Science fiction fans will remember the dew collectors in the novel Dune. They’re not science fiction in Israel.
A new Israeli company Tal-Ya Water Technologies, which launched in May, promises to squeeze dew from the air for watering crops where water resources are precious or scarce. This new invention has a number of ecological benefits that go beyond simple water savings.
For about $1 a piece, per plant, a square serrated tray made from a special plastic composite sits directly on the ground. The reusable tray is fitted with a hole in the center for a plant to grow. Using non-PET recycled and recyclable plastic with UV filters, and a limestone additive, Tal-Ya’s trays do not degrade in the sun or after the application of pesticides or fertilizers.
[…] Field tests in Israel with the Ministry of Agriculture suggests whopping water savings of up to 50 percent of irrigated water by using the Tal-Ya system.
Compare this story to the story of what the Palestinians did to Israeli greenhouses left behind in Gaza. As always, it’s creation vs. destruction, and yet, the media gets it backward.