How do islands get fresh water

The water ran over Nguyen Thi Anh's hands as her granddaughter poured slowly from a plastic bottle. The 57-year-old woman used the water to rinse the dishes after cleaning them with tap water. In the last few days she has been unable to use tap water for much. Last night she had stayed up until midnight with her children to collect water from a tanker truck dispatched by local authorities. "I was sleeping when the security guy knocked on the door and told us the water tanker was coming. We immediately went downstairs to get some water. I was so tired and could not wake up early this morning." But the good thing was that the family had enough fresh water, she added. Anh is one of hundreds of thousands of Hanoians who are trying to get used to bottled water for drinking and cooking to brushing teeth, since they cannot use water from their taps. Hanoians wait to collect potable water from a tanker on October 15, 2019. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy. A senior government official confirmed … [Read more...] about Hanoians struggle for drinking water after river contaminated with oil

An inevitable trend Green building, or sustainable development in construction, has become an inevitable trend in the context of global climate change. Green buildings usually have long life cycles and attain the efficient consumption of resources to ensure the comfort and convenience of the users, while minimising any harmful impacts on the environment by using green building materials. “Accordingly, green or sustainable building materials are characterised by having one of the following traits: non-toxicity, high recycled content, efficiency, energy saving, a long life-cycle or eco-consciousness to reduce pollution in the soil, air, and water, while contributing to the efficient use of energy in construction works,” said Dr. Thai Duy Sam, vice chairman of the Vietnam Association of Building Materials. As said by the World Green Building Council and Green Building Certification Institute, buildings worldwide account for 17 per cent of fresh water usage, 25 per cent of wood … [Read more...] about Green construction materials gaining ground

Flowers and incense are offered at the monument dedicated to Gac Ma soldiers in Cam Lam district to pay tribute to the national heroes. (Photo: VNA) Khanh Hoa (VNA) – The authorities of the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa and local armed forces gathered on March 14 to pay tribute to 64 naval officers and soldiers who lost their lives in a battle to protect Gac Ma (Johnson South) Reef in Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago three decades ago. They offered flowers and incense at the monument dedicated to Gac Ma soldiers built in Cam Lam district to show their gratitude to the heroes who bravely defended Vietnam’s sacred sea and island sovereignty and died with honour on March 14, 1988. The monument lies at the centre of the 2.5-hectare memorial complex dedicated to 64 naval soldiers inaugurated in 2017. It features the naval soldiers standing holding hands in an “immortal circle” around the fatherland’s flag to protect it as an action … [Read more...] about Khanh Hoa authorities commemorate 64 Gac Ma naval martyrs