Water & Air – Filter Systems News

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

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!

Garnier, an acclaimed cosmetics company using natural ingredients in their hair and skincare products is committed to a greener and cleaner future. Garnier asked consumers to vote for the environmental cause they avidly cared about the most. The three causes voted on were Clean Water, Urban Greening, Recycling and Sustainability. The Clean Water category, received 52% of the votes and was the clear winner out of the three causes. The Recycling and Sustainability category received 36% of the votes, while Urban Greening received 12%.

In partnership with EarthShare, Garnier announced that they will donate $100,000 to three deserving charities: American Rivers, Oceana and the Surfrider Foundation. These charities work to protect public health, rivers and marine environments for the benefit of communities, wildlife and nature. Each group plans to put their winnings to work for cleaner and safer water.

Surfrider Foundation will direct the funds toward their water quality-focused programs: Ocean Friendly Gardens, Know Your H₂O and Blue Water Task Force. The Ocean Friendly Gardens program educates and assists people in applying conservation, permeability and retention to their landscapes, to revive watersheds and oceans. The Know Your H₂O project educates consumers about the link between freshwater management issues and the impact on our oceans. The Blue Water Task Force is a volunteer-run water testing, education and advocacy program for water quality.

Oceana will use Garnier’s donation to support its global ocean protection work. Protecting the pristine waters of southern Patagonia by preventing the expansion of Chile’s aquaculture industry, expanded oil exploration and drilling off the coasts of the U.S., Europe and Belize, are among the projects included.

American Rivers will apply Garnier’s support to protect and restore the nation’s rivers for comunities across America, through various conservation and volunteer programs, including Nation River Cleanup.

These winning Clean Water charities are very good causes. Michelle Ryan, Assistant Vice President of Sustainability at Garnier stated, “This program is just one small way we’re honoring causes within the community that we all care about.”

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!

The Reef Check Foundation is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of tropical coral reefs and California rocky reefs. Our coral reefs are in danger due to over-fishing, illegal fishing and pollution. Virtually no reef in the world remains untouched by human impact. Founded in 1996 by marine ecologist Dr. Gregor Hodgson, Reef Check strives to educate the public about this  crisis and the value of reef ecosystems. The organization is headquartered in Los Angeles and has volunteer teams in over 90 countries who monitor and report on reef health, and produce ecologically and economically sustainable solutions to the problem of damaged reefs, while stimulating local community action to protect any remaining pristine reefs, worldwide.

There are several ways to get involved, from making a donation on the website or becoming a Reef Check member, to volunteering and participating in educational projects hosted by Reef Check. These include a “What Do Reefs Mean to You?” Photo Contest, an Artists for Reefs Gallery where artists can display their marine-themed art, and even a Singing Contest aimed at helping young people learn more about the marine environment.

This #charitytuesday, spread the word about a different kind of water charity! Visit Reef Check’s website to learn more about ways you can help restore this natural and beautiful part of creation.

Abundant Water (AW) is a non-profit organization founded by Australian engineer, and AW project manager, Sunny Forsyth. He realized the need for clean drinking water in rural communities in Laos, a developing country, while working as an Australian Government Youth Ambassador in 2007. He sought advice from Dr. Tony Flynn at the Australian National University, whose research demonstrated that clay-pot filters, made from sustainable materials found everywhere, are a low-cost, innovative and effective way to remove over 95 percent of the pathogens found in unsafe drinking water. In August of 2008, Abundant Water was born. Through the website, Sunny generated support for the project and began the process of making clay-pot filters with local potters.

Donations can be made from within or outside of Australia and they go toward training indigenous potters in Laos and elsewhere to make their own clay-pot water filters. Patrons can donate any amount, but the website suggests purchasing a 2011 Abundant Water Calendar (pictured above) for $15. This can provide training for one potter in Laos, and the calendar will serve as a daily reminder of the people your gift will help.

This #charitytuesday, we call attention to Abundant Water – a non-profit organization based in Australia, helping to bring clean drinking water to the people of Laos, through innovative, long-lasting methods.

The concept is simple, yet potentially massive: One person, called a droplet donates $5 to the 3 for 5 Foundation. He or she then approaches three friends, educates them about the cause, and asks them to donate $5. Those three droplets go out and each find three more friends and the cycle repeats, until 20 million droplets have banded together in an effort to bring clean water to people in developing nations.

