“i am the first and only girl in my family which alone creates expectations around me, setting an example for my brothers. i decided to take interest in an area where not a lot of girls are present,” said mwangala maunga, a multi award-winning young scientist, innovator, climate and child rights advocate from lusaka, zambia.

from a young age, mwangala was a book worm, with her readings focused on science and technology. after pondering becoming a medical doctor or an astronaut, she found herself thriving in all of the stem fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). 

clean water for all

driven by the passion to find lasting solutions to the prevailing waterborne diseases rocking most african countries, mwangala, at just 12 years old, came up with an innovative idea to produce a water purifier entirely powered by solar energy. her idea is one that supports the world’s move to more sustainable energy, which in turn plays a key role in helping both developing and developed countries in achieving many of the un’s 2030 sustainable development goals, according to the world bank group. 

she built the water purifier prototype with a combination of wooden and metal sheet enclosures, black paint for insulation, heat absorbent black trays, reflective materials, sheets of glass, glue and catch troughs.

“it is easy to use, as one just needs to put water in it and place it in the sun. however, as science develops, so does my idea,” she said. 

during our interview, mwangala, who is now 16, said she believes her water purifier idea is divine and could not have been timelier, as its conception was closely followed by the declaration of a cholera outbreak in zambia in 2017. cholera is a sometimes fatal infection of the intestines, often caused by drinking contaminated water. mwangala explains that, “the main reason i developed the water filter was because i wanted to provide clean and safe water in the simplest way possible, as opposed to a complicated water purification system.” 

according to mwangala, she nursed the idea for the solar water filter while she was in grade 5, however, she only actualized it when she was in grade 8.

“i remember sitting in a science class and drawing the draft in my exercise book,” she said. “when i showed my friend and asked if she thinks it could actually work, her answer was negative as she said it won’t go anywhere.” a few years down the line, it is evident that mwangala pressed on with her idea. 

using her voice

in an effort to widen the scope of her impact in the lives of other young girls across zambia, she founded the girl power platform, an organization that exists to create stem opportunities for girls especially in rural communities in zambia. 

“i live in the capital city which exposes me to more of these opportunities. what about girls that live in remote areas? i love to see girls thrive because i know for a fact that they have limitless potential,” mwangala said.

through her organization and her innovation, mwangala has been able to address and inspire over 600 girls in her school through stem and climate advocacy activities.

considering the fact that mwangala spends most of her time in school, she reveals she has not had ample time for community outreach. however, she plans to take this on as soon as she completes secondary school this year. “now that i am graduating, it will allow me to have more outreach time to girls in remote areas,” she said.

as she leaves high school this year, her immediate goal is to “complete a book i am working on titled, ‘this far,’ which practically highlights the major events of my life; where i started from and all leading to this point.”

she also plans to engage in mass production of the water filters by early 2023 as the water purifier prototype has gone through the necessary scientific tests and is now at the patenting stage.

her college ambitions are to pursue development studies and engineering. “i intend to reach out to more underprivileged girls in communities and inspire them with my story and educate them on climate change and how they can contribute to making our planet a better place,” she said.

mwangala reveals that she comes from a family that values education and academic achievements. because she is able to access more opportunities, she says, “i am poised to use my voice at every opportunity to educate younger girls, with support from my parents and siblings who have been real cheerleaders in my journey.” 

powered by the sun

her efforts have been crowned with several recognitions, including the best inventor in the science and tech category at the dstv africa multichoice – cartoon network powerpuff girls’ awards; the 2019 youngest recipient of the brenda muntemba award as an “emerging young african leader” at the push women awards; the youngest and only zambian speaker at the 2020 virtual international youth day which featured the youngest deputy minister of information and technology in namibia, hon. emma theofelus; and the youngest stem change maker award at the 2021 genius education zambia awards.

mwangala believes her success is determined by her “ability to do what she loves doing to her heart’s content.” using her gifts to the best of her abilities, she is willing to continue to challenge the status quo in stem by harnessing the power within her in practical ways to bring about positive change in her community and inspire other young girls towards sustainable development.

