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while every culture has their own cuisine and customs, water is the one food that binds all humans globally.

there are many challenges to water access around the world. even now, 10% of the global population do not have access to a basic drinking water source. nearly 30% do not have access to clean water free from contamination. drinking contaminated water leads to diseases that may kill or prevent people from going to school and work, which can then lead to whole-of-society problems.

all is not lost. there is a beautifully elegant and frugal method of water filtration that reduces diarrheal diseases by 47% in families that use them. the biosand filter is a very simple household water filter — essentially a concrete block with a cocktail of sand within. a layer of biofilm forms on top of the sand mixture. water is poured in from the top. by the time it reaches the bottom, it is free of 99% of harmful bacteria. the filter is cheap to produce, maintenance is easy (essentially just keep the sand wet), and there are no parts that need replacing.

what is more beautiful about this technology is that, since 2001, its canadian founders have made the technology cc0. creative commons zero (cc0) is a public domain dedication that allows creators to waive all their copyright in a work and make it available for unrestricted use by anyone. this means that anyone can build biosand filters without worrying about patents or spending money on buying the rights and technology.

cc0 is a liberating and democratic concept. in the nft space, some projects are cc0. this means anyone (including you!) can take the artwork and create more art, games, your own brand without having to pay royalties, attribute the work, or worry about violating copyright laws. this has allowed for the proliferation of some crypto brands in a quick and completely decentralized way. for example, since its launch just 2 years ago in november 2021, the mfers ecosystem is now global and thriving both online and offline:

if cc0 is so democratizing, how is it that we haven’t achieved clean water for all?

unlike the easy proliferation of a decentralized brand by enterprising web3 degenerates, the spread of vital public health technology is still slow and cumbersome. real change in achieving clean water for all requires money and boots on the ground — from sourcing materials, building the filter cases, testing for quality, to convincing families of their benefit.

also, many in the health innovation space (as in the web3 space) remain skeptical about cc0 solutions. i roll my eyes often at this. as satoshi nakamoto, the founder of bitcoin, famously said: if you don’t believe me or don’t understand — i don’t have time to explain it to you, sorry.

that said, there has been progress in spreading biosand filter technology, with ngos and charities building them in countries such as tanzania, cambodia, and bolivia. however, there are so many other people who can benefit from this technology, especially as water insecurity increases around the world from extreme weather events and changing climate conditions.

i think it is time to harness the enthusiasm and resourcefulness of the web3 cc0 community to create substantial real-world impact. time to build and not leave the potential of a cc0 public good… untapped.