The recent viral phenomenon known as the ice bucket challenge did a great job of raising both awareness and money for the ALS foundation (regardless of where that money ended up going, which has been in question). What concerned me however was its blatant disregard for the most precious resource on this planet, water. Seven hundred and sixty eight million people throughout the world, or one in every 10 people, dont have access to clean water if any. This epidemic water shortage has even affected places like California, Nevada and Arizona, where there is a water shortage emergency. In light of this global problem I would like to discuss a pragmatic and relatively cheap solution that can start addressing this problem in desert regions, that solution being the Warkawater Tower. The Warkawater tower, which is cheap and easy to construct, uses no electricity and has the ability to capture up to 25 gallons of water in a day by capturing condensation. The tower was designed by Arturo Vittori after he witnessed extreme water shortage conditions during a visit to Ethiopia. It was inspired by the Warka tree, a giant, gravity-defying domed tree, native to Ethiopia, that sprouts figs and is used as a community gathering space. This 26 foot high basket like tower costs a mere $550 dollars and requires only 4 people to construct over a 5-7 day period. Once constructed, these towers can provide a sustainable source of clean water so long as theyre cleaned and maintained regularly. The only solutions philanthropists like Bill Gates provide are too expensive to be feasible and require electricity. In light of the ice bucket challenge Brad Watts and I have been throwing around ideas as to how we can start a viral campaign that TRULY affects the masses. While ALS is a horrible disease that requires attention, its responsible for roughly 2,500 deaths a year while tens of millions of people throughout the world die from dehydration and/or contaminated water. Weve considered starting a Sand Basket Challenge but are skeptical of the fact that people will be too squeamish to heaven forbid dump sand over their head before taking their daily shower. The rationale behind this is that sand is not a precious and scarce resource. In addition, sandy, arid desert regions are most affected so the use of sand makes it even more relevant. Regardless of our skepticism, weve been in contact with Arutro Vittori, the inventor of the Warkawater Tree and are considering where to send funds that result from such a campaign and how to go about marketing it. Your feedback on how to start such a movement would be GREATLY appreciated! This short 3 minute video also describes the project: youtube/watch?v=rDXWK5GRaiQ
Posted on: Mon, 15 Sep 2014 19:21:06 +0000
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