Water & Air – Filter Systems News

Filters Fast is proud to announce the launch of our charity, W3- Work and Walk for Water. We want to do our part to make it possible for people around the world to have access to clean, fresh drinking water. Every time you flush your toilet, wash your hands, or take a sip from the hose on a hot summer day, remember that millions of people around the world are not able to enjoy these taken for granted pleasures. It is estimated that as many as 76 million people will die in the next 8 years of preventable water-related diseases. That is why now, more than ever, it is important for all of us to get up and do something.

So, how can you help? It’s easy! We have designed W3 so that you can choose to donate money, or donate miles, or both! For every mile you donate, a sponsored dollar will go to providing clean water to those who require it most. So don’t just sit there, do something! If your New Year’s Resolution is to get in better shape, you can reach your goal while helping those in need. Ask your family to sponsor your 20 mile donation (20 dollars), and reap the benefits of walking and helping others.

Here in the Filters Fast office, we have brought our commitment to providing clean water to the workplace.  Two of our employees have chosen to install Trek Desk’s, which allow them to walk on a treadmill while at work. We believe wholeheartedly that it is possible that every man, woman, and child has access to fresh, clean water, and we want to do our part.

Filters Fast will donate 100% of all proceeds, and they will go directly to water projects. This will provide wells and clean water to those who need it most.

Politicians and lay people alike both talk and argue about the effects of the environment on Americans. Clean air and clean living have become trendy issues in the past decade. Green homes, recycling, and hybrid cars are just a few of the ways that people can help make our air a little bit cleaner. With harsh effects of polluted air such asthma and other respiratory problems, it is now more important than ever to protect yourself against the dangerous effects of polluted air. One organization, the Clean Air Task Force, is doing just that.

The Clean Air Task Force is based out of Boston and was formed in 1996. Their primary goal is outlined as such: “To enact federal policy to reduce the pollutants from America’s coal-fired power plants that cause respiratory death and disease, smog, acid rain, and haze.” This group of researchers, advocates, and private sector contributors are working towards getting the American people to truly understand the negative health effects that coal and diesel emissions have.

For example, diesel trucks can pose a serious health risk to pedestrians as it is emitted at ground level. As the CATF explained, “Diesel exhaust is comprised of microscopic carbon soot particles that act to absorb metals and other toxic substances in the exhaust. When inhaled by humans, these tiny, toxic-laden particles cross the blood barrier from lungs into the bloodstream, delivering the toxics to internal organs and leading to inflammation and cardiovascular and respiratory diseases…”

Diesel exhaust leads to approximately 400,000 asthma attacks a year. To get an idea of how much diesel exhaust is released by a local school bus, check out these videos. The first shows an ordinary school bus, while the second is fitted with a diesel filter.

The diesel filter makes a huge difference in the amount of emissions released into the air. The same goes for your indoor air quality. As the CATF has shown us, air pollution is a serious problem and has significant health effects on Americans today. If you are concerned about pollutants and allergens in your home, it is important to equip your home with the proper filters. It is paramount that you change your HVAC filter regularly, and a higher MERV rating, the better. These filters will help to remove particles and mold spores, keeping them out of the air you breathe.

Another way to protect the air you breathe inside your home is to use an air purifier. These will assist in the removal of bacteria and germs that are found in your home, protecting you and your family from sickness. While solving the world’s pollution problems may be very far off, cleaning the air in your home is an inexpensive way for you and your family to stay healthy. While the CATF does their part, it is important that we do ours!

With fall just around the corner, I wanted to focus on a FRESH AIR charity for this Charity Tuesday. There is really nothing better than stepping out onto your front porch to breathe in the cool, clean, crisp air of fall. As the leaves begin to turn into beautiful reds, oranges and yellows, I would like to feature The Fresh Air Fund as Filter’s Fast Charity Tuesday pick. With many charities focused on providing fresh water to people around the world, it is refreshing to see a charity that understands the importance of fresh air. In particular, the Fresh Air Fund in New York City has provided free summer experiences in the country to more than 1 million inner city children since it began in 1877.

The Fresh Air Fund provides two different avenues for inner-city children to experience the country. For many children, this is their first time under America’s starry sky without the interruption of harsh city lights. Fresh Air Fund camps host 3,000 children between the ages of eight to 15 yearly. These camps are split up by age, special needs, and gender, allowing parents to choose the most suitable camp for their child. Many children who have never been outside of the city are able to experience swimming, milking a cow, cabin living and fishing among many other activities. There are also year-round day and weekend camping trips available.

