Biomimicry Innovation: change:WATER Labs

2020 Ray of Hope Prize Finalist
Oct 1, 2020 10:30 AM ET

Biomimicry Innovation: change:WATER Labs

Fun fact: Human waste (aka poop and pee) is about 95% water.

Not a fun fact: 2 billion people lack access to toilets or latrines.

The team at change:WATER Labs is fundamentally changing the way we process waste, and it all has to do with water. They recognized that if they could remove the water from human waste we would be left with a compact solid that would be much easier to collect and sterilize. As trained biologists and chemists, they were inspired by the way plants move water - transpiration. They created a membrane bag that can move molecular water, just like how plants move molecular water via stomata during transpiration.

This is video 3 of a 9 part series showcasing how innovators from around the world are learning from nature to solve global challenges.