Appetizer: Two TED Talks

Whenever I have a particular craving for the mind-blowing, I turn to TED talks. These "talks" are lectures given on everything from technology to music to photography to environmental sustainability. While varied, all of the "talks" contain one common thread - utter genius.

I'm done. I'll let the talks, well, talk for themselves. Below are a few of my favorites. Go feast; and, rest assured, I will come back with more.

Fearless Portraiture -

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/miru_kim_s_underground_art.html

Space Conscious Computing -

http://www.ted.com/talks/john_underkoffler_drive_3d_data_with_a_gesture.html

Appetizer: LifeStraw

Feast your eyes, blog-goers. Today's platter is a serving of utter genius.

The LifeStraw is honestly one of the best finds I've happened upon in a long time. According to a study the World Health Organization conducted in 2007, 1.1 billion people lack access to clean drinking water. Save for food itself, water is the substance most necessary for human survival. This is appaling.

However, the folks at Vestergaard Frandsen have come up with a brilliant solution.
It's caled the LifeStraw, and it can provide a year's supply of relatively clean water for only $3.75.

Below is a Wiki page with more information on the LifeStraw:
http://lifestraw.wikispaces.com/

Essentially, the device functions like a normal straw would but contains several filters that rid the water of sediment, bacteria, and diseases such as diarrhea.

Note that none of this requires electricity. The LifeStraw is low-tech, simple, and therefore is both affordable and sustainable.

Unfortunately, the LifeStraw is not sold on a retail basis in North America; however, it is sold on wholesale basis. I would like to garner enough support to make a wholesale order. If you are intersted in contributing, email me at angelica.lasala@yahoo.com, or comment on here with your email address.