I find it a bit odd that researchers at NASA are protesting over not getting the funding they want. Do they not realize that the world and particularly their own country is going through a deep recession?
My understanding of space research is fairly limited. One of the key goals of astronauts is to search out water on other planets. My question is, why are we trying to hunt out water when so many millions of people on our own planet don’t have access to safe, clean drinking water.
According to a UN research report published in 2004, 1.8 million people die every year from water borne diseases. Most of these deaths, especially in developing countries can be prevented, through access to a clean water supply amongst other things.
Multilateral organizations do very well in laying out the problems. Reports, statistics, and warnings of how grave the problem is, seems to be forte of these organizations. But, fixing problems generally requires innovative entrepreneurial drive.
Nonetheless, there is now a solution to the water problem in the world. Michael Pritchard, has created a system which he has named the LIFESAVER bottle. Essentially, it’s a water filtration system inside a bottle that can hold a liter of water.
He demonstrated the LIFESAVER bottle at a TED conference.
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/michael_pritchard_invents_a_water_filter.html
The real innovation in this product is the small spaces in the filtration system that keeps out much of the bacteria and viruses to keep the water clean. Each bottle is good for 6000 liters of water. Once the filter becomes dirty, the bottle automatically stops protecting the user.
For families, he’s come up with a Gerry can that can filter up to 20,000 liters. That, he says in enough for a family of four for about 5 years.
Now the important question is, how much does it cost? Unfortunately, as of yet, the LIFESAVER bottle is a fairly expensive product. The bottle today costs $150, which immediately puts one off. However, if we think about how long it lasts and the savings in terms of the health of people who normally don’t have access to clean water, it may be worth considering. A liter of clean water costs about 2.5 cents, which is cheap anywhere is the world.
Already, some aid agencies are working with lifesaver systems in Haiti. They have, so far, raised about 125,000 USD to help provide clean water to Haiti earthquake victims.
It will take 8 billion USD, according to Michael Pritchard, to provide clean water to half of the world that currently doesn’t have access to it. Admittedly so, that is no small amount. However, when spending trillions of dollars on bailing out failed bankers isn’t out of the question, then what is a few billion to provide clean water to the world.
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The LIFESAVER bottle sounds like a very good invention, however it would be quite difficult to pitch it for usage within the international aid community due to many reasons, a foremost reason being -coordination. William Easterly, from his "The White Man's Burden" would agree with your point, to invest LIFESAVER bottles on perhaps a trial basis, treating it on a project to project basis. However, international aid community requires empirical evidence and are much used to following some sort of 'plan' to be speaking in Paul Collier's fashion as expressed by him in "The Bottom Billion."
ReplyDeletefirst comment for the blog!!
ReplyDeleteAid agencies are slow and bureaucratic. However, smaller agencies are more likely to take on such inventions.
Small agencies unfortunately are keen on trying these micro solutions, but the hinder is exactly their size, their budgets also tend to be small. Hence a deadlock!
ReplyDelete