USA Water Filter Blog

Before contemplating what this new year holds in store, I’d like to take a look back at a few items in this column that merit, in my mind, a second look, or that perhaps at the time suggested a follow-up, starting with a certain encounter I had with a local police officer.

A number of people contacted me with their own stories of similar encounters. A few wanted to take me to task, one signing off, ironically, “your stupid”. Most recounted what they considered to be unfair treatment by a police officer or by a court assessing a penalty for their infraction. What we all seemed to have in common was a strong respect for law enforcement, but contempt for policemen who do not practice what they enforce. My “violation” was dismissed.

Mike Antonovich seems to be in a distinct minority in opposing a ban on plastic bags. Makes me wonder who’s funding his campaigns these days.

I’d love to see the present awareness to our addiction to plastic extend to a ban on disposable water bottles that are also mucking up our environment. Homes and businesses could easily install filtration devices and deliver water as clean as the bottled stuff that we’ve been fooled into thinking is the only clean water available.

http://www.glendalenewspress.com/news/opinion/tn-gnp-kimber-20101231,0,3019220.story

NSA Water Filters

The year 2010 will likely go down in U.S. history as one of our worst environmentally, considering the world’s largest-ever oil spill took place and the dead-end on Capitol Hill in shaping a new energy policy.

There were some “green” lights along the way, however, both nationally and locally, which may help define the new year and beyond, including:

• National stimulus funds totaling more than $300 million went to state incentive programs for swapping out old appliances for energy efficient ones, of which $18.7 million was handed out to New Yorkers.
• Two major environmental laws passed in Albany — the School Grounds Pesticide Ban and the BPA ban in products for infants.
• A variety of environmentally friendly trends truly mushroomed, from our trading in plastic bags for canvas ones at many retailers to an expanded New York Green Fashion Week in which designers hyped animal-free, fair trade, organic or recycled materials.
• Another trend, this one perhaps caused by the current economic downturn, growing and eating “local” and taking a “staycation” took root, as did ecotourism and purchasing carbon offsets for those who did travel.
• Home Depot and other retailers boasted aisles of CFL and LED lights and light bulbs this year as never before, as fluorescents go the way of land-line telephones.
• Renewable energy took a few more carbon footsteps on Long Island this year. Although a wind farm off the South Shore is still being studied, many Long Islanders chose backyard wind turbines, solar electricity, solar hot water and geothermal energy options.

What about next year?

Next year is likely to continue its greener path, one that each of us can help to widen. While only a handful of us may purchase one of the electric or hybrid cars now on the market, and maybe only a few dozen of us will have solar panels installed on our rooftops, simple and fuss-free “green” new year’s resolutions are available to all of us.

Reduce plastic usage by drinking tap instead of bottled water perhaps.

http://eastmeadow.patch.com/articles/green-year-in-reviewand-what-about-next-year-2

NSA Water Filters

We’re at the end of 2010, and the time is right to start thinking about ways to improve in the coming year. If you’re making New Year’s resolutions, consider adding one or two green ones to the mix. Committing to a greener lifestyle holds many benefits, and the changes are as practical as they are simple.

To help you think of the most appropriate resolutions for you, I’ve come up with a list of 11 (Get it? Twenty-eleven?) environmentally responsible pledges you can make to ensure a cleaner, greener, more affordable new year:

1. Start using your reusable bags everywhere you can.

Plastic bags can take 1,000 years or more to break down, and when they do through a process called photodegradation, toxic particles contaminate water and soil.

When discarded into the ocean, marine mammals die because they mistake them for food. The reasons to eliminate plastic bags from your life are limitless. All you need to do is keep some reusable bags in your car (I keep two foldable bags in my purse at all times) and train yourself to use them every time you shop.

2. Kick the bottled water habit.

The environmental and economic evils of bottled water make this one a no-brainer. The production of a single bottle of water may require up to six times the amount of water in the bottle, and it can cost you up to 10,000 times more per gallon than tap water. With more than 90 percent of all bottles heading to the landfill, there’s no better time to make 2011 your year to switch to refillable bottles, for both your pocketbook and the planet.

http://www.garnercitizen.com/2010/12/30/green-garner-great-green-goals-for-the-new-year-it-goes-to-11/

NSA Water Filters

In many parts of the world, bottled water makes sense because tap water is not to be trusted.

Greater Victoria is not one of those places. Our tap water is safe, plentiful and available at a tiny fraction of the price of the bottled stuff. As an added bonus, it’s better for the environment to use the local water.

