World Water Day is just around the corner (Saturday, March 22) — its focus being to raise awareness about the global water crisis. Tapping into one of America's most-used technologies (their phones!), UNICEF developed a plan to help Americans do their part. It goes like this: For every 10 minutes a participant can leave their phone untouched, the donors backing this initiative will provide enough funding for one day of clean water for someone in need.
Want in? It's easy. Make sure your phone is logged onto the UNICEFTapProject.org homepage, and your minutes will begin to tally. For added encouragement, the app provides insightful facts about global water issues and taps into the competitive spirit by letting you know how long others have lasted. When you're done, the site will tell you the impact of your effort. According to them, a $1 donation can provide a child access to clean water for more than a month.
I participated this past weekend, and went without my phone for more than 10 hours on Saturday (after explaining to my family why I would be unreachable!) That was enough to fund 2 months of clean water for a kid in need. Word to the wise: If you plan on lasting a few hours, make sure your phone is plugged in so your hours are properly recorded!
If you want to do more, the website directs you to volunteering efforts and ways to make additional donations.
TELL US: Will you take the World Water Day challenge? Let me know if you best my time!
Rachel Rothman is the director of the consumer electronics lab of the Good Housekeeping Research Institute.