Turning the Tide: Innovative Solutions for a Water-Resilient Future

Nov 08, 2024

Water is at the heart of this week’s Regenerative Insights, with stories highlighting innovative ways communities, businesses, and leaders are tackling the pressing challenges of water scarcity, management, and preservation. In our Featured Article, we highlight Ocaquatics Swim School - a company that has for over 30 years has fostered water safety through swimming lessons in South Florida - and how the company has also pioneered a community-first approach to business succession by transitioning to 100% employee ownership, emphasizing sustainable growth and equitable wealth-sharing.

From sustainable rain gardens on university campuses to salt-free desalination innovations, our Essential Reads reveal how diverse efforts worldwide are transforming water stewardship. These stories showcase practical solutions on the ground, from Texas water rights conflicts to collaborative eco-farming tours that connect global communities in water conservation efforts.

Meanwhile, in our Research Corner, a recent study in the American Economic Review quantifies the enormous value of wetlands in flood mitigation, making a strong case for preserving vulnerable wetlands under the Clean Water Act.

Let’s dive in and explore how these water-centered initiatives are shaping a more resilient future.

Featured Article:

Ocaquatics’ Wave-Making Employee Ownership Model

In my recent Forbes article, I explored a case of Ocaquatics Swim School pioneering a different approach to business succession by transitioning to being a 100% employee-owned company. Founded by Miren Oca in Miami, Florida, Ocaquatics has grown over three decades from a small business into a community-focused organization, conducting over 6,500 swimming lessons weekly across five locations. The transition to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) secures the company’s mission-driven values and shares success with the very team that helped it flourish.

Oca chose the EOT model for its straightforward structure, enabling Ocaquatics to continue its commitment to social impact and employee well-being without the complexity of traditional ESOPs or co-ops. With this model, 50 co-owners now hold a vested interest in the business, deepening their dedication to the company's success and sustainability. Ocaquatics’ story serves as an inspiring blueprint for succession planning, showcasing how companies can balance profitability with community impact, all while narrowing wealth gaps locally.

Essential Reads:

Sustainable Rain Garden Initiative

University of Cincinnati horticulture students create a rain garden to improve stormwater management and biodiversity on campus. This innovative project serves as a hands-on experience in sustainable landscape design, merging environmental science with practical application. Students gain valuable skills for green careers, turning UC’s campus into a model of eco-friendly urban development.

Salt-Free Desalination Innovation

A student innovator, Tayia Oddonetto, has developed a groundbreaking desalination method, salt-free electrodialysis metathesis. This process efficiently converts brine into drinkable water and extracts valuable minerals, offering a cost-effective, environmentally friendly alternative to traditional desalination methods, thus helping address global water scarcity with sustainable technology.

Heritage Sites Endangered by Subsidence

Excessive groundwater extraction in Iran threatens key archaeological sites, including Takht-e Jamshid and Naqsh-e Rostam. Uneven land sinking has damaged these historical monuments, creating cracks and endangering structures. Authorities emphasize sustainable water management, restoration, and community awareness to protect Iran's cultural heritage from worsening subsidence.

Texas Water Rights Battle

Belding Farms in West Texas battles to protect its water supply as nearby property owners sell water to expanding cities. With Texas' population and demand for water rising, this conflict exemplifies the coming challenges in managing groundwater. The farm argues that over-pumping could deplete local aquifers, risking agriculture and regional stability.

EU-China Sustainability Tour Highlights Eco-Farming

The EU-China Sustainability Tour spotlighted eco-farming innovations in Zhengzhou, where sustainable practices like organic waste composting and drip irrigation conserve resources. Vlogger Sunfengren documented the EU-China Sustainable Agriculture Project’s impact on local communities, promoting eco-friendly farming, water conservation, and public engagement in environmental protection through shared vegetable plots.

Norfolk Farm Water Resilience Project

The Norfolk Rivers Trust's decade-long initiative with 300+ farmers highlights sustainable water management through methods like wetland restoration, runoff reduction, and on-farm reservoirs. This collaborative approach builds landscape resilience, protects water supplies, and fosters biodiversity, supporting long-term agricultural sustainability in the East of England.

Youth Sustainability Leadership in Timor-Leste

At the National PermaYouth Camp 2024, over 800 young leaders gathered in Timor-Leste to learn permaculture and water management techniques. UNSW students joined local peers in hands-on training, fostering skills in sustainable practices and ecosystem restoration. This initiative strengthens youth engagement in climate resilience and conservation efforts.

Research Corner:

This study by Taylor and Druckenmiller in the American Economic Review reveals the high economic value of wetlands for flood mitigation. Using extensive flood claims and land use data, the researchers estimate that each lost hectare of wetland costs society $1,840 per year, escalating to over $8,000 in developed areas. Their findings highlight the critical role wetlands play in flood risk reduction, particularly amid ongoing debates on the Clean Water Act and policy uncertainties surrounding wetland protections. These insights underscore the need for targeted protection measures, especially for isolated wetlands vulnerable to deregulation.

The regenerative business practices and sustainability innovations highlighted in this week's Regenerative Insights directly tackle the critical issues of corporate responsibility explored in my recent book explored in my recent book, The Profiteers: How Business Privatizes Profit and Socializes Cost.

Quick Takeaways:

Hands-On Green Skills: University horticulture students gain practical skills through a rain garden project, promoting eco-friendly campus development.
Innovative Desalination: A salt-free method turns brine into potable water, providing a sustainable solution for water scarcity.
Cultural Sites at Risk: Iran’s heritage monuments face damage from groundwater depletion, highlighting the need for sustainable water management.
Groundwater Conflicts: A Texas farm fights urban water demands to protect its local aquifers and agricultural stability.
Eco-Farming Collaboration: EU-China tour promotes sustainable farming practices, engaging communities in water conservation.
Sustainable Farming in Norfolk: A multi-farm water resilience project supports biodiversity and long-term agricultural sustainability in England.
Youth Climate Leaders: Timor-Leste’s PermaYouth Camp empowers young leaders with skills in permaculture and climate resilience.

Regenerative Insights