About 30 per cent of Canadians say bottled water is their primary source of water. Yes, we all have the right to spend our money as we see fit. Based on logic and facts, however, it’s hard to explain why so much bottled water is sold here.

Saanich Coun. Vicki Sanders wants to do something about it. In the new year, she will present council with a recommendation from the municipality’s environment committee calling for a ban on the sale of bottled water in municipal facilities.

The plastic bottles would need to be phased out over three years if Saanich goes ahead with a ban. That would give the municipality time to provide places for us to fill reusable bottles.

Last year, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities passed a motion encouraging municipalities to phase out the sale of bottled water at their facilities where potable water is available.

The reason? The environmental impact. These bottles have to be manufactured, filled with water and shipped to warehouses and stores. After they are emptied, the bottles are recycled or added to the waste in landfills

http://www.timescolonist.com/technology/high+costs+bottled+water/3973455/story.html

NSA Water Filters

Yep, it’s that time again, when the date on the calendar inches closer and closer to a new year and resolutions are on everybody’s minds. While losing 10 pounds, quitting biting your nails and cutting back on unnecessary spending are valiant goals for 2011, why not add a few green resolutions to your list? Here are five ideas from thedailygreen.comfor inspiration.

1. Forgo paper and plastic. Did you know that it takes four times more energy to make paper bags than plastic ones? Neither is good for the environment, so shell out a few bucks for the reusable kind.

2. Stop buying bottled water. Klean Kanteens are not only easy to use, they’re fashionable too. Add a filter to your tap, fill up your Kanteen, rinse, repeat. Virtually no waste!

3. Give up paper towels. Instead, opt for microfiber towels that you can use again and again. When you must use paper, seek out the recycled kind. It’ll save a lot of trees.

4. Recycle. You’d be surprised how many people toss their empty soda cans in with the food scraps and other garbage. Start with one category at a time if it’s tough for you to get in the habit. If you’re already a recycling pro, try starting a compost bin.

5. Cut back on catalog clutter. How’d you get on so many mailing lists anyway? Log ontowww.CatalogChoice.org to stop the unwanted mailings within 10 weeks.

http://www.newsreview.com/chico/content?oid=1897198

NSA Water Filters

College is expensive! Tuition, room and board, fees, books and more can set you back big time. But, those expenses are largely uncontrollable — at least once you see what your tuition and room costs will be and choose to rent your textbooks instead of buying them.

Beyond these factors, you’ll be spending a mint day in and day out just for living expenses. Most expenses may seem hard to manage, but you do have options available to you.

Let’s take a look at some money saving ways for you to save while you’re at college:

7. Yes, the cafeteria food plan is probably the most economical one at your school. If the food is decent, then go with it. If you prefer to eat in your dorm or off-campus apartment, then the cafeteria isn’t an option for you.

8. Invest in a coffee maker. You like good coffee, but those trips to Starbucks will set you back by several dollars. Instead, invest in a very good coffee maker, purchase a premium brand of coffee and keep condiments handy. Buy yourself a travel mug and you’ll be ringing up the savings all year long.[2]

9. Eat the basics. What do students like to eat? Whatever fills their tummy and is easy to make. You’ll be stocking up on all of the cheap stuff including ramen noodles, mac and cheese, oatmeal, peanut butter and juice, so find a local supermarket you like, get their coupon card, and snap up their weekly specials. Check out the store brands – they’re cheaper and often just as good as what the national brands offer even in their basic packaging.

10. Bottled water is pricey and you don’t feel particularly good about disposing of plastic bottles. Invest in a filtered water system if tap water tastes bad or is of questionable safety.

NSA Water Filters

LIGHTHOUSE POINT, Fla., Dec. 28, 2010 — /PRNewswire/ — It’s that time of year we announce our new goals to ring in 2011.  We joke with friends and family about resolutions we plan to honor but we just don’t intend to keep.  We rarely use the word “resolutions” in mid-January let alone mid-June.  Online eco-friendly retailer World of Green is taking a different approach in hopes to change that mindset by sharing 31 Daily Green Tips & Giveaways that give people tangible ways to make a permanent change in 2011.  ”We wanted to motivate people to make a green resolution that will directly impact the environment because most people will make a change if it’s easy, affects something beyond themselves, and feels good,” says Roberta Modena, founder and CEO of World of Green.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101228/CL22172 )

