One million plastic water bottles are purchased every minute around the world.

And even though it only served a purpose for a few short moments, each one of those bottles will take 450 years to decompose. Chances are, they will end up in landfill or floating in our oceans where eight million tonnes of plastic are dumped every year.

But one socially conscious water filtration brand and a global charity are teaming up to inspire Canadian youth to take action on the world’s single-use plastic problem.

Brita and WE have partnered to offer $20,000 to 26 schools and youth across the country through Brita’s new Young Innovator Plastic Free Fund. The money will help students develop innovative solutions for a future free of single-use plastic bottles.

The initiative continues the work that Brita, WE and Canadian youth have done together over the past few years to break our single-use plastic water bottle consumption habit. 

“Single-use plastic is one of the most serious challenges facing society and we all have a responsibility to take action and inspire others to work towards a single-use plastic free tomorrow,” says Matt Kohler, Vice-President of Marketing, Clorox Canada. “The renewed partnership builds on the work we’ve been doing with WE since 2016.”

The Brita Young Innovator Plastic Free Fund grants start at $750, with two worth $1,000 to bring to life the do-good actions of students and youth up to 25 years old.

Brita and WE are keen to empower young innovators to improve their local and global communities and help keep the planet green for generations to come, explains Craig Kielburger, WE co-founder. The joint initiative is also intended to foster a sense of accountability and social entrepreneurship.

“Through WE’s partnership with Brita, we hope to inspire outcomes, large or small, that help reduce the amount of single-use plastics in the world and to find innovative solutions to the issues posed by single-use plastics,” Kielburger says. “Social entrepreneurship is at the heart of what we do and it’s great to see young people propose business ideas that can make a positive impact in the world, especially as it pertains to proactive solutions that support our environment.”

“Through this program, Brita and WE are joining forces to empower youth to ideate and take action in order to bring an end to pollution caused by single-use plastic bottles,” Kohler says. “At Brita, we know Canadians want to make a difference, and by purchasing a Brita product, the Young Innovator’s Plastic Free Fund will empower youth to take action to end bottled water waste.”

Read the full and original article at NationalPost.com