Kick-off Meeting: Project “RainSolutions"
Time & Location
About the event
Engineers Perform the Water Molecule Dance
Scientists and engineers from around the world met at OsloMet, Norway, to kick-off the European Water Joint Programming Initiative-funded project “RainSolutions” and performed the Water Molecule Dance in solidarity to the United Nations (UN) sustainable development goals.
Water from the Eyes of Scientists
Water (or as defined chemically as H2O) is a simple molecule containing one oxygen and two hydrogen ions bonded together forming a 104° angle. It is essential for life. Due to the hydrophilic properties of water, it is attracted to itself. So, Water Attracts Water like humans attract humans.
Why, who, when and what?
The supply of clean drinking water on planet earth is one of the key challenges, and without any surprise, it is one of the UN sustainable development goals: “Clean Water and Sanitation”. The urgency of taking the right actions is greater than ever. While nation leaders are talking about bold actions full of promises at the UN Climate Action Summit in New York to resolve the challenges faced by humanity, at the same time, scientists around the world are discussing how to make these promises possible.
In the same spirit, engineers and researchers from ten different nations met at Oslo Metropolitan University from 24–26 September 2019 to kick-off the innovative project “RainSolutions” funded by the European Water Joint Programming Initiative to assess nature-based solutions (NBS) to sustain a clean and livable city. Lund University is the lead partner of RainSolutions, which was represented by Prof. Miklas Scholz.
Brief about Project
The project evaluates and assesses NBS such as wetlands, green-roofs and retention ponds to clean water. NBS solutions are inspired by nature, sustainability and cost-effectiveness. Prof. Miklas Scholz, the project leader from Lund University in Sweden, stated that “Constructed wetlands have only a positive impact on the environment with the added advantage of being low-tech and low-cost, making them feasible for deployment particularly in developing countries desperately needing such essential systems for a clean and healthy community.”
Water Molecule Dance
In solidarity to the cause, all participants decided to perform as a flash mob initiative the Water Molecule Dance in public at the OsloMet Conference Center raising awareness for the need to supply clean water and stressing the importance of this challenge faced by humanity. Prof. Scholz explained that “Due to our consumerism-focused busy lifestyle, we forget how much we rely on water and its socio-economic importance in our lives.” Therefore, he wishes the public to join the Water Molecule Dance movement originating from the new theatre play Water Attracts Water (https://www.newadelphitheatre.co.uk/event/water-is-attracted-to-water) where he plays himself, the water scientist.
Message to Community
Please take a moment and think "save water" when you turn a tap, take a shower, flush a toilet and participate at other countless daily chores. Act responsibly. Join the Water Molecule Dance movement to show that saving water together with others can also be fun!