The 3 for 5 Foundation partners with several “nonprofit organizations who have a proven track record of implementing sustainable, on-the-ground, clean water solutions in places of need.” Currently they are partnered with CARE, Lifewater International, Millennium Water Alliance and Water for People.

This #charitytuesday, we bring recognition to the 3 for 5 Foundation. Sign in to donate here; and don’t forget to tell 3 friends by sharing this post on Facebook and Twitter! If we each contribute  just a little, we can make a huge difference.

Waves 4 Water was founded in 2009 by pro surfer, Jon Rose. On his way to Bali to deliver 10 water filters for what would have been the charity’s first mission, he felt a shake. When he came to shore, he realized that a 7.6 magnitude earthquake had hit the city of Sumatra, and he made his way through the crumbled buildings to get water filters into the hands of rescue workers to help the country’s wounded victims. It was this experience that solidified the need for Waves 4 Water, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing clean water to impoverished people around the world.

Waves 4 Water teamed up with Hurley International to develop a program called Clean Water Couriers. The concept is both simple and innovative: surfers, in search of waves in third-world countries carry filters with them in their luggage and either connect with local nonprofits in the area or travel to villages to personally set them up. There are two types of filtration systems – a $50 community filter, which will filter up to 200 gallons of water a day for an entire village, and a $25 family use filter system that filters 14 gallons per day. Materials include a plastic bucket (which may be found locally), a ceramic filter, a spigot, and a knife to cut a hole in the bucket.  The ceramic filters will remove a variety of contaminants including bacteria, viruses, cysts and microorganisms that cause waterborne illness.

Anyone can get involved, either by making a direct donation through the Waves 4 Water website, or by buying water filters and traveling with them through the Clean Water Couriers program. Though the program was conceived in the surf community, the opportunity to get involved, by donating or by traveling, is open to all.

Help us spread the word, this #charitytuesday, about Waves 4 Water, by retweeting and/or sharing this post!

This #charitytuesday, we are calling attention to the work of Water for People, a nonprofit organization dedicated to innovative, sustainable clean water solutions in 11 different countries in Africa, Asia, and Central and South America. Water for People is not just another water charity. The core value that makes this organization unique is sustainability – a drive to create solutions that last.

One of their most innovative solutions lies in a partnership with PlayPumps International and the Case Foundation. PlayPumps are small merry-go-rounds that pump water from underground into a water tank as children spin around on them. The water can then be drawn from a tap directly on the tank.

Water for People also works through local partnerships with government and private organizations, calling on communities to finance their own clean water efforts, and training them to build their own clean water and sanitation systems, so that the projects last beyond those that are normally funded by a one-time monetary grant. This is part of what makes their solutions  sustainable. What’s more, they recently launched an online platform called FLOW (Field Level Operations Watch) that uses mobile phones and GPS to monitor how well water systems in the developing world are functioning. This monitoring system ensures that broken pumps and wells in need of repair are not left untouched – once again ensuring that the projects last well beyond the first drop of clean water that’s produced.

Individuals and organizations can get involved with Water for People by spreading the word through online media, sponsoring fundraising events, shopping the online store or making a donation online.

Ryan Hreljac began raising money for water projects in 1998, at age six. When he found out from his first grade teacher that people in other countries were dying because of the lack of access to clean water, he began doing chores around his house to raise money for well projects. After raising $70, his first well was built in Uganda, just after he turned 7. The Ryan’s Well Foundation was officially formed just two years later in 2001.

This Canadian-registered water charity supports several safe water and sanitation projects through partnership with local, non-governmental organizations and people. Ryan’s Well has helped build over 600 wells and over 700 latrines, bringing safe water and sanitation to more than 700,000 people since its inception. People of all ages are encouraged to get involved by making donations, or hosting a creative fundraiser.

We have chosen to feature Ryan’s Well Foundation for #charitytuesday, because of the uniqueness of Ryan’s story. At only six years old, he had a dream that has since changed the lives of thousands of people. Ryan is an inspiration to anyone wanting to make a difference, whether old or young.

The Ryan’s Well Foundation, along with many others, can be found on our list of water charities. If you know of one that is not on that list, please contact us at selwa@filtersfast.com and let us know.