Wow. Simple, impactful. @brokenmask She is not going to get diarrhea from standing in contaminated water. She must ingest the bacteria (which btw is plural, no need to add "s") in order to contract intestinal diseases. Boil It? Requires fire -burning trees, smoke pollution - not so ecological.
Posted by sr3sr3
@The Champ.
observe the image of the woman. The Design is meant to prevent water bacterias right? but what about the bacterias you could get while standing or walking in stream to obtain water? I believe the design problem here is, the failure in ethnographic research. Bad Design anyway!
Posted by brokenmask
Simple, portable, inexpensive to produce and it saves lives. It has incredible value to society. Now THAT's great design.
Posted by Bluedesignfish
It can be used anywhere. It saves lives in disaster. Only concern is whether filters can be purged or reused. Water will be the oil/gold of this century. Note drought in SE USA.
peacefulhealing, hawaii
Posted by peacefulhealing
To answer excellence in both form and function seems a tall order, which this design answers. Color and shape match end use, while the utter miracle of simplistic mobility in such a useful device points to a successful achievement. Its functionality has many applications!
Posted by sameyeyam
awesome!
Posted by 025
most of us are too comfortable in our modern and western lifestyles to be effected by this LIFE THREATENING issue, of which this noble and brilliant design has answered... as opposed to other nominees which are pretty, trendy and insignificant in comparison to the most basic element for life... H2O
Posted by methodlab
Junk product? far from it. Boiling may kill bacteria and viruses, but it concentrates harmful chemicals. Surely Africa has chemical pollution, Brokenmask, Or is that only a western problem?
Posted by thechamp
This product design reveals the ignorance of the designer and many people who inserted positive comments on this product about Africa. The ecological way is to boil your water before drinking it! With that, you do not need to pollute the environment with junk products.
Posted by brokenmask
It'd be even cooler if it could extract water directly from ambient air like a dehumidifier-straw. Create water as you need it. No water transport. No personal water bottles/jugs. Wireless water. A self replenishing water bottle is more likely. Until that happens, Lifestraw get my vote!
Posted by scott amron
This device is original, affordable and it saves life. Why not all follow this criteria? You have my vote Lifestraw!
Posted by ileschinder
Thats a wonderful idea! This is definetly my vote! (It should be sold in convience stores!)
Posted by AuroraVonBielefelt
It's beautiful. It will save lives. Now let's get it distributed to those in need!
MS
Posted by artsmart
This device has the capability to provide emergency water potability to people around the world without being cumbersome. A great humanitarian aid accomplishment has my vote for the design award.
Posted by MHH
I'm all for this life saving concept, but from a design standpoint, how is this really different from the other products on the market found in any camping store? I guess I'd have to know more about pricing per unit to evaluate the true "real-world worth" better.
Posted by vtmiller
LifeStraw removes 99.999% of waterborne bacteria. For specific information please visit www.lifestraw.com, namely the sections 'Claims' and 'Test Results'.
Posted by amunier
after looking at many great designs and saying to myself, "hmmmm....but is this really the ultimate in design?", I hit this item. No more hemming and hawing about it for me ... a design that gives life-saving, inexpensive practicality to the people that need it most - that's the ticket. Exceptional
Posted by Julie Smith
Outstanding! Design for the most is design for the forgotten ones. They could be also a market. An excellent proposal which cannot be beaten with a similar device designed by Alessi and made to drink Perrier water :o)
Posted by Cachifo
As opposed to necklaces, champagne flutes, lounge chairs etc,
gee, an actual design with worldwide application abilities to save lives! What a concept! And what these designers should be trying to do more of... we have more than enough "haves" ignoring the "have
nots" ...
Posted by elsakof
Design for the human element. Outstanding.
Posted by matharchod
Captian Obvious says "This will save lives", which I say makes it a winner as long as it gets into the hands of those in need of it.
Posted by pambi
This is just incredible. I saw it on the news and couldn't believe it. It's not only cheap but easy to use! Way to go!!!
Posted by carolynsn
Thanks for nominating this item... can't imagine voting for anything more worthy...
Posted by bobo0585
This device does not remove parasites and I cannot find information about how WELL it removes bacteria.
Posted by burghfan
All other nominations pale in comparison to this life-saving device. When was the last time you couldn't get a clean drink of water?
Susan
Posted by Susan W
I was going to vote for the creature speakers until I saw this product, now I feel like an idiot. The other products meaningless.
Posted by skipskipper
Great form but an important, if not crucial, function.
Posted by William
How can we even consider voting for, say, the new apple iPod when this clearly is only one of few designs amonst the nominations that really make a difference!
Posted by Marcserges
this is the most impactful of them all. granted the 1 to 1 relationship of toms shoes seems striking but how can you walk antwhere if you're expeling all of you fluid from all the openings on you body
Posted by sa
Considering one billion people are without access to safe drinking water, this is a revolutionary design, not only for its practicality, but for its simplicity. Information on the internet supports its claims, so well done!
—Krystyn
Posted by confairk
Simple, cost-effective, and -- in retrospect -- utterly obvious. Plus it saves lives. Actually, I suppose that makes it great design, not merely good.
Posted by kayobee
