My first three activities in the morning -- tooth brushing, shower, coffee -- all require water, yet I never stop to even think about how amazing it is that the water is just there. Like most of us, I tend to take clean water for granted.

It turns out that a billion people in the world are living without clean water. Millions of them contract deadly diseases from contaminated water, with 45,000 people dying every week.

My birthday wish this year is therefore not for more stuff I don't need (see also http://continuations.com/post/62447905/please-dont-give-me-stuff); it's to help give clean and safe drinking water to some of those living without it.

Because of charity: water's unique model, 100% of all donations go directly to direct water projects costs, and each donation is "proved" and tracked to the village it helped when projects are complete.