past and upcoming Institute staff outreach efforts, and media coverage of its work and analysis.
Op-Ed: No COVID-19 Models Are Perfect, But Some Are Useful
May 19, 2020 | publication
The global coronavirus pandemic has brought renewed interest and focus on scientific models as we try to get a handle on what the future will bring, how many people will fall sick and die, what the economic impacts will be, and what actions politicians should take.
Water in the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act (“HEROES ACT”): May 2020
May 18, 2020 | post
The newly proposed House of Representative’s emergency supplemental appropriations bill was just released. Among the $3 trillion dollars it allocates are several provisions related to water and wastewater agencies, residential water use, and agriculture.
Want to Help Fight COVID-19? List Your Organization’s Work on the Water Action Hub
May 15, 2020 | post
People around the world are told to wash their hands to “flatten the curve” and slow the spread of COVID-19, but what if you don’t have a sink or tap in your home?
The Impact of Using Low-Saline Oilfield Produced Water for Irrigation on Water and Soil Quality in California
May 12, 2020 | publication
In California, drought and a reduction in natural water availability in recent decades have led to a search for alternative water sources for agriculture. One controversial potential source is oilfield produced water, a byproduct of oil extraction.
Pacific Institute President Jason Morrison to Join UN Global Compact Leaders Summit
May 9, 2020 | announcement
On June 15th and 16th, 2020, Pacific Institute President Jason Morrison will attend the UN Global Compact Leaders Summit. Taking place virtually, the high-level summit will allow participants and Global Compact Local Networks to participate in their own time zones. This year's summit marks 20 years of bringing businesses around the world together to advance sustainability.
How Can the World Avoid the Spread of Future Pandemics?
May 8, 2020 | post
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought up problems and challenges related to basic sanitation, as this is not only a global health crisis, but also a social crisis that affects the lives of millions of people living in vulnerable situations.
President Jason Morrison to Attend California Water Action Collaborative Spring Meeting
May 4, 2020 | announcement
From May 26th through 28th, Pacific Institute President Jason Morrison, along with Director of Research Heather Cooley and Research Associate Cora Kammeyer, will attend the California Water Action Collaborative (CWAC) virtual spring meeting.
The Environment, Climate, and a Global Pandemic
April 28, 2020 | post
The 2020 Coronavirus Pandemic is having the unexpected and unintended effect of teaching us lessons about both the vulnerability and the resilience of our natural ecosystems and environment. As of this writing in late April, we are still in the middle of it, with no obvious end in sight, as the virus continues to spread around the world.
Op-Ed: Opportunities Are Plentiful to Sustain California Agriculture in the Face of Water Supply Uncertainties
April 27, 2020 | publication
Nationally, we export about $40 billion of agricultural products annually. There is nothing wrong with importing or exporting food; we live in a global economy, which is extremely important to California’s prosperity.
On Earth Day, Envisioning Our Shared Future (2020)
April 25, 2020 | video
On this Earth Day, the 50th anniversary of the world’s largest environmental movement and in the midst of a global crisis, we are all invited to think of earth as one big system in which the vitality of all life is interconnected.
New Report on Mapping Public Water Management
April 25, 2020 | announcement
Poor water management poses major risks to agriculture, industry, and local communities. However, there is a critical lack of information available about local water conditions, making better management difficult.
Mapping Public Water Management: Proof of Concept
April 25, 2020 | publication
What cannot be measured cannot be managed. Poor water management poses major risks to agriculture, industry, and local communities. However, there is a critical lack of information available about local water conditions, making better management difficult.
April 2020 Newsletter
April 25, 2020 | announcement
The monthly newsletter features the Pacific Institute’s research, publications, news about past and upcoming Institute staff outreach efforts, and media coverage of its work and analysis.
On Earth Day, Envisioning Our Shared Future
April 22, 2020 | post
We don’t inherit the earth from our parents, we borrow it from our children. This saying, commonly attributed to American poet Wendell Berry, reminds us that we are stewards of the earth.
When Utilities Shut Off Water for the Poor, We Are All at Risk
April 20, 2020 | post
When a household fails to pay its water bill in full for more than a given period of time – typically one or two months – its water service may be shut off by the water utility serving the household.
Peter Gleick of the Pacific Institute to Receive Innovation in Sustainability Science Award
April 16, 2020 | announcement
April 16, Oakland, California -- The Ecological Society of America (ESA) has announced that Dr. Peter Gleick of the Pacific Institute will receive the Innovation in Sustainability Science Award, along with co-authors, for the paper "Nexus Approaches to Global Sustainable Development," published in the journal Nature Sustainability.
Pacific Institute Joins US Water Alliance in Highlighting Principles for COVID Relief and Recovery
April 8, 2020 | announcement
April 8, 2020, Oakland, California — The Pacific Institute has joined the Principles for COVID Relief and Recovery: Guiding Principles to Secure Our Water Future. The COVID-19 pandemic is shining a spotlight on the weaknesses of social, economic, and health safety nets we’ve long taken for granted, including our water system.
Page 15 of 43