given that about 418 million people still lack access to even a basic level of drinking water in africa, access to clean water continues to be a permeating development issue. as access to clean, affordable, and safe drinking water is both a fundamental human right recognized by the united nations and goal 6 of the united nations, sustainable development goals, environmental and health benefits are both captured in mwangala’s water purifier innovation.

she has also demonstrated that solar energy remains crucial not only in providing the world with an opportunity to cut down on its carbon footprint, but also to confront the numerous impediments to sustainable economic growth worsened by climate change. 

this story was featured in our series, slipping through our fingers: the future of water.

wetlands are an extremely important habitat area for many wildlife species, which include migratory bird species and others. according to the usda, over one-third of all bird species inhabit wetland areas along with 5,000 other species of plants. the severe decrease in wetland area in the united states has resulted in an obvious decrease in habitat area for wildlife, which will further negatively affect their populations. furthermore, wetland areas provide food sources and areas which are necessary for migratory patterns of certain species, so without the increased protection of wetland areas, we are sure to see a negatively affected wildlife population in these areas. 

wetlands have been devastated by the agriculture industry, which occupies more than 50% of the land occupied by the united states according to the usda, this massive area of use has been attributed to the draining and use of wetland areas for farmland (nickerson et al. 2012). in our nation’s most agriculturally productive state, california, 91% of its original wetland has been lost. the same can be seen in other large agriculture states such as indiana, illinois, and iowa which have all lost more than 80% of their original wetland area according to the usda (dahl 2018). development for urban areas has also been a large proponent of wetland loss, according to the us fish and wildlife 

service, almost 61,630,000 acres of wetland area was lost between 2004 and 2009 in pursuit of urban development (dahl 2011).

wetland areas provide valuable services to land and humans, including flood control, water purification, and carbon sequestration. wetlands are a natural and highly effective means of water purification, as well as holding excess rainfall as to minimize flooding in low lying areas (hemminger 2003). wetlands are also one of earth’s most effective carbon sequestration systems, as they hold over 14% of the earth’s ground stored carbon (dinsa et al. 2019).

even though a large portion of the united state’s wetlands has been lost, all is not lost with new efforts to revitalize or mitigate, wetland areas. wetland mitigation efforts involve restoring or reclaiming wetland areas lost to farmland or development. by reintroducing native plant species, wetland mitigators hope to restore the country’s once-great wetlands. this process is extremely complex and is extremely dependant on water quality and the success of vegetation reintroduction (yando et al. 2019). conservation organizations such as ducks unlimited focus on conserving wetland areas and working to ensure the survival of these areas for future generations. 

wetland destruction is an extremely important issue facing our country, affecting flood intensity, wildlife population and diversity, and quality of future life for the human race. the importance of wetlands cannot be understated, their role in flood control alone should be more than enough to provoke change in our society. it is paramount to recognize and attempt a solution to wetland destruction, whether that be more stringent development requirements or mitigation efforts, wetlands need to be protected.

dahl, t. e. (2011). status and trends of wetlands in the conterminous united states 2004 to 2009, 1–112. retrieved from https://www.fws.gov/wetlands/status-and-trends/index.html

dahl, t. e. (2018, june 25). wetlands loss since the revolution. retrieved october 8, 2019, from https://www.fws.gov/wetlands/status-and-trends/index.html.

nickerson, c., & borchers, a. (n.d.). how is land in the united states used? a focus on agricultural land. retrieved from https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2012/march/data-feature-how-is-land-used/.

“natural resources conservation service.” nrcs, united states department of agriculture, www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/home/?cid=nrcs143_023509.

yando, e. s., osland, m. j., jones, s. f., & hester, m. w. (2019). jump‐starting coastal wetland restoration: a comparison of marsh and mangrove foundation species. restoration ecology, 27(5), 1145–1154. https://doi-org.esf.idm.oclc.org/10.1111/rec.12963

hemminger, p. (2003). wetland mitigation banking: banking wetland mitigation credits is complicated, but may have benefits. journal of soil and water conservation, 58(6), 118a+. retrieved from https://link-gale-com.esf.idm.oclc.org/apps/doc/a111850727/ppes?u=sunycesfsc&sid=ppes&xid=ae326e01

dinsa, t. t., & gemeda, d. o. (2019). the role of wetlands for climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation. journal of applied sciences & environmental management, 23(7), 1297–1300. https://doi-org.esf.idm.oclc.org/10.4314/jasem.v23i7.16

how is our earth expected to function properly when one out of every 10 of its inhabitants do not have a reliable source of clean water?

