Every day, 6,000 children die worldwide from drinking contaminated water. They die of typhoid, cholera, dysentery, diarrhea or other infections. The Danish company Vesterdgaard Frandsen came up with a solution for this a few years ago: the Life-Straw. The Life-STraw is a sturdy straw with a filter system built into it. This allows drinking water on site, where water is found.
The Life-Straw, a strong ‘straw’.
The Life-Straw, (loosely translated: life reed) – is a tube in which various filters (seven) are built in. People in poor countries, who often do not realize that dirty drinking water makes them sick, and that the bacteria in contaminated water often even cause death, are learning how important clean drinking water is. By inserting the tube into dirty drinking water and then sucking on the Life-Straw, they immediately get clean and purified water to drink. The Life-Straw contains various filters that kill almost all bacteria. It also contains a fine mesh that sieves microorganisms from the dirty water. Countless tests were done before the Life-Straw was finally put into use. The Life-Straw is currently being used successfully in Nigeria, Ghana, Pakistan and Uganda.
What does the Life-Straw look like?
The Life-Straw is thicker and larger than a regular straw. Rather, it is a plastic tube with a built-in filter system and a mouthpiece. But the tube is light in weight and easy to carry. The Life-Straw is approximately 25 centimeters long, blue in color and approximately 3 centimeters wide. The University of Delft played a role in developing the Life-Straw. Student Roelie Bottema designed a smaller version of the Life-Straw, for smaller children, after studying the use of the Life-Straw in Ghana.
Iodine
When using the Life-Straw, iodine is also added to the water, which is removed shortly afterwards. The end result is safe drinking water that reaches the user after passing through various filters. The Life-Straw was conceived and developed to prevent fatal diseases and to prevent death from diseases caused by contaminated water. It ensures that you can always drink clean drinking water everywhere.
How much does Life-Straw cost?
The Life-Straw costs between 22.50 euros and 30 euros each in the Netherlands and will save thousands of lives every year. With such a life straw, a person can drink safe water for a year. After purifying approximately 700 liters of water, the Life-Straw must be replaced with a new one. Some time ago the Life-Straw was not yet able to effectively remove the Giardia lamblia parasite, but Vesterdgaard Frandsen is working on improving the Life-Straw so that that parasite can also be removed from contaminated water.
Staatchi & Staatchi Award for the Life-Straw
In February 2008, the Life-Straw was awarded the Staatchi & Staatchi Award, for World Changing Ideas, in New York. People are convinced that this simple-looking tube will change the world. It will save millions of lives and is already saving many lives every day. The Life-Straw is not only life-saving for people in poor countries, but it can also be used in areas where floods or other natural disasters have contaminated drinking water. It is also expected that soldiers in war zones will benefit from using the Life-Straw.
Who invented Life-Straw?
The Life-Straw is a special invention. It makes us think again how lucky we can be as long as clean and safe drinking water flows from our taps. The Life-Straw is a design by Torben Vestergaard Frandsen, Moshe Frommer and Rob Fleuren.
Where can you buy Life-Straw?
Life-Straw is also for sale in the Netherlands. Also ideal for yourself if you go backpacking, for example. Read the instructions for use before use.