Each day I become more aware of how critical our water problems are becoming – the availability of water has profound implications for our health, productivity, and economic development, all of which will flounder in the absence of clean drinking water. Currently, 20% of the world’s population lives without enough water. Last week’s Clean Tech Forum was a chance for clean tech companies addressing this and other problems to “to fund and be funded” as 3p’s Jen Boynton pointed out. One of the many exciting ventures present at the forum was Cardinal Resources, whose Red Bird System can provide clean water affordably to communities around the world.
The Red Bird is a solar powered water treatment system that uses no more than salt, sand, and sun to produce clean water for a fraction of a penny per gallon. It functions without pre-existing infrastructure, and can therefore be used in remote and rural communities globally, where clean water is needed most. One Red Bird System can provide for an entire community. The Red Bird can use water from a variety of sources, and can be set up in just a few days to provide water that meets US standards.
Water - More Valuable than Oil! The Facts
- 20% of the world’s population lives without an adequate water supply
- By 2050 more than two billion people will lack access to clean water
- Less than 1% of the Earth’s water supply can be used as drinking water
- An estimated 1.6 million lives could be saved annually by providing access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene
- The Earth has the same amount of water as it did over a million years ago, yet today, 6 billion people share it
Percentage of Population Without Reasonable Access to Safe Drinking Water
Safe Drinking Water Map Source:
UNDP, "Human Development Report 2004", Tables 7, 33, www.undp.org;
UNICEF, "State of the World's Children 2004", Table 3, www.unicef.org/sowc04/
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