Just recently we discovered and visited "ECHO" which is an international non-profit dedicated to fighting hunger in the developing world. Their 70+ acre facility in North Ft. Myers is in part a farm but also a laboratory for creating and disseminating best practices for sustainable agriculture.
ECHO operates in 165+ countries through an enormous volunteer network. The Internet has made it possible to disseminate information at little cost.
One example of a very simple yet effective solution is how water is treated. Seeds from the Moringa tree are crushed and added to water in a bottle. The seeds cause the sediment in the water to combine with the seeds and sink to the bottom. The water then is left in the sun to heat and this kills the bacteria in the water such that the water is perfectly safe to drink. Further, the water bottles can be placed in the ceiling of a structure and as the sun shines through treating the water it effectively amplifies the light inside the building so as to reduce the need for electrical lighting..
The drought tolerant and fast growing Moringa tree is not only helpful in purifying water but its leaves are deemed as one of the richest sources of nutrients.The horseradish tasting leaves would make a great complement to a mixed salad!
Too bad Moringa trees don't tolerate snow otherwise soon you'd see them sprouting on the Northern Neck.
Next time you're in the Ft. Myers area check out ECHO!
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