In January, a team of actors, musicians, and National Geographic explorers—Jimmy Chin and Alexandra Cousteau—set out to climb Africa’s tallest peak, 19,340-foot Kilimanjaro, to raise awareness about the global clean water crisis. (Read more from Chin and Cousteau in interviews we will post later today.)
According to the United Nations' Millennium Water for Life initiative, 18 percent of the world’s population doesn’t have access to safe drinking water and 42 percent doesn’t have access to sanitation, resulting in deadly waterborne diseases.
“Mountains are like the great equalizer. It doesn’t matter who anyone is or what they do,” says big-wall climber and photographer Chin, referring to the challenge posed to his fellow hikers, actors Emile Hirsch and Jessica Biel and musicians Santigold and Kenna, the Ethiopia-born singer-songwriter leading the Summit on the Summit initiative.
The team's trek up the Shira route in Tanzania covered approximately 50 miles over 7 days (5.5 days up, 1.5 days down). Upon reaching the summit, whiteout conditions robbed them of a bird’s-eye view of all of Kilimanjaro’s legendary glaciers, which are predicted to be gone in a dozen years due to human-caused global warming. For millions of people, the mountain's glaciers are an important and threatened source of water.
But the clean water problem is one we all share. “Water is our most critical life support system, and it’s getting degraded here as much as anywhere else,” says water advocate and Blue Legacy founder Cousteau. “It is critical to make wise choices here at home, understanding that all of our water resources are connected, and that we are all downstream from one another.”
The physical climb may be over, but the hard work has just begun. “Now we have the real climb,” says Chin, “which is to get the word out and get people to understand how they can contribute to helping solve the global clean water crisis."
Watch a documentary featuring this climb on MTV on Sunday, March 14, at 9 p.m. For more informationor to get involved, go to www.summitonthesummit.com.
Text by Mary Anne Potts; Photograph by Jimmy Chin
However, some observers have estimated that by 2025 more than half of the world population will be facing water-based vulnerability.
Posted by: web hosting in pakistan | January 04, 2012 at 04:29 AM
There is a clear correlation between access to safe water and GDP per capita. However, some observers have estimated that by 2025 more than half of the world population will be facing water-based vulnerability. A recent report (November 2009) suggests that by 2030, in some developing regions of the world, water demand will exceed supply by 50%.
GDP correlations to safe water for future and amendable. But water saving strategies will leathery effect the cost in future.
Posted by: commercial cleaning | December 10, 2011 at 10:06 AM
I don't know how it feels to be in a foreign place. That's why I really want to travel and experience different culture and tradition.
Posted by: tribute-credit-card | November 02, 2011 at 12:25 AM
Science is not been narrow for any reason. Water is the main or basic need of ours and we cannot neglect its qualty for use. Developers ha made many devices to check the ater quality upto a satisfactory range. I personally think the need to modern age devicing is to operate it to collect data in easy way. Now the devices are available you can use them with your mobile even. Water testing kits having GPRS aquameteres with aquameteres created an eas for teting water
Posted by: Dissolved Oxygen Meter | October 26, 2011 at 05:35 AM
Real climb should be for the water facilitation for those who do not have it.
Posted by: Water Testing Kits | October 26, 2011 at 05:34 AM
kouyoyuvb ggtrtr I always gain new ideas here. very goo site. I give you 10 out of 10.
Posted by: knockoff handbags | September 07, 2011 at 11:39 AM
the information of this post is very relevant
for what i am looking for, thank you so much for sharing this one
Posted by: ferragamo shoes | March 03, 2011 at 03:05 PM
However, some observers have estimated that by 2025 more than half of the world population will be facing water-based vulnerability. A recent report (November 2009) suggests that by 2030, in some developing regions of the world, water demand will exceed supply by 50%.
http://www.uggagentshop.com
Posted by: doundoune moncler | December 05, 2010 at 10:29 PM
Thanks for sharing your article. I really enjoyed it. I put a link to my site to here so other people can read it. My readers have about the same interets
Posted by: air jordans | September 19, 2010 at 09:25 PM
There is a clear correlation between access to safe water and GDP per capita. However, some observers have estimated that by 2025 more than half of the world population will be facing water-based vulnerability. A recent report (November 2009) suggests that by 2030, in some developing regions of the world, water demand will exceed supply by 50%.
Posted by: generic viagra | April 22, 2010 at 03:18 PM
Is there any substantive difference in the nutritive value of tap
water vs diet soda, excluding potential calcium leeching effects of
phosphorus content inherent in any cola? Specifically, it is oft-heard
from diet pundits that you should drink 8 glasses of water per day.
When further pressed on whether soda, coffee etc count, the answer is
always "NO", sometimes with an admonition that you drink extra water
if you drink soda or coffee. What is the scientific consensus on
this? Is there really a difference?
Posted by: orexis online 50 | April 16, 2010 at 02:13 PM