on july 28, 2010 the united nations general assembly officially recognized the human right to water and sanitation, establishing the claim to a sufficient, safe, acceptable, accessible, and affordable water supply. independent from geographical location, the acknowledgement of this human right is meant to assure the abundance and safety of water quality adhering to standards set by the world health organization (who).

our rights as humans are inherently intertwined with our responsibility to the environment. as members of a united global community, there is an important emphasis on maintaining a safe natural world to allow for a prosperous population. food production, the state of the international economy, and jobs growth all rely on a clean environment – which includes high-quality, nonpolluted water to function.

look at the necessity for an adequate global food supply, for instance. agricultural food sources, such as crops and livestock, require 70% of the world’s water. with a predicted 60% increase in food demand by 2050, as well as a growing population and an escalating desire for water-heavy produce like meat and dairy, there are simply not enough resources available to filter through all of the polluted water sources.

between 2009 and 2050, the world population is expected to increase by about 2.3 billion people. within these 41 years, urban populations are likely to increase by 2.9 billion people collectively, expecting a mix of new people as well as those currently living in rural areas anticipated to move.

accompanying the explosion of city dwellers is a naturally high concentration of new buildings, transportation systems, and sources of waste. according to the epa, urban waters are generally polluted with “industrial discharges, mobile courses, residential and commercial wastewater, trash and polluted stormwater runoff.”

in an effort to attack the problem before it becomes an intense disaster, there are institutions in place to specifically research and fix the pollution in urban waters. initiatives at the united nations university and the department of ecology in washington state, along with multiple organizations in other locations, focus on urban water quality. the significant efforts of these institutions are noticed on an international scale; however, there must be more focus in the immediate future by individuals and other organizations.

in 1990, the who and the united nations international children’s emergency fund (unicef) launched the joint monitoring programme for water supply and sanitation (jmp) to manage international progress in providing access to clean water and sanitation.

the jmp defines access to drinking water as sustaining a reliable source that is less than one kilometer (about two-thirds of a mile) away from the place of use, indicating that it must be the vicinity of the household, workplace, or educational institution. the improved water source must be able to provide each member of the household with at least 20 liters (around a quarter of a gallon) on a regular basis for drinking, cooking, and personal hygiene.

one fourth of a gallon is equivalent to four cups of water. while many of us have more than four cups of water at a single meal, approximately 3.5 million people die each year due to a lack of adequate amounts of water, sanitation and hygiene.

we need a solution. despite the efforts of the existing institutions, there is always more that we can do, as individuals and with the help of the international community. reversing climate change is key, because the current high temperatures are impacting water quality by shifting the patterns of rainfall, snowmelt, and river flows. making an effort to reduce greenhouse gasses will help decrease the global temperature.

additionally, urban investments in water treatment, sustainable industrial production, and energy-efficient agriculture will stimulate a change.

so, you may ask – what can you do to make a difference? the first necessary step is to remain educated about the issue, and to spread your acquired knowledge to others who may not know of the existing problem. with that information, making a change in local communities, as well as big cities, can improve water quality and quantity around the world.

the effort on an individual basis can range from little to extreme determination, but the most important piece to remember is that there needs to be at least some attempt. whether motivated by the desire to maintain a clean and safe environment or the consideration for human rights, high quality water must be abundant now and in the future for the population to thrive.

sources:
http://water.org/water-crisis/water-sanitation-facts/
http://www.un.org/es/comun/docs/?symbol=a/res/64/292&lang=e
http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/mdg1/en/
http://www.unwater.org/topics/water-and-food/en/)
https://www.epa.gov/urbanwaters/why-urban-waters
http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/mdg1/en/.
http://www.unwater.org/topics/water-quality/en/
http://www.wssinfo.org/
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/urbanwaters/
http://ias.unu.edu/en/research/water-and-urban-initiative.html#outline

