Matt Damon, Co-Founder Of Water.org, Speaks Out About Global Water Crisis (Video)

Matt Damon chose to focus his efforts on the global water crisis for two reasons:

"One was the enormity of the problem and two was the availability of solutions."

He co-founded Water.org to find those solutions and provide adequate, safe drinking water worldwide. The nonprofit recently released an interview with Damon where he explains his role and what inspired him to action.

He also recounts his personal travel experiences, which brought him face to face with the variety of challenges that come with ensuring water supply.

"I think what resonates with me most is when you see people living without clean water and they're forced to scavenge for water and basically use up all of their time just doing that... You realize that they're in such a crippling cycle of poverty; it's just a death spin that they can't possibly get out of."

Through projects like the WaterCredit Initiative, a microfinance program that empowers individuals to invest in their own water and sanitation systems, Water.org has provided help to people in Asia, Africa, Latin American and the Caribbean.

WATCH:

He was also interviewed by CNN's Piers Morgan. He told Morgan about his efforts through Water.org, and said it allows him to make an impact on current world events.

"I feel like the work I do now allows me to change things."

According to the United Nations Development Programme's Human Development Report from 2006, nearly 1.1 billion people on the planet have inadequate access to water.

"Dripping taps in rich countries lose more water than is available each day to more than 1 billion people."

Comments

[martigras]

08:44 AM on 03/07/2011

Damon's organization is an excellent one. There are also others who are working to bring clean water to poor countries. One is the author Philippa Gregory whose Gardens for the Gambia brings clean water to schools and villages in the Gambia: http://www.philippagregory.com/gardens-for-gambia/projects/

[ragtally]

09:38 PM on 03/05/2011

wish some of these stars would get into politics more they always have something to say we need more good men and women

[a space alien]

08:35 PM on 03/06/2011

Unfortunately they don't have the same connections that career politicians have with certain very powerful corporations and highly influential billionaires who feel similarly about critical important social, economic, and political issues.

[Aleks Hunter]

12:07 PM on 03/05/2011

Rotary International and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) have teamed up with Rotary in a new alliance called the International H20 Collaboration, which will implement long-term, sustainable, water, sanitation, and hygiene projects in the developing world.

The working model for drinking water is straightforward and simple, providing small molded water filter units to local populations, each filter capable of supplying four people with clean water every day. the cost of mfg. is about $3 per person. cost of delivery varies, but in most cases (areas of active conflict excluded) is within $3-4 per person. Bicycle frame based pumps for extracting water from deeper wells literally save one man day of labor for every few dozen people supplied by these versus traditional means of water lifting.

Now the really bad news: Had the funds payed out to Financial institute employees around the world as bonuses in 2008 alone, while they were deeply immersed in nearly destroying the global economy, been diverted to this cause, almost every living human being would have access to clean safe drinking water. So much for our priorities.

[CoffeeBreakDMV]

12:20 AM on 03/05/2011

VERY impressed w/ Matt D taking a stand on this matter. WATER is huge issue...Globally we have an abundance of solutions that we never turn to because it affects Corprate GREED...uhm, I mean Corporate Dollars...

[euro944]

06:01 PM on 03/04/2011

"Gas Land" film

Tboone is "fracking" the ground with tons of water to extract natural gas, turns used up water into toxic waste water and gas is flaming out farmers sink faucet, live stock losing hair, sick farmers everywhere, busted wells in backyard, inferior water filtration machine membranes eaten up by chemical in 6months ruined in barn

[JustMyOpnion202]

05:12 PM on 03/04/2011

We only have less 3 percent of world's fresh water to start out with. Just to manufacture one pair of jeans and a t-shirt, it takes 1,218 gallons of fresh water. This is serious crises everywhere in the world. Matt is fighting a good fight! In the next twenty years we will face a huge problem with water shortage. All the other countries are already taking precautions to conserve water, our country is only one denying that there is such thing like that. Just to take a 10 min shower everyday, you are wasting 20 gallons of fresh water everyday meaning 2 gallons per minute.

[yossarrian]

02:47 PM on 03/04/2011

I've been following this story for ten years now. It's more like 2 plus billion people ( a third of the earths population) that do not have access to clean water. Less than one percent of the water on the globe is potable and 70% of that goes directly to industrial farming.
People hope that desalinization will be the answer however if the unused salt is returned to the oceans it will change the salinity of the water. Most fish species would die off. The oceans are in tough shape in any case.
It's nice to see a celebrity using some muscle for this cause. Water shortages and cleanliness will affect everyone soon. It's already forcing some cities in the southwest to deny building permits. States are suing states ( Maryland-Virginia) Georgia-Tennessee) over intake from rivers. Already water is being treated like a commodity. Only thing is not like oil if you run out your house gets cold and your car doesn't run. Without water in five days you die.
Good job Matt, keep it up.

