The ice bucket challenge has become an internet sensation and has helped spread awareness for ALS, but how much water has it wasted?
The challenge has been criticized for wasting water, especially since a drought is taking place In California. In the challenge a person typically either dumps a bucket of ice over their or donate $100 to ALS, the Washington Post reported.
There have been about 1.2 million ice bucket challenge videos. An average bucket contains four gallons of water, so about five million gallons of water have been used for the challenge, this is equivalent to about 120,000 baths or half an inch of rain falling on 200 acres of land, the Washington Post reported.
Despite the controversy the ice bucket challenge has caused donations to the ALS Association to skyrocket.
"As of Monday, August 25, The ALS Association has received $79.7 million in donations compared to $2.5 million during the same time period last year (July 29 to August 25). These donations have come from existing donors and 1.7 million new donors to The Association," the ALS Association reported.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig's disease, is a neurodegenerative disease effecting the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. The disease leads to total paralysis and eventually death. There is currently no cure for ALS; one FDA approved drug called riluzole "modestly" slows the disease's progression
"The story right now goes: You've got ALS, have it for a little while, a long while, but either way, the end is always the same. ALS always wins. So in order to rewrite the end of it, we need to raise awareness, money," Pete Frates, who suffers from ALS, told the New York Times.
Despite the dramatic spread of ALS awareness many people believe it should be gone about in a different way that is not harmful to the environment. People have been bashing the challenge using the hashtag #droughtshaming. Some people have thought up clever solutions to the problem. California residents with Conejo Recreation and Park District did the challenge using sand instead of water.
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