|
| Water for Water |
 "What if every glass of water your drank quenched someone else's
thirst?" asks the Tap Project, a UNICEF sponsored campaign to
alleviate the world's current water crisis. This question provoked
David Droga, an advertising director, to launch a unique grassroots
initiative that may just change the world.
Among the many privileges the American people take for granted, access
to clean and safe tap water is the most often overlooked. Only one
percent of the world's water sources are available for drinking, and
here in the United States the average person consumes 100 gallons each
day. Whether we are drinking, bathing, cleaning or cooking, we rarely
stop to think about those who are not as fortunate.
But David Droga and 13 advertising agencies are going to change
that by increasing awareness across the nation.
There are approximately one billion humans living without clean water
today, and 20 percent of those affected are children. Young girls in
many countries fail to receive an education because much of their day
is spent walking miles to fetch clean water for their families.
According the project's website, "The 1.8 million child deaths each
year related to unclean water and poor sanitation dwarf the casualties
associated with violent conflict. No act of terrorism generates
economic devastation on the scale of the crisis in water and
sanitation."
Droga's campaign asks Americans to pretend the tap water commonly
placed on restaurant dining tables is worth a dollar. In 2007, over
300 New York City eateries participated in the Tap Project initiative
and raised $100,000 in just one day. This money was enough to provide
400 million children with drinking water.
This year, the project has extended it's borders, not only to become a
national campaign, but a week long effort beginning Sunday, March 16th
and culminating on World Water Day, March 22nd. Each participating
restaurant will place Customer Reply Cards on dining tables, used for
clientele to indicate the $1 tax-free donation. Participation is
optional, as is the amount of the contribution.
All donations to the Tap Project will support safe water sanitation
facilities in more than 90 countries around the world. For just one
day of pretending, you have the power to save lives.
Here is how you can aid those in need:
- $0.50 can purchase a bacteriological field testing kit to test for
bacterial growth in drinking water.
- $0.60 can purchase a pack of 50 water purification tabs to provide
clean water for children.
- $1 can provide one child with safe drinking water for 40 days, or,
40 children safe drinking water for one day, or, 100 water
purification tablets to provide safe drinking water for children in
crisis situations.
- $6 can purchase 100 sachets of oral rehydration salts used to treat
children suffering from diarrhea.
- $61 can purchase a small scale water filter intended to provide safe
drinking water to small groups or large families.
- $111 can provide ten families with Basic Family Water kits that contain
water purification and sanitation supplies in an emergency.
- $20,000 can purchase a water purification unit used to provide
drinking water for about 15,000 residents or displaced populations in
cases of emergency.
To find participating restaurants in your area, visit the Tap Project.
To see previous Spotlights in our new, easier to read Spotlight archive, click here, or discuss this story on our new message boards.
|
|
|
|
 "Click for larger image")