In order to meet increased demand with shrinking supplies the city has stepped up its conservation and recycling efforts. An effort is under way to transform the desert into a fruitful oasis using a new technology called DriWater, a water-holding gel compound. Because the water is encased into the gel it does not evaporate in the desert sun. Instead the water is slowly released into the ground as the gel is eaten away by microbes in the soil. At the Johnson Space Flight Center in Houston, Texas, new technologies are being developed that may one day help preserve water both in space and on Earth.
Reverse osmosis is one promising method of reducing the cost of desalination.
Just as the Japanese people farm many varieties of seaweed for its high mineral content and nutritional value, farmers along the coasts of Europe and North America may one-day farm native sea vegetables on a larger scale. In the Netherlands, sea lavender, also known as lamsoor, is a green leafy vegetable that is becoming more commonly available in markets.