Horizons: Catching fog with nets in Chile's Atacama Desert

BBC Horizons report on how Chile is using nets to catch fog in the Atacama Desert and turn it into water for irrigation

[TurnUpTheVdeoSpeed]

Interesting video. There's some efficiency issues you could definitely improve. 5 improvements that could be done.
1 The video shows that they're doing simple drip irrigation. They could save 70% of the water if they switch to below ground Olas.
2 Reverse osmosis gray water for consumption. thus reducing needed water.
3 The farm should be fed with gray water. Using biocompatible soaps which are plant food.
4 A simple system that uses water three times before it's farm water. Showers at the top. A tank for doing laundry reusing the water. And then when the laundry is done.. the gray water is used for farm water.

Obviously get rid of the water consuming toilets in place of compostable toilets. Recycle the urine for nitrogen fertilizer.

And any sinks are rerouted to be farm water. That is of course after you've done reverse osmosis with the gray water.

What's left over after reverse osmosis could probably be used for farm water.
5 If possible.. build into the hillside to reduce Heating and cooling of the house. Underground housing is far more efficient.

Anyhow you all have a great day.

[bobjackson]

The cloth shown looks very similar to what we use as "shade cloth" in Australia. It is quite strong and long lasting. It's cost is very reasonable. Low tech solutions like this are the best option for small communities. If the size is kept standard it will moderate costs, here the standard width is 3.6 meters. Using a size like 6m x 3.6m keep the strength requirements and cost of the support structures reasonable. If you keep the panel size smallish it's less likely to be damaged by wind. A great idea if kept simple and tech free.

[charliechan]

I can't get my head around the actual volume of water that is collected each day.

[DrLager]

Look up the 'Ascension Island Cloud Forest' and see what can happen over 200 years of fog amazing stuff.

[fimpudentdotcom]

Where we can buy this nets and which is the right type? Thank you

[modestoca]

So if they build enough of these wouldn't it deprive the desert plants of fog moisture?

[hermankarsowidjojo]

You can also keep the 'Freshwater', of the Rivers, in the Land for different Land Use. And not let it flow into the Oceans anymore. (The Oceans have enough water, too much in fact)

Its WIN WIN !

Sincerely,

[manjifera]

What is humidity level in these areas.??

[allanegleston]

goes to show you that evrything dosent have to be ultra hi tec

[robertocarlosguarachicabre]

Me gustaría saber cuanta agua se puede colectar por m2

[lyndaschroeder]

Wonderful ideas wonderful. My questions are always does the plastic wear offf into the water that everyone drinks and taking lots of fog away from the environment that helps us in long effects. that may be negative. Our pollution problems in the world are caused by enough greed that interfers with checking all the side effects of great ideas and how to plan for them. We must not let this happen with new wonderful breakthroughs. Mothers of young children need to be recognized as helpers to make healthy use of our amazing technology or simple solutions.

[apophansis]

What is the net material made from?
Can we use the ordinary fish net?

[firmawayudifisip]

My teacher giv me task about sinopsi about this film can you all help ms

[winstonsmiths]

The only "problem" I can see is the the water collected contains no naturally occurring minerals you would find in ground water. These nets do not need years of research. This water collection method has been going on for decades! In Africa, they used already available net materials that were used for making fruit sacks. If you look at what they use around various parts of the world, it seems as if no 2 net materials are the same! Reinventing the wheel for profit?

[wangtie]

MAYBE INSTALLING THE MACHINES THAT CAN COLLECT  WATER FROM THE AIR INCREASE THE WATER COLLECTION MANY TIMES.

[EmsViernes]

I wonder why ....not plant at least 20- 50 seedlings of trees while testing those they say that d more trees ..d higher moustire s available .(..as those n cloud seeding for better results .. those facts also relevant here n Chile...i wonder?

[steppib.]

Water in a desert but where is this water missing now ... Maybe this is part of the climate problem 😮 butterfly-effect

[asterlofts]

Lo aprendí viendo 31 minutos... pero no al 100%

[andrewburrows]

This is a very minimal process, if they follow the design of the plants they mimic, and build stacks of nets instead of a single curtain, the yield of water will be many times greater! What we are seeing is a token of European guilt being displayed to ease guilty consciences for past sins.