Traditional sources of water collection are from dams, springs, rivers, streams and farm reservoirs, with the introduction of boreholes where these traditional sources of water are unavailable. Until now such boreholes have been operated by handpumps as the use of modern alternatives such as diesel, petrol or electric pumps are costly to install and have the concomitant constant financial burden of fuel and maintenance costs. —Children’s roundabout solves the water problem in remote areas (www.roundabout.co.za)

Harnessing the energy of kids playing. Not as efficient as the system featured in The Matrix, perhaps, but still innovative.

I wonder, though… if, as the manufacturer’s website says, the chore of carrying water has traditionally fallen to women and children, what will happen when a community depends on a patented roundabout play pump for its water?

My culture teaches me to let kids be kids, and not to give them too many chores. I don’t know enough about the cultures being served by this invention to know whether people really would starve, or perhaps not draw enough water for proper hygeine, if the kids didn’t have “fun” while doing it. By making water-drawing “fun”, is that training a generation of kids not to do anything that isn’t fun?

The pump installation also features billboards, two of which are designed to carry health messages, and two more designed to carry local advertising. The income from the advertising is supposed to pay for the maintenance of the facility.

In America we tend to be very sensitive about the presence of advertisements in playgrounds. I personally feel like a sell-out whenever I take the kids to a McDonaldland play gym.

Via metafilter, which points to some interesting discussion on worldchanging.