Lifestraw

By some estimates, half the poverty-stricken population of the world suffer from waterborne diseases because they have no clean drinking water. Close to 6,000 people die daily, at least in part as a result of the consumption of unsafe drinking water.

Point-of-use water filters can be one of the most effective and important responses. Like the LifeStraw, a 10-inch plastic cylinder that can filter out or kill 99,9999% of bacteria, parasites and some viruses in dirty water. LifeStraw uses textile filters, iodine beads and a charcoal filter to clean the drinking water and can be produced at a cost of only a few dollars each.

The scenario in which LifeStraw can be brought into play isn’t limited to situations of ongoing poverty and deprivation: After Cyclone Nargis struck Myanmar, aid organizations deployed tens of thousands of LifeStraws. Earthquake zones in Asia also have been sites of widespread usage of the devices. To this day, millions of LifeStraws have been distributed to people in need all over the world.