In the midst of the worldwide pandemic happening all around us, one of the constant commands we hear numerous times a day besides “wear a mask” and “avoid crowds” is to “wash your hands”. Easy enough you’d think—unless you are one of the 2.2 million Americans lacking access to clean running water.
I was shocked to learn this appalling statistic recently on CBS Sunday Morning (July 26, 2020). Here we are the richest country in the world and yet we have citizens among us unable to wash their hands because they do not have water. Access to clean running water is essential for living—it should be a right to all American citizens—yet it is not. How can this happen? How can we fix this?
Thankfully there are people who think as I do, that this situation is unconscionable especially in light of the health scare we are all experiencing right now. The digdeep.org is just such a group—they are a human rights non-profit organization that is on a mission to right this wrong.
According to their research 2.2 million Americans do not have running water or basic plumbing like a flush toilet. Another 44 million more don’t have clean water that’s safe to drink. That’s hard to believe for those of us who take such basic necessities for granted.
I was moved to reach out and get more information on what this organization was all about and how I could help. The first thing I did was ask to join their Water Council and get their permission to spread the word about their mission by bringing awareness to the plight shared by too many Americans—no water.
We are not a huge, wealthy corporation, but for over a quarter of a century we’ve advocated for sustainable water conservation and an end to the pollution created by toxic water treatment chemicals around the globe that continue to contribute to the climate crisis. But this is a human crisis that requires action now, not later. That’s why I have pledged to contribute a percentage of sales to this worthwhile cause and become part of the solution. Our company founder believed that we should all endeavor to leave the world a better place than we found it and I intend to do just that.