The Fresh Air Fund also provides 5,000 children with the opportunity to spend two or more weeks with a host family in 13 Northeastern states through their Friendly Town Program.  Here, children from disadvantaged New York City communities have the opportunity to live in a small rural/suburban community.  Being a host family for the Fresh Air Family means that you are providing a child with the opportunity to experience life outside of the city and it is rewarding for both you and the child you are hosting!

The Fresh Air Fund is a nonprofit organization that is able to provide these great opportunities due to peoples generous donations. It is easy to make a tax-deductible donation in any amount on their secure website. If you understand the importance of clean fresh air, and outdoor activities for children, then The Fresh Air Fund is the charity for you.

*Speaking of fresh air, the Fall can bring unwanted air contaminants into your home, decreasing your homes indoor air quality. If you are concerned about the air quality inside your home, an air filter or air purifier will help significantly!

Hurricane Irene was difficult to escape, even with forced evacuations. From the wide-spread media coverage and weathermen standing in soaked rain jackets by the beach, everyone saw  the hurricane this past weekend. Those on the North Carolina Coast all the way to Vermont experienced extremely severe weather. The hurricane caused massive power outages and flooding all along the eastern seaboard. Many places are still without electricity and running water. North Carolina’s governor, Bev Perdue stated in a press release Tuesday,

“Thousands of North Carolinians are still reeling from the devastation caused by Hurricane Irene, but we’re all pulling together to get things back to normal. For people who want to help, we’ve established the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund.”

Money from the North Carolina Disaster Relief fund will go towards the rebuilding of homes and other volunteer efforts in the state of North Carolina. You can visit the website here: North Carolina Disaster Relief

If you would like to help in other effected cities of the United States, organizations such as the American Red Cross and AMERICARES are also offering assistance. While this hurricane was not as devastating as originally expected, homes still need to be rebuilt and people need your help. The Humane Society is also helping in hard hit areas such as North Carolina and Vermont.  The Director of the Humane Society of North Carolina said today,

“”It takes a couple of days for the animals to really come out of their hiding places. And so, two, three, four days down the road, all of the sudden you find that there’s animals walking through the neighborhood.”

For a complete list of trustworthy nonprofit organizations that are seeking your help, look here:  Hurricane Irene Relief

Bill Gates is reinventing the toilet. That’s right; the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is donating a staggering $41.5 million dollars in grants to various organizations involved in developing new sanitation technology.  Here is a breakdown of where some of the funds will be going:

• $12 million dollars is going to the African Development Bank in their effort to bring sanitation management services to 1.5 urban poor in sub-Saharan Africa

• $10 million is going to a German-Kenyan collaboration to improve sanitation services for people living in Kenya

• $8 million to UNESCO Institute for Water Education, increasing education focus on water solutions that work for the poor

• $8.5 million going to USAID’s “WASH for Life”, this program will try and determine the best ways to deliver sanitation, water and hygiene services to the poor. Take a look at their website: www.usaid.gov/div/washforlife

Perhaps the most interesting use of the $41.5 million dollar donation is the $3 million that is going towards the “Reinventing the Toilet Challenge.” This grant will support eight universities across the world, including CalTech, Delft University, and Stanford to participate in the challenge of reinventing the modern toilet. The challenge outlines include remodeling the toilet as a stand-alone unit that does not use piped in water, electricity or a sewer connection. In addition, the unit has to work on less than 5 CENTS A DAY.

Although one of the smaller financial commitments, the Reinventing the Toilet Challenge presents a unique opportunity to change the world. The invention of the toilet nearly 200 years ago significantly changed the world.  As Sylvia Matthew Burwell, president of the Global Development Program of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation stated:

“No innovation in the past 200 years has done more to save the lives and improve health than the sanitation revolution triggered by the  invention of the toilet,” Burwell continued, “But it did not go far enough. It only reached one-third of the world. What we need are new approaches. New ideas. In short, we need to reinvent the toilet.”

There have already been some rather interesting ideas generated in regards to this challenge. For example, turning waste into useful fertilizer or the creation of “dry toilets”. Whether a new toilet is invented or not, the nearly $42 million dollar donation will, no doubt, allow for significant advances and aid to those countries that need it most. While many people in Western countries take their toilets for granted, most people around the world do not have access to fresh running water or toilets. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation seek to change all that, and along the way, hope to reinvent the toilet

Instead of focusing on a Water Charity this Tuesday, we chose nonprofit organization Project WET. This organization focuses on water education through reaching out to teachers, community members, children, and parents in the United States and around the world. Project WET achieves this goal through publishing informative water materials in different languages, creating school curriculum for different age groups, and sponsoring trainings around the world. Project WET also organizes community water events such as the Global Water Education Village. This event is held every three years at the World Water Forum, the last one was held in Istanbul, Turkey. The goal of the Global Water Education Village is to discuss local actions in water education that are successful at reaching children.

