DATE:
May 4, 2026 at 11:59AM

CHANNEL: Sam Bentley

TITLE:
How Sponge Cities help protect against flooding!

URL:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3nQQlbx2UQ

DESCRIPTION:
This is a Sponge City!

And like a sponge, they’re designed to soak up rainwater, to help prevent flooding, and they create loads of green spaces too!

Here’s how they work.

Pioneered by landscape architect Kongjian Yu, who sadly died in a plane crash last year, Sponge Cities use a bunch of nature-based solutions to absorb and use rainwater effectively.

They use porous pavements that mimic soil by absorbing water and releasing it slowly into the earth.

They integrate green rooftops, rain gardens, and enhanced wetlands that not only manage water but also support biodiversity and improve air quality.

By slowing down water flow, it becomes easier to capture it and store it for later use.

And all the natural features even help to clean the water too, reducing the need for industrial cleaning processes!

Sponge Cities have already been adopted by over 264 cities in China, with a goal to make 80% of its urban areas sponge-like by 2030.

These types of cities could bring us a step closer to living in harmony with the environment , and they’re a fitting legacy for the visionary who first imagined them.

Would you like to live in a sponge city?

Post a sponge emoji in the comments if you would, and tap like to hear about more nature-based solutions!

#goodnews #naturebased #nature

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3nQQlbx2UQ


This robot is not affiliated with the channel.

#psychology #depression #goodnews #goodnewsthread #happy #happynews
#SpreadJoy #PositiveVibes #CommunityLove #SpreadLight #SamBentley #positivescience #science @goodnews

Supporting local biodiversity doesn’t require big gestures — just the right spaces.
A nesting box is a home, a shelter, and a starting point. 🐦🌱

https://curiousgoblin.etsy.com/listing/4445337235

#biodiversity #rewildingcities #urbanwildlife #naturebased #habitatcreation #wildlifehabitat #ecofriendly #planetcare #climateaction #naturecommunity #birdwatching #birdhabitat #birdlife #birdconservation #mosstodon #buyeuropean #buyfromeu #etsy #woodworking #3dprinting

How #NatureBased Solutions Can Help Tackle #AntimicrobialResistance

by Paula Pérez González-Anguiano Europe Mar 17th 20254 mins

"In many European countries, antimicrobial resistance genes are present in #wastewater treatment plants, particularly in water coming from hospitals. In most cases, these plants are not designed to eliminate these genes, allowing them to pollute rivers and eventually reach homes. Antibiotics and resistance genes used to fertilize fields also make their way into aquatic ecosystems via livestock manure.

"A global survey published in Nature in 2024 revealed that drug-resistant infections killed more individuals than Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) or malaria. It is estimated that by 2050, antimicrobial resistance (#AMR) – which occurs when bacteria and fungi evolve to withstand the drugs meant to eliminate them, allowing infections to persist and become difficult or even impossible to treat – could cause up to 10 million deaths. This is comparable to the number of deaths caused by cancer in 2020.

"Nature-based solutions are strategies that involve working with nature to address societal challenges, providing benefits for both human well-being and biodiversity. Examples include reforestation to absorb carbon and prevent erosion, wetland restoration for water filtration and flood control, green roofs to cool cities and reduce pollution, mangrove protection to protect coasts, and agroforestry to enhance soil health and crop yields. These solutions improve biodiversity, water quality, and disaster risk while also boosting human well-being through cleaner air and greener spaces.

"Wastewater from urban treatment plants contains #biofilm – mainly bacteria and microalgae – as well as planktonic communities that absorb antibiotic-resistance genes and mobile genetic elements. Biofilm naturally forms on stones in the water and helps purify it by breaking down these contaminants.

"Inspired by this natural process, researchers from BETA Technological Centre in Catalonia, Spain, have developed a lab-based pilot-scale system as a nature-based solution. In the plant, wastewater is recirculated in a bioreactor, allowing biofilm and planktonic communities to grow. Within a few days, the water is purified. This low-cost approach is particularly suitable for small-town treatment plants. The bioreactor would be placed at the plant’s outlet, where nutrient levels support biofilm growth, serving as a tertiary water treatment step.

"The European Union-funded SURE-AMR project is also looking at ways to tackle AMR with nature-based solutions in regions like Ukraine. The Eastern European country is facing a growing AMR problem exacerbated by war. Now, The European Union is confronting a growing challenge with Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), which is being further exacerbated by the war in neighboring Ukraine.

"The project started in October 2024 with Ukraine as leader and other partner institutions in Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain. Among the solutions assessed in the initiative are duckweed bioreactors in the outlet of a water treatment plant. Duckweed is an aquatic plant capable of removing nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus, bacteria, and antibiotic residues from water.

"The second solution assessed, as a second stage of water purification, mimics a river ecosystem with biofilm channels and snails. Biofilms feed on contaminants like AMR genes, reducing their presence in water. Snails contribute by feeding on excess biofilm, preventing overgrowth, and consuming organic debris and algae, further refining the purification process. The process finishes with constructed wetlands for final purification.

"This approach reduces operational costs, making water treatment more accessible in resource-limited areas. It also enhances climate resilience and strengthens ecosystems by developing natural infrastructures (duckweed bioreactors and biofilm channels) that protect water sources, while addressing AMR to protect public health and prevent transmission."

Read more:
https://earth.org/how-nature-based-solutions-can-help-tackle-antimicrobial-resistance/

#SolarPunkSunday #WaterTreatment #AntimicrobialResistance #NatureBasedSolutions

"Projects rooted in #NatureBased solutions are gaining momentum in sub-Saharan #Africa.

These natural systems can build #resilience against hazards like flooding, heat or drought. Critically, they often also produce additional benefits for communities — such as creating jobs, boosting farm yields, increasing incomes, protecting #biodiversity and more."

https://www.wri.org/insights/nature-based-climate-solutions-sub-saharan-africa

🌿☔️ Interested in how cities can combat urban flooding naturally? Explore the "Sponge City" concept, which uses nature-based strategies to improve urban water management.

Dive into the details here: https://climatesolutions.news/spotlight/the-sponge-city-concept-a-natural-solution-to-urban-flooding

#EnvironmentalTech #UrbanFlooding #EcoSolutions #NatureBased