When Adam Herod isn't juggling his three jobs with Howard County Public Schools, Howard County Department of Planning and Zoning and the Nike Factory Store, the Elkridge resident says he's preparing his first entrepreneurial journey as founder of the Aqua 2.5% T-shirt campaign to raise awareness for those in need of clean water and sanitation.
Sold on the EVLUTN Apparel website, evlutnapparel.com, the blue T-shirts depicting a single drop of water with the words "Aqua 2.5%" note the amount of fresh water on earth.
In addition to the Aqua 2.5% campaign, Herod is currently tackling a "Stand United" initiative, supporting families who have been affected by violence. Herod said he plans to address a variety of causes in society that need more attention, representing all with T-shirts to raise awareness.
Several affected countries suffer throughout Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, he said.
"We understand there is a water cycle, and that all present water on this earth will always cycle through the oceans, lakes, rivers, streams and bays," Herod said. "But, no matter what, 2.5 percent of the total volume of water is capable of supporting life."
Sixty percent of the nonprofit campaign's proceeds will be donated to the Water.org initiative, Herod said, which began in 2009 under public health advocate Gary White and actor Matt Damon. The remaining 40 percent will continue to feed the cause of EVLUTN Apparel.
Herod said Water.org was one of the first major initiatives to recognize sparse resources for clean water and sanitation in areas such as Ethiopia, India and Haiti.
The Water.org initiative's most recent accomplishment came in 2015, according to its website, after bringing access to safe water and sanitation to more than three million people through the WaterCredit financial model. The plan provides small loans from the water and sanitation sector to people in need, which are used for water connections or toilets.
"When I first read the information on Water.org, I found that water is the number one global risk based on impact to society," Herod said. "If my small business is going to get its start anywhere, why not go after the number one issue facing humanity? I want my business to always have a campaign to do something positive for others and our planet."
After learning more about the troublesome issue, the Elkridge Middle School earth science teacher said he started striking up conversations with his students about ways to tackle the subject.
More discussion raised one question: Where is the biggest necessity?
"I tell my students all the time that we can only live about three days without water," Herod said. "It is such a precious resource. I've had to study the world, and it's the perspective of knowing I can walk down the hallway and get fresh, clean water when others have to walk miles for water that may not even be clean."
One in 10 people lack access to safe water in these countries, Herod said he learned after reviewing a study by the United States Geological Survey. And while women and children are spending 125 million hours a day collecting water, according to Water.org, a child dies every 90 seconds from a water-related disease.
"The numbers keep growing and resources pretty much stay the same unless we can figure out a way to continue to increase crop yield and amount of fresh water through desalination," Herod said.
The entrepreneur also utilized his skills as a planning and zoning monitoring specialist and a Nike golf equipment specialist to construct his own business plan, advertising on Facebook and Google.
Plans are currently underway to organize support from local businesses, Herod said, including Haven on the Lake's Still Point Day Spa in Columbia.
Although unsure if he will have the opportunity to travel to water-stricken countries for on-site help, Herod said he's taking a step in the right direction.
"I started the water campaign on my own as an opportunity to see if I could garner any attention to something where people buy a shirt, but also in that purchase, contribute to something much larger than just a piece of clothing," he said. "I know that from afar, I can do something that's positive."