Life Saving StrawsBy: Sarah McGraw

Lauran LigganDenise De Los Santos

Pollution from urban living runs into viable drinking water sources.

Leading many people to scavenge through horrible conditions.

This is the reality that many countries face, clean

drinking water has become scarce.

78 million people lack clean water access (Water.org)

3.4 million people die each year from water related disease (Water.org).

Industrial waste is also deposited into viable water sources. People that live downstream of

these facilities are left with contaminated drinking water.

Knowing the negative outcomes industrial complexes continue to contaminate our water system.

Waste continues to build up and is directed into some of our main clean water sources.

Agricultural runoff in under developed areas is not regulated and inevitably ends up in drinking water

reservoirs.

"Water and air, the two essential fluids on which all life depends, have become global garbage cans."

— Jacques Cousteau

Yet the people of less developed areas have to hold the rest of the world's ignorance on

their shoulders.

Clean water sources are so scarce in developing countries. Many people have to walk miles just to get access to "drinkable water."

Despite the hardship of all this water pollution, people are creating answers.

Lifestraw and Lifestraw Family

have provided a 4-step filter process that allows people

to drink directly from natural water

sources.

How does it work?

1) This first stage is a filter with holes no

larger than the diameter of a single hair (100 microns). This filters out big

sediment such as dirt.

2) The second stage is a filter with holes no larger than

15 microns! This filters out different types of bacteria

that could be found in the water.3) The water moves

through this third stage made up of beads

saturated with iodine. The iodine kills

parasites and 99.3% bacteria and viruses.

4) Finally, the water passes through a

chamber of granulated carbon

This makes the water smell and

taste better and kills any remaining

parasites.

These filters can remove 99.9999% of waterborne bacteria and 99.9% of parasites.

The straws are easily portable with a string for people to hang around their

necks.

Lifestraw Family is capable of filtering approximately 18,000

liters of water...

...enough to give a family of five water for up to 3 years!