Wednesday, December 8, 2010

The Life Straw® - Hannah Vickery


As access to clean water is an increasingly prominent issue in many developing countries, new technology is being developed to provide access to water sanitization. The Life Straw® is a simple, individual water purification system which is equipped in a handheld straw. Each straw is able to filter 1000-1600L to a level which exceeds EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) requirements. This device does not contain any parts that need replacing, nor does it require electrical power or batteries. It removes a minimum of 99.9999% of waterborne bacteria and 99.9% of waterborne protozoan parasites. The Life Straw® is simple to use- one sips the water through the mouthpiece and occasionally blows through the same end to prevent flogging of the filter. While there are many advantages of the Life Straw®, it does not prove to be a sustainable solution to water sanitation issues throughout the world. It does however, serve as an excellent instrument in times of natural disaster, and can be very effectively distributed at times of disaster relief and crisis intervention. The cost of a single Life Straw® is $6.50 USD, and can be donated online through Rotary Clubs in the UK, Florida, and Spain.


http://www.vestergaard-frandsen.com/lifestraw

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