Detail of infographic by GOOD and Column Five Media

According to the United Nations, unsanitary water kills more people worldwide than war. As the precious water supply dwindles, it may prove to be more than just a crisis for developing countries.

For World Water Day this year, Solidarités International (with agency BDDP Unlimited) called on journalists to spread awareness and appealed to readers to sign a petition. They also made this beautiful spot:

You can still read the petition (in French) here. Thanks to Sean for the heads up.

Swissmiss alerted us to Boxed Water is Better. I quote that site:

Part sustainable water company, part art project, part philanthropic project ... Boxed Water Is Better is a boxed water company... (who) decided to keep things simple, sustainable, and beautiful.

Just like the BVD 9-12-5 clock from last week, everything looks and sounds good at first glance. Here, though, you have to wonder whether moving the water from one gratuitous form of packaging to another is really the best available solution -- or if boxes just provide a surface that can hold some stark, modern fonts.

The adept commenters at Swissmiss article recognize this too: They noticed immediately that TetraPaks (and equivalents) are notoriously hard to recycle, where plastic bottles are relatively easy. They also note that people are likely to reuse plastic bottles, and not so much paper cartons. The bon mot: "Maybe I should sell fruit-in-a-box or dirt-in-a-box!"

This solution requires notably less packaging waste. Eureka!
Photograph: Fotex Medien Agentur GMBH/Rex Features, via.