Notes

6000. 6000 a day. 2,190,000 a year. When those of us in the developed world think of a global threat, we usually imagine some shady terrorist organization or insurgency in politically unstable areas. We generally don't consider the sparkling glass of water next to us a second thought. But according to the United Nations, dirty water is killing more people than war, or violence in general.

But as you listen, keep in mind that unclean water is no small burden on the global population. About half of the world's poor suffer from diseases caused by the water they consume, but perhaps even more frightening, is that approximately 6,000 people die each day from illnesses that access to clean water could have prevented. Cholera, typhoid and enteric fever are all examples of deadly illnesses caused by the consumption of contaminated water. Bacterial or viral contaminants in the water can cause diarrhea and vomiting in humans by releasing toxins into the intestines which could very easily lead to death. Globally, diarrhea is the leading cause of illness and death, and 88% of those deaths are due to lack of sanitation facilities, combined with limited access to water for hygiene and unsafe water.

It's a complicated issue, but, surprisingly, the technology to fight it is very simple.

A straw. A life-straw that’s all you need. The Lifestraw is a low-cost water purification tool, with a service lifetime of about one year. It is just 25 cm long and 29 mm in diameter and can be hung around the neck. Unlike other water purification products, Lifestraw is intuitive to use, but most importantly requires no training, electricity nor special tools to operate. LifeStraw filters up to 700 litres of water and effectively removes most of the micro organisms responsible for causing waterborne diseases. When you drink from the straw the water goes through a filter that traps 99.999% of waterborne bacteria (such as Salmonella, Shigella, Eneterococcus and Staphylococcus) and 98.7% of waterborne viruses. Humans can survive 3-5 days without water, in warm countries even less time. But one straw can make all the difference. Electricity is a luxury but water is a necessity... so invest in the Lifestraw….