Ultra Simple Solutions for Haitian Disaster

Emergency plans for water, sanitation and housing for Haiti might look like this:

Water Filter from Top to Bottom"

1. Unfiltered water
2. Sand
3. Charcoal
4. Gravel
5. Spout and collector for filtered water
6. Boil filtered water at a rolling boil for 3 to 20 minutes

Sanitation/Three composting heaps:

1. Heap currently being added to, containing waste, leaves, grass clippings, sawdust
2. Heap resting and sanitizing for a full year
3. Heap that has sanitized for a full year and is now being used in gardens

Housing:

1. Rectangular earth or sand bag walls, covered with tarps and a few wood rafters.
2. Yurt style, circular, earth or sand bag walls, covered with tarps and rafters, with yurt style roof.
3. Ultra simple yurts: see http://www.forloveofyurts.com

Just remember, Haiti may just be first in the batting order. If food prices sky rocket, because of current northern hemisphere crop failures from winter freezes, the dollar will fail and we will be sending aid to ourselves.