Every year on March 22, people around the globe observe World Water Day in an effort to draw attention to the ongoing and critically important issue of access to clean water worldwide. This year the United Nations is dedicating World Water Day 2010 to the theme of Clean Water for a Healthy World. So true! Water and sanitation is at the root of all life, and should be a basic human right.

It has recently been determined that over one billion people on the planet do not have access to clean water, a travesty that leads to poor sanitation, disease, famine, and death. And not surprisingly, 98 percent of all water-related deaths occur in the developing world.

Our partners at YouthNoise have decided to do their part in calling attention to these staggering statistics by using Twitter to spread awareness and action ideas. Here's what you can do to help:

1. Follow YouthNoise on Twitter. Just go to twitter.com/youthnoise and click "follow." For every new follower, YouthNoise will donate $1 to a water organization of your choice (up to $150). Click here to vote!

1. Retweet any YouthNoise posts tagged #ynwwd. YouthNoise is posting facts, links and other information about World Water Day. For each RT of these water tweets, an additional $1 will go to the cause (up to $150).
2. Spread the word. YouthNoise will donate up to $300 total to support clean water programs, but we need your help to do it! So tell your friends to follow and retweet YouthNoise on Twitter, too.

Thanks for your support!

As the people of Haiti continue their overwhelming struggle in the aftermath of the tragic quake, our partners at YouthNoise are launching an online fundraiser for humanitarian aid.

From January 21 until February 4, YouthNoise will be asking bloggers everywhere to do what little they can to help the people of Haiti, whether it be donating to a nonprofit or supporting the Hope for Haiti telethon this Friday, January 22nd.

Share your story of how you helped on the YouthNoise site, and for every story about helping Haiti, YouthNoise will donate $1 to a nonprofit doing humanitarian aid work in Haiti, up to $200. Even if you can't afford to give, you can do your part to raise awareness of the issue.

Not a YouthNoise member? Now is the perfect time to join!

Image courtesy of the United Nations Development Programme.

With thoughtful insight into the devastation that struck Haiti yesterday, Link TV board member Danny Glover spoke with our friends at GRITtv today to discuss steps forward for the Haitian capital. Glover points out that in this great moment of internationalism, the U.S. has the opportunity to rebuild its relationship with Haiti, and he voices a warning that disasters like this will inevitably strike again as climate change continues. This GRITtv clip also includes a harrowing interview with Marie St. Cyr, a prominent AIDS activist with family in Haiti.

More blog posts on Haiti:

• In the Aftermath of the Haitian Earthquake, What You Can Do
• Ten Sources of Information on Haiti

Today, with the start of climate negotiations in Copehagen, Link TV has teamed up with OneClimate.net and Justin.tv to launch the pioneering Copenhagen 24/7, a live webstream of breaking news, press conferences, and pre-recorded crowd-sourced video, straight from the frontlines of the summit. Follow summit events as they unfold and participate in a live chat with the millions of other viewers expected to tune in December 7-19, 2009.

While up to 200 global leaders, officials, and ministers are expected to participate in the historic negotiations to determine parameters of the next phase of the Kyoto Protocol, many are skeptical that parties will actually be able to deliver a comprehensive international agreement, and protestors have already begun to mobilize. Many developing nations have even stated that they are prepared to walk out of negotiations if fair and binding terms, that address their needs specifically, are not reached. Adaptation funding, clean technology transfer, and emission reduction targets are just a few of the issues that will undoubtedly present challenges for both developed and developing countries to consent on.

Midway through negotiations, on December 12th, people all over the world will be taking action to ensure participating parties heading into the final days of negotiations are prepared to deliver a real deal that safeguards the future of citizens worldwide.

So be sure to tune in to Copenhagen 24/7 to follow these exciting events, and up-to-the-minute news straight from the source. And follow Link's Action Alerts on Twitter for more updates on Climate Change, and to find out what you can do!

Link TV appreciates you, our discerning viewers, as being active intellectually, culturally, and in your community. We know you care who our friends are and how we stay credible. Link has launched a new initiative to work with corporate sponsors which are actively supporting philanthropic efforts, whereby we will tell the story of these projects on our website.

Staying committed to our values, Link TV vets its corporate partners for their Corporate Social Responsibility achievements  -  Socially responsible companies honor the people and planet that help them make a profit.  We seek to work with companies that have demonstrable projects impacting their employees, community and the environment in a positive way.

Dean's Beans is our first corporate sponsor - one which is both profitable and doing "good" for the global community in which it conducts its business.

Which companies do you admire and why? Does it really matter to consumers if the business is socially responsible? Discuss on Real Conversations with Dean's Beans Founder and CEO, Dean Cycon.