Video Collection

"Take ordinary cement. Mix in an agent called a photo-catalyzer (titanium dioxide, if you really want to know), which speeds up the natural process that breaks down smog into its component parts. Now start paving things with the stuff. That's what they're doing in Segrate, an Italian town near Milan. The smog-eating cement is called TX Active, and the Italian firm Italcementi spent 10 years developing it. Now there's a busy street in Segrate that's covered with it, and Italcementi claims it has reduced nitric oxides in the area by as much as 60%. Bonus: buildings made with TX Active stay cleaner too." - TIME Magazine, TIME's Best Inventions of 2008

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1852747_1854195_1854176,00.html

An interview with a local in the Peruvian high Andes in Ayaviri. The lack of water from glacier melt is visible and making the poor even poorer.

Part of an ABC special about climate change

In rural Kenya basic needs are a daily struggle. Water, soil and trees are the three things that must be conserved to make a difference. Community members used a technique called ‘sand damming’ to conserve water with dams that create springs, rather than utilize existing springs. Some benefits are that it adds water to the community; it is built from the river sand; construction materials include local stones broken by the community and a small amount of cement. The dams are able to store an estimated 10 million liters of water below ground. The sand dams have brought the water supply to the community, rather than forcing them to travel for an entire day to get to a water source.

Another technique, necessary to sustain the sand dams is terracing land to prevent loss of water and soil during rain storms. The community works together to dig the terraces in less then a day, creating a great deal of pride and unity among community members. The community members work well together and but a significant amount of effort into the project.

Finally, trees must be conserved and planted—it is important because firewood provides 90% of energy in rural Africa. The trees are used to conserve soil and water, fertilize crops, build homes, provide fruit, and even some are used for medicinal purposes. Additionally, community members have spent the last 25 years planting trees which have changed the micro climate from semi-arid zone 5 to zone 3. If the same concept of rain-water harvesting and planting trees were spread nationally and globally, there would be a great contribution in reducing global warming.

One community member stated that if they were given money as a form of help then they would spend it until it was gone, but if they were given skills and knowledge then they could sustain the projects long-term. It is also important to note that the aid agency, Excellent Development, require the community members to do a significant amount of work in order to get the supplies and technology for sand dams. This is critical in getting ownership and pride of the projects to ensure sustainable development.