water tweets

Twitter has been described as the prime example of time wasting activities. Sure, as every other social networking site, there are the occasional leeches of social progression roaming around. However, Twitter has become a rally for social causes all over the world, to shine light on some of the most mind raveling global social injustice issues and, in effect, recruit warriors to fight these battles.

My personal activity on Twitter is quite limited, nonetheless it gives me the opportunity to follow some of the heroes of our generation including Rob Morris (founder of Love146.org) and Nicholas D. Kristof (New York Times columnist and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner). In my following, I noticed that both Rob and Nicholas tweeted about a fellow named Scott Harrison. Of course, it did not take long for the curiosity in me to strike up and research this man, if he was worthy of Rob and Nicholas' tweets then he certainly must stand for something great. Sure enough, Scott Harrison is nothing less than great. He is the lead advocate for the one billion people who do not have access to clean drinking water. Yes, one billion, that is one in six of us humans around the world.

That is a lot of fathers, mothers, children, sisters and brothers. So I did more research. I learned about the children in these third world villages that, instead of sitting in a classroom, have to walk hours to the nearest water source and find that it is nothing more but a contaminated, mud-filled fest. To my surprise, not as shocking to them as it is to me. It is all they have and ever known. I guess after a couple of walks everyday, the dirty, disease infested water would probably lose its shock value to me too. After a full minute of thought, I take that back.

See, if our bodies are made up of approximately 65% water, and the water these people are drinking is made up of preventable illnesses..well then....that explains the estimated 4,500 children dying daily from water related diseases. Yes children, the future of our generation. Yes, daily.

It is so cliche. The whole "it's the little things we take for granted," "we don't know what we have until we don't." We don't think about the one billion people who cannot open the tap and get a drink. But it is classic. Can you imagine not being able to go to school because your job is to go fetch the water, that by the way, is among the leading contributors to your death. When put that way, it is not such a "little thing" to be taken for granted. More than thinking about these people, we need to start doing for them. It is time we start realizing the world-changing abilities in us.

charity: water is a non profit organization bringing clean, safe drinking water to people in developing nations. We give 100% of the money raised to direct project costs, funding sustainable clean water solutions in areas of greatest need. Just $20 can give one person in a developing nation clean water for 20 years. www.charitywater.org

Scott Harrison is a visionary. Scott Harrison realized he is a world changer. We are no different.

I encourage you to look for the opportunity in everything. A little less Spears, Hilton and Kardashian; and perhaps a little more Clinton, Morris, and Kristof (to name a few!) on Twitter can be a real eye opener.