Project WET is committed to reaching out to audiences around the world and in ushering water education into the twenty-first century.  Most recently, Project WET has teamed up with the National Park Service.  In a press release issued on June 22, 2011, Project WET and the National Park Service announced that they would be collaborating on an educational series titled, “Discover the Waters of Our National Parks.”  This science based program will include hands-on activities, videos, special workshops, online courses, guides and an internet portal. Project WET President, Dennis Nelson stated, “Water connects our national parks to each other and to the people of the United States through the water cycle, making national parks a perfect springboard for educating people about water.” This project is going be launched at select national parks within the next year, so keep a look out at your local park!

Project WET’s website offers lots of links for parents, educators, corporations and museums.  If you want to get involved, there are plenty of avenues for that, too. Of course, you can donate on their secure website in any amount you choose, but you can also choose some more innovative ways as well. For example, you can sponsor a classroom and provide a Water and Sustainability Kit which includes copies of various activity and educational booklets for every child.  If you want to be more hands on, you can train to become a Project WET facilitator. After completing the course, you can deliver workshops to teachers and educators in your area. A great way to get involved in your community for a worthy cause!

So this week, Project WET is our pick for a great water focused organization. If you’re a teacher, parent or just someone interested in making a difference through water education, be sure to check out Project WET!

Instead of asking for gifts like most girls turning nine, Rachel Beckwith only asked that her friends and family donate to Charity: Water so that more children would live to see their fifth birthday. When her own birthday arrived on June 12, she had raised $220 — a very admirable amount, but $80 short of her goal.

Sadly, Rachel was involved in a serious car accident. She spent three days in the hospital before passing away on July 23, 2011,  just a little more than a month after her ninth birthday.

In the days following, thousands of people visited Rachel’s Charity Water Page to donate money to her campaign and leave messages for Rachel and her family. On the page, Rachel wrote about her reason for starting the fundraising campaign:

“On June 12th 2011, I’m turning 9. I found out that millions of people don’t live to see their 5th birthday. And why? Because they didn’t have access to clean, safe water so I’m celebrating my birthday like never before. I’m asking from everyone I know to donate to my campaign instead of gifts for my birthday. Every penny of the money raised will go directly to fund freshwater projects in developing nations. Even better, every dollar is “proved” when the projects are complete, and photos and GPS coordinates are posted using Google Earth. My goal is to raise $300 by my birthday, June 12, 2011. Please consider helping me.”

Though it is sobering to read this message in light of Rachel’s passing, there is much inspiration to be taken from the comments beneath it. Thousands of people have donated, and beside their donations they have left their sympathies and well wishes.

UPDATE: Her initial campaign is now closed. The final donation total was 1,265,823.

Rachel’s mother Samantha posted a message thanking everyone for their donations and kind words:

“I am in awe of the overwhelming love to take my daughters dream and make it a reality. In the face of unexplainable pain you have provided undeniable hope. Thank you for your generosity! I know Rachel is smiling!”

More than $160,000 worth of the donations were raised by Rachel’s church. It was at this church that Charity: Water’s co-founder came to speak, thus inspiring Rachel to start her campaign. Visit Rachel’s Charity: Water for information on how you can help continue the legacy left by 9 year old girl.

The amount of water charities around the world seem to grow exponentially every year.  Many of these organizations are both headquartered and focused on serving foreign countries, making seeing the effect of your donation difficult. However, Wisconsin based CannedWater4Kids is changing all that. They have created an attractive, visible product by manufacturing colorful aluminum cans filled with purified drinking water. They hope that these cans will not only provide fresh water to children in need, but will soon serve as the symbol of clean water awareness. With $0.95 cents of every dollar donated guaranteed to go directly to those children who need fresh water, you can be ensured that your hard earned dollars are going towards doing the most good.

So why aluminum cans? There are many reasons, but it is primarily due to the fact that more and more people understand the importance of recycling to ensure global sustainability. Therefore, the aluminum can serves as a recognizable, economical, and safe way to bring clean, purified water to kids in need around the world.  Also, aluminum cans have a small environmental footprint, maintain a long shelf life, and can go from the recycling bin to the store shelf in 60 short days.

