Collect, Cleanse, Roll, Drink and Repeat. Sustainable living in many countries throughout the World is inherent within the culture. Since sustain-ability is really focused on the ability to sustain something over a period of time, civilizations have learned the good and the bad of human curiosity. In Jared Diamond’s book Collapse, we are able to view civilizations throughout history and their respective achilles heels. One major global issue that has persisted from the beginning of civilization has been access to drinkable water. Now, a group of eco-designers have come up with an innovative solution to help: The AquaRing.

How does it work? Designed by Yana Tzanov, Elisa Makela, Stephanie Sauve and Olga Losak, the AquaRing is one of the most innovative and sustainable potable water solutions to date. The device is opened and spread out to collect rainwater, than using something called SODIS, or solar water disinfection, the water is cleansed by none other than the sun. Then the purified water circles are clicked together and can be rolled back to families. The rainwater could even be collected in their own backyard and stored.

What are the benefits? Other than safe drinking water available for large populations with access to rainwater, there are a great many. First, this is a low-cost solution to a critical issue for the majority of the World’s population. Secondly, it is highly portable so rural and nomadic populations along with city-dwellers can use the device. Lastly, it reduces the imports of plastic water bottles and ‘reactive’ solutions in place of proactive resolutions.

Isn’t rainwater pure enough? Unfortunately, these days the answer is: No. With airborne pollutants on the rise in many developing nations and a significant increase in man-made chemicals, the recipe for hazardous water has been written. Since water cycles across the globe, pollution is highly mobile, so protecting drinking water from your own or other’s hazardous byproducts is increasingly important. The purification process is also important not just for water pollutants, but also for diseases and bacteria that cannot survive high temperatures.

The device was originally designed for locations in the World with Wet and Dry seasons that could benefit from storing water for year round use. Safe drinking water continues to be a global issue, making inventions such as this increasingly important to support healthy development worldwide. Cheers to sustainable design, development, and living!

Photo Credit & Invention: TwentySomethings