Throughout the month of January, World of Green will announce a different green living tip along with a corresponding eco-friendly product giveaway on their website www.worldofgreen.com, Facebook and Twitter.  These green living tips will give people real solutions on how to improve their own health and the health of the planet.  In terms of weight-loss goals which are on everyone’s mind, World of Green has partnered with organic, whole food nutrition leader Garden of Life to showcasefucoTHIN®, a safe, non-stimulant, and effective weight loss supplement made from seaweed, a staple in many Asian diets.  This clinically-researched fat burner is featured in the “Weigh in on This” tip on January 2nd along with effective weight loss strategies. Plus, one lucky winner will win a year’s supply of fucoTHIN® on January 31st to culminate the giveaway.

http://www.sunherald.com/2010/12/28/2738912/green-resolutions-worth-keeping.html

NSA Water Filters

Water is important for life and living beings gain nourishment from water. People use bottled water while traveling and even at home for drinking purposes or for using in water coolers. Distilled water or carbonated water when packed in plastic or glass bottles are referred to as bottled water. Bottled water companies make water packages available in all shapes and sizes.

ILL EFFECTS: The bottles in which the water is packaged draws major attention from critics. Water used by individuals for drinking purposes is available in PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) bottles. These are made of non degradable materials and turn into waste materials once used. Not even half of these bottles are recycled and are mainly thrown away to form waste heaps. This affects the already depleting conditions of the environment.

While the distilled water is being processed, fluoride ions are done away with. These ions are present naturally in ground water and when consumed, they help prevent tooth decay. Too much intake of distilled water increases the risk of possible decaying of teeth. Bottled water also contains considerable amounts of harmful chemicals, which may cause health hazards if consumed over long periods of time. Non carbonated packaged drinking water is considered to be healthier than carbonated water and beverages.

TAP WATER AND BOTTLED WATER: Bottled water is better than tap water in some ways. For one, tap waters may contain lead and other contaminants, which are not healthy, while they are transferred to homes via pipes. Bottled water is distilled and therefore, pure. However, some argue that packaged drinking water containing harmful chemicals in most cases and therefore have much more dangerous effects on humans than tap water can possibly have.

http://www.mynewsdesk.com/uk/pressroom/bestwashingmachinereviews/blog_post/view/bottled-water-and-tap-water-comparative-study-4434

NSA Water Filters

As a parent, it makes me so nervous to hear how many chemicals are in our tap water. But I hate buying bottled water because of all the plastic that will end up in landfills. That’s why I asked for a water filter this holiday season. Luckily, Santa provided!

I had it installed a few days ago, and I am in love with it. Having a water filter at home will save me so much money. We were going through several gallons of bottled water a week, and that really added up.

Plus, the kids can get water right out of the sink, and I don’t have to be worried about it being loaded with chemicals.

Do you have a water filter at your house?

http://www.momlogic.com/2010/12/i_love_my_water_filter.php

NSA Water Filters

I just read an article from Brad Pilon (bradpilon.com) called “The Body Fat Trap.” This article presented a very interesting point of view. Brad’s contention is that two major complaints people have are too much body fat and not enough money. He goes on to explain how these two things are connected. You are paying for the food that makes you fat. If you weigh more than you want to, you are overeating. If you are overeating, you are overpaying by paying for food you don’t need. In Brad’s words, “It costs money to build and maintain that body fat.” You can lose weight and save money just by eating less.

Here are some ways to eat less and, hopefully, spend less:

n I’m an advocate of eating every 2-3 hours. When changing from eating 3 meals a day to 5-6, don’t pile on extra calories. You can eat the same amount (or less) and still eat more often. Also, missing a meal once in a while won’t hurt you. Breakfast, however, is important. Skipping breakfast will often lead to overeating throughout the day.

n Drink a glass of water 20-30 minutes before each meal. This will help fill you up, so you feel full earlier while eating. Your body doesn’t tell you that you are full until about 15 minutes after you are full. Drink water like this and you will be less likely to overeat.

n Pay attention to how big your portions are. Try serving yourself portions that are about half as big as normal. Don’t go back for seconds. If you are out to eat, split the meal in half. Eat one half and take the other home for the next day’s lunch.

n Drink water and eliminate sugary drinks. You can save money on water by drinking filtered tap water or by purchasing gallons of water (instead of individual bottles).

http://dailyitem.com/0200_sports/x2007171581/Rich-Hess-on-fitness-Lose-weight-and-save-money

NSA Water Filters