[Kenz300]

09:39 AM on 03/04/2011

The worlds limited resources are coming head to head with the ever expanding
world population growth. There have been recent stories in the news about shortages of
food, water, oil, tuna, phosphorous, and rare earth metals.

The world added a billion people in the last 12 years and will add another billion
people in the next 12 years. Where are all the jobs, food, water and oil going to come
from to support this ever growing population?

All the countries in the middle east are rising up. They have many things in common.

Limited resources of food, water, jobs and a growing population of unemployed youth.
Corrupt business and political leaders
Lack of a strong middle class
Wealth concentrated in the top 2%

This is a recipe for unrest.

[cardholder]

08:04 PM on 03/03/2011

It seems that all the actors in the "Oceans 11,12,13" movies are philanthropists at heart. Matt turns out to reflect a lot of the roles he chooses. What a wonderful story of someone reaching out to do something meaningful. Water.org is worth checking out.

[whitewater]

06:47 PM on 03/03/2011

Does Matt have a swimmin pool? If so, go away and stop wasting good air.

[patches12]

07:35 PM on 03/03/2011

No but I hear he drinks more than his allotted 64 ounces a day when he exercises....

LOL

[BBinMT]

07:20 AM on 03/04/2011

Google it and find out. Get some facts before making sophomoric remarks.

[Parade Keegan]

06:28 PM on 03/03/2011

I am grateful for celebrities who lend their names/time to call attention too humanitarian and environmental problems thus leading to discussion on these issues of global importance.

[WaterCharity]

06:24 PM on 03/03/2011

It is shocking how many people here are making light of the very actual and extremely serious water crisis we are seeing around the world.

This is NOT about us running out of water. The Earth is a closed system and nearly all the water there ever was is still here... furthermore, most people dying from this issue are NOT dying of thirst.

The major problem is UNSAFE water. People drink water that is filled with amoebas, protozoas, viruses and a zillion other pathogens. The biggest killer of people worldwide happens to be... diarrhea.

This is a serious and incredibly important issue people. Every 15 seconds a child is dying from a water-related illness. 50% of the world's hospital beds are filled by people suffering from water-related illnesses.

It is not expensive or hard to help people drill wells and filter their water. How can any compassionate human being be against helping the 1 billion humans who don't have access to CLEAN drinking water?

Normally the cynicism displayed here might be justified, but the water issue is real. Do some research, and then come to http://watercharity.org and help us out.

[courageunderfire]

06:50 PM on 03/03/2011

I commend the work you are doing. I too am shocked that so few people understand just how dire this situation is. Thanks for your insightful, intelligent post! Fanned and Faved! :)

[Bushido08]

07:22 PM on 03/03/2011

Wow what a mouth full. And yet we can't even raise awareness of global warming and the GOP efforts to un-fund the EPA. Without question water in the future will be more expensive and fought over then oil is today. We in the US have no clue about the water situation throughout the rest of the world and we take for granted that every country has clean water to drink.

[Ksig99]

06:13 PM on 03/03/2011

What a great game it's so simple and so much fun to play. It's called Book Ends. All you have to play is start with the word Global and end with the word Crisis, Then you squat down and drop whatever you want in between. And presto! You have your very own crisis.

I just picked mine out the other day it's called Global Baby Arm Crisis. It's when one or both arms stays the same size from infancy while the rest of the body develops normally.

[bobbyperu]

06:19 PM on 03/03/2011

Fail

[keemia]

06:12 PM on 03/03/2011

What a great guy. Big thinker, and feet planted firmly on the ground.

[atrumoderate]

06:07 PM on 03/03/2011

The rest of the of the internet media sites ran with the OTHER matt damon story.

The one where he explains why he no longer supports OBAMA. The one where he admits he " no longer hopes for audacity '

But hey a website about water isn't jumping on Ruffalos environmental bandwagon. Not at all.
You have space for both stories dont you?

[bobbyperu]

06:21 PM on 03/03/2011

The other Matt Damon story about his views on Obama and education was on HuffPo yesterday.