— sophie martin, ilana creinin and danielle baglivo

nearly two hours away from my warm apartment on a particularly cold november afternoon, i found myself playing drums and shaking maracas inside a large barn with inventor and patent agent jaquelin spong, who has a ph.d in applied physics.

the day only got more interesting.

i was in awe as she led me through her house and her large backyard, pointing out every homemade invention we passed along the way. she is particularly interested in solar energy, and her 2 acres are littered with prototypes and working devices she uses on a regular basis. she had built a homemade rock wall and offered to hook me up to give it a try; i got to feel the warmth coming out of a solar powered invention that she uses to heat her house; she showed me a hot tub and sauna that she had configured to run off of a small wood fireplace; and she showed me her fresnel water purifier. by the end of my visit i had heard turkey gobbles and even fed her two sheep.

dirty and cold, i hopped straight into the shower the moment i got home. as i slowly warmed up, this reminded me that a simple shower is easily taken for granted, as many people in developing countries don’t have access to something we consider a necessity. according to the united nations human development report, an american taking a five-minute shower uses more water than the average person in a developing country slum uses for an entire day. 

global water scarcity means that people not only don’t have access to safe water to drink – but they also do not have water to cook with, water to clean themselves or their food with, and many people are living without access to something as simple as toilets. more people on our planet have a cellphone than people who have access to a toilet; meanwhile my little sister uses both by texting me from the bathroom to ask for more toilet paper!

lack of clean water for sanitation and hygiene perpetuates a cycle of disease in developing countries. diarrhea and other related diseases that are spread from lack of sanitation are the number one cause of child mortality, killing an estimated 2,000 children under the age of five every single day.

while the problem may be clear, the solution is murky. humanitarian organizations seem to be doing their best, yet many water purification systems are expensive and hard to fix if broken. dr. spong’s background with degrees in engineering and applied physics from yale and stanford, coupled with her intense passion for solar energy solutions, led her to creating the fresnel water purifier. her goal was to create something different from what is already out there by making it affordable, environmentally friendly, and easy to set up.

she and her team are confident that the purifier will fill a much-needed void, especially in rural villages that don’t get much attention from larger organizations.  i’ll be watching with baited breath as she works to deploy her purifier across central america, and looks to africa for her next invention.

the bluehouse offers an innovative solution to reduce our water demand. the bluehouse can intercept what is today considered a waste and use what tomorrow will be considered a valuable resource. the bluehouse treats water through a natural process for onsite reuse in boilers and cooling towers, machining and industrial processes, irrigation and even toilet flushing. treating and reusing water with a system that is co-located on-site, significantly reduces the amount of time and cost compared to adding massive infrastructure to existing municipal systems to complete the same function. the bluehouse’s innovative design features an odorless, lush, greenhouse that uses the world’s first systematic application of reactor-based, complex adaptive ecosystems. this breakthrough technology has enabled sustainable water to change the look and feel of water treatment and reuse altogether. our patented design allows for turn-key installations in less than 4 months, allowing for the rapid realization of the benefits of reclamation and reuse. as an aesthetically-pleasing greenhouse the bluehouse can be sited in nearly any environment: urban or rural without adding any modification to the current plumbing and storm water infrastructure.

while, the bluehouse was initially designed for municipal and industrial applications, our modular design can also be universally applied at nearly any college or university, airport, resort, military base or any place where large volumes of water can be safely and reliably reclaimed and reused. the applicability options of our facility are virtually endless, allowing for you to continue living your life the way you have been, while reducing your water footprint. by reusing water, you will lower your water intake and output, reduce your overall water costs, lower the stress on our current water infrastructure and minimize the amount of harmful discharge the may be re-entering our environment.

population growth and climate change are altering the planet at a faster rate than expected. water is the most important substance for life, so it is imperative that we begin taking action. the bluehouse is not a lifestyle change, but it is a change in how we use water. by taking the demand off of potable water supplies, we can create a reliable resource; minimize our stress on the natural environment and lower costs at the same time.