Many innovative designs have experimented with producing clean water from contaminated or salt water. A new approach takes inspiration from mangrove trees.

Solar thermal water heaters have been around for a while, but their expensive and scale means they're only available to wealthy homeowners. A new flat-pack version wants to change that.

Water security is increasingly becoming one of the fundamental issues of the 21st century, especially for states in the dryer and more arid regions of the world. With water forming the basis of all life, some nations are adopting increasingly radical solutions to ensure a fresh supply of water. For example, states such as the

Passive water harvesting technologies offer clear advantages in terms of power use, but are often limited in output. A new design aims to push them to their limits.

Climate change means that urban areas are increasingly affected by extreme weather events such as heavy rainfall or periods of drought. The Dutch Bluebloqs project has come up with an innovative nature-based solution.

Researchers at the German Aerospace Center are working to make space technologies available for humanitarian aid. The aim of their "Data4Human" project: to provide aid workers with the information they need to make crucial decisions - as quickly and precisely as possible.

With water scarcity becoming an ever-growing concern, we urgently need new and innovative ways to reduce our water use. The Hydraloop offers homeowners and building developers a simple way of recycling up to 85% of their water - all via a grey box not much bigger than your average fridge.

Taking the idea of one man's trash being another man's treasure to new lengths, the "omni processor" plant takes literal human waste and turns it into valuable goods - including electricity and clean drinking water.

From trail building in the Appalachian Mountains to rescuing sea turtles in Costa Rica, when looking for volunteer opportunities abroad, the options are seemingly endless. But before you get caught up in the excitement of planning your big adventure, take some time to ensure your good intentions turn into positive results.