Dan Frederiksen says: how far are you away from actually doing it? how much will it cost? and how many areas with water shortage have a suitable mountain nearby?

Clara Mota says: Dear Dan,

Thank You for your questions;

- If you are interested in having a project for the building where you live, or
your land we can begin to work on it .

- First of all, our goal is to save water! So lets talk about investment!
Its our goal to deliver cost-efective solutions, but we should be aware, that
no matter the cost of implementing this system, it was to be implemented
by me, you or anybody else.

To save water, we have to capture it when it rains, re-use it, and recycle it!

We can't afford to increase the water levels pollution, nor to go on
continuing disrupting the rivers eco-system, and leaving
southern populations with a continous decreased water line.

To implement a system in mountains its cheap, it was implemented in the
XV century by the people that went to colonize Madeira island to develop
agriculture.

In what concerns buildings, the investment for implementing depends
essentialy on the arquitecture of the existing building.
Ex : If there is enough space at the top of the building for deposits/tanks
we do not need to use the basement, so saving at least two car parking
places that won't be used. In some cases we even won't need to pump water, because we are working with the force of gravity, the water will have enough pressure.

In buildings that are projected to have this system during construction, of
course, there will be reached more cost-efective solutions.


- If fact, there are mountains even in the more desert regions of the planet (ex . The morocan mountain chain Atlas, and in Africa there are more than 50 mountain chains) and it rains there.
When it rains, it is usually at the top of the mountain, and the population have no way of capturing the rain water.
This system allows the capture of the water where it rains, and to conduced it where is needed.

To clarify, the idea is not only to implement the system in mountains in countries where there is scarcity of water, but everyere.

This system as a very big impact at social, but specialy at environmental level.

In order to have water, we have to break subterranean water lines, and pump it from rivers, interfering with their course and eco-system.

The Levadas System, is simple, and ecological;
Doesn't disrupt the water lines,
Doesn't disrupt water courses eco-systems,
Doesn't interfere with the course of the rivers as the existing ones.
Is cheaper than pumping water from rivers,
The force and velocity of the water can produce electricity,
Reduces the need of use of the course of the rivers, therefore reducing negative consequences to the environment and to the populations.
Less impact in carbon emissions.

Eleni Pallas says: Clara,

Thank you for your idea.

I wonder:
1) why is this a compelling idea to you? what does it touch inside you? what will motivate you to get through challenging times?

2) what is the value of creating two entities to carry out this vision?

3) who will do the lobbying required to get governments' and the UN's attention? large organizations tend to be time-consuming enviornments in which to work, so how will you maximize the impact and minimize the time lost in trying to find someone who can actually decide on a specific project?

4) what are the potential obstacles in successfully rolling out this idea and what are your solutions to those? how can you prevent them?

Thank you and Good luck!!

Eleni.

Clara Mota says:
Eleni,

Thank You for your questions, you are the only person that ask about motivation! The most important of all questions…


1) I believe that we have to find a way of surviving, by protecting the basic resources and not just making use of them.
If we managed Air, Water and Soil, as we manage our Gold, we wouldn’t have problems!
Air, Water and Soil, are more valuable than Gold itself! Without these three basic resources we couldn’t live in this Planet.

What compelled me to go forward with this idea, is my believe that we have to come fast to solutions that will preserve the Water, and that will deliver it to the most needed without impacting the other resources.
Sometimes, the solutions are just in front of us, and were already used by Making; we just have to adapt them to the modern times.
I believe that we can live by acting accordingly to the Nature, as ancient populations did.
Trying to dominate nature, with the objective of optimizing the resources is going to lead us nowhere.

My motivation is to contribute to the preservation of the Planet Resources, and to reduce the scarcity of water, and consequently poverty.
Whatever economic scenario we are into, we have to find solutions to have a sustainable life, and preserve the Water and other resources is a must!
To find solutions to capture Rain Water, re-used it and recycle it, is a must!


2)The objective of creating two entities, as to do with my motivations. I’m a Eco-Social Entrepreneur, and I have the objective of contributing with part of the profits generated by the companies that will have me as founder or partner to social and ecological causes.

In fact the NGO will have the mission of helping the most poor and needed regions of the globe, and will be funded in part by the profit generated by the
organisation that will develop Rain Water capture systems for developed countries.
The most developed countries will indirectly fund the most poor countries.

3)We really have to find a good lobbyist, nevertheless, we hopefully have the objective to drew attention from these organisations with our mission and quality of Solutions.

Fortunately, we will work with the private sector (land and farm owners, building owners, large condo’s, construction companies, etc) for development of Rain Water capture projects to implement in mountains and buildings, while we wait for the decisions on government projects.

4)The potential obstacles will be the economic interests in the water sector.
Governments will suffer pressures from water infrastructures companies
and water suppliers, that will be afraid of the decreasing profits.
I think that creating partnerships with these organisations will be a solution.
In what concerns the NGO mission, the obstacles for implementing the Levadas System at mountains might be in some cases sociological.
In this cases negotiation of agreements between communities, and tribes will solve the possible obstacles.