Archive for November 17, 2017

5 Small Ways You Can Change The World Today Every little thing helps!

Can one person change the world?  While this is a complicated question, the short answer is yes. There are many small contributions a single person can make in the course of a day that will better the global community. Here are just a few ideas! Read more

These Are the Dirtiest and Cleanest Rivers in the World

You can drink out of some, you can’t even touch others.

There are hundreds of rivers in the world, coursing through every possible ecosystem. Some rivers cross continents and branch tree-like into dozens of tributaries and lakes, determining the environments of whole countries. Others are as large as football fields and move water and organisms from one place to another.

Despite their varying sizes and paths, all rivers are indispensable to life on earth. Rivers are fundamental to the water cycle, provide food and water, enable ecosystems and agriculture, allow for transportation, and create the conditions for so many other benefits. Read more

How access to water changed the lives of these 4 women

Water.org is unlocking the potential of women around the world through safe water and sanitation.

Each day women who lack access to these resources spend 125 million hours collecting water for their families, and 266 million hours finding a place to relieve themselves.

Mysore, India  – Through Water.org women in Mahahalli Village all have access to toilets and safe water at home. Now, these women spend their days farming the fields along the main road of their village. They grow marigolds, lavender, wheat and other crops to sell at market.  Read more

Why Do So Many People Still Struggle to Access Clean Water?

It seems incredible that it’s 2017 and there’s still 663 million people around the world who don’t have access to clean water — a basic human right that no one can live without.

In the lead up to World Water Day, March 22, 2017, our partners at WaterAid released a report ‘Wild Water,’ outlining why so many people struggle to have safe drinking water. It examines how climate change and extreme weather such as flooding, drought, and cyclones will make reaching a reliable source of clean water an increasing challenge for remote and rural communities in particular. Read more

Pitcher Plants Entice Ants With a Water Slide of Death

In Venezuela, Heliamphora nutans a type of carnivorous pitcher plant that grows in swampy locales beckons ants with a water slide of doom. The specie’s specially adapted, wettable hairs counter the sticky pads and little claws on insect feet and especially seem to target ants, Wired reports.

Ants investigate the deadly pitcher plant

Compared to other carnivorous plants that have capture rates of about 29 percent for ants, researchers found, the wet hairs on this pitcher plant trap 88 percent of ants that encounter the deadly trap. While other plants tend to repel water, H. nutans‘ hairs actually attract tiny droplets. When ants venture onto the slippery surface, they aquaplane into the plant’s bowl. Read more