CannedWater4Kids has already made a difference in many places around the world. Shortly after the earthquake in Japan, CannedWater4Kids shipped 52,800 cans of purified water to people living in schools, orphanages, and evacuation centers in the Minami-Sanriku area that completely relied on water from outside sources. The charity also works in conjunction with various other organizations including Engineers Without Borders at the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee.  This group of Engineers is working to build purification plants in the Highlands of Guatemala and they did not forget to bring CannedWater4Kids with them to pass out to the local community.

How can you get involved? As with many other water based charities, monetary donations are always welcome. You can do this over CannedWater4Kids secure website or via snail mail. Another innovative way to get involved is to purchase a colorful 12 or 24 pack case of the purified CannedWater4Kids water. Not only will this serve as an interesting conversation piece at your next family gathering, but the water tastes great and your donation will be going to a more than worthy cause. At just a dollar a can, you can make a donation while getting water that is both purified and eco-friendly. Small business and retail store owners also have the option to stock the water in their store by contacting info@cannedwater4kids.org.

So this week, our charity is CannedWater4Kids. They have created an imaginative, fun product that can be seen as a symbol of water charity consciousness. Priding themselves on doing the most good with your donation dollars, getting involved with CannedWater4Kids is a great way to begin working with water charities.

Matt Damon is trying to save the world.

This may sound like a line from a movie trailer, but Matt Damon’s non-profit organization, Water.org, is trying to save those 1 billion people around the world that do not have clean water.  In 2009, co- founder Gary White’s WaterPartners merged with Damon’s H20 Africa and Water.org was born. Damon and White have set out to find new financing models and long lasting solutions to the world’s water crisis.

Water.org focuses on drilling new wells in those desperate communities that need them most. When the community in need requests a project, one of Water.org’s local partners evaluates the request and then works directly with the team at Water.org to create a funding plan. While this may seem counterintuitive, the people at Water.org believe, “During the past 20 years, we have found that demand-driven projects are far more sustainable than projects where an outsider makes the decision to provide a project.” In places like Bhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, where 31 million people do not have clean water, Matt Damon and the people at Water.org are using grants and WaterCredit programs to address safe water needs in both rural and urban areas.

Water.org’s WaterCredit program is one of the organizations innovative ways to combat the world water crisis. Since grants alone are not enough to reach the billion people in need of fresh, clean water, the WaterCredit program gives small loans to individuals and communities so they can address their own water needs. This not only gives people the power to solve their own communities’ water crisis, it also yields more long term success. Water.org has invested over $2.9 million dollars in WaterCredit programs, with success stories coming from all parts of Bangladesh, India, and Kenya.

In India, a woman named S. Gandhamani took out a WaterCredit loan to install a new water tap outside of her home. Today, Gandhamani now has access to fresh water daily.  The wastewater that runs from the drainage around the tap has now allowed her to start a flourishing garden of banana trees. Gandhamani sells these bananas at market and brings in extra money for her family.

So how can you help Matt Damon and Water.org?  You can donate money in any amount you like over their secure website. They also offer the option to donate in someone else’s name, and they will send a “Gift of Water” card to the recipient. Water.org also launched their sister website, My.Water.org- which allows you to track various communities around the world where Water.org is making a difference. Similar to Twitter, you are able to comment and communicate with people who are involved with Water.Org.  This is an inventive way for people to see where their donations are going, and to see how different communities, such as La Kabouy, in Haiti, are progressing. So this week, our Charity Tuesday choice is Water.org- and it’s not just because Matt Damon is a total stud.

For $100, you can provide clean water to one family in need, for a lifetime, through Give Clean Water (GCW) – a California-based, non-profit organization that partners with local community organizations in Fiji to install water filters for families in need of clean water.

The filter – called the “Point One Filter” – attaches to a 5-gallon bucket and removes more than 99.99 percent of bacteria and protozoa, such as giardia and cryptosporidium. It comes with a lifetime, “one-million gallon” guarantee. Prior to each installation, GCW team members gather biographical and demographic information from the families, take photos, and mark each home with a GPS address. They also educate each family on basic hygiene and the importance of drinking and cooking with clean water. Once the filter is installed, GCW sends a follow up team to the homes to answer questions about the proper use and maintenance of the filter. Each home is also given contact information for the local community organization partnered with GCW, in case there are any problems.

Give Clean Water currently works in Fiji, but hopes to expand it’s reach in the coming years. Contrary to popular belief, not all ares of the Fiji Islands are vacation spots. Though the bottled water industry continues to make a profit on Fiji Water, sadly, there are many local residents who die from lack of access to clean water, every day.

Anyone can get involved by spreading the word through social media, sponsoring or participating in upcoming trips, hosting a unique fundraiser, or donating directly through the website.

Help us celebrate #charitytuesday by spreading the word about this unique water charity!