USA Water Filter Blog

The National Resources Defense Council carried out a four-year study of bottled water and found that bottled water is not necessarily safer or cleaner than water from the tap. In fact, the environmental action group discovered that 25 percent of bottled water is just tap water in a bottle. After testing 1,000 bottles of 103 brands of bottled water, the group found that about 22 percent of the tested brands contained, in at least one sample, chemicals or bacteria in amounts above state health standards.

Bottled water also takes a heavy toll on the environment. Plastic bottles are made from oil, and the amount of oil and energy used to produce the plastic water bottles consumed annually in the U.S. would fuel a million cars for one year, according to Food and Water Watch. By contrast, the energy used to transport tap water from Hetch Hetchy to your home is minimal, as gravity moves water through the system. Because the water is so pure to begin with, there is also little energy expended to treat the water.

Bottled water creates 1.5 million tons of plastic waste per year, according to the National Resources Defense Council. While recycling your old water bottle is certainly environmentally preferable to tossing it in the garbage, it still takes energy and resources to re-manufacture the water bottle into a new product. Purchasing a reusable bottle and re-filling it with tap water eliminates the need for all those plastic bottles. Remember, it’s always better to reduce and reuse before you recycle.

And need I mention the financial cost of bottled water? Bottled water is expensive, and you’re already paying your city or water provider for high-quality tap water.

http://fostercity.patch.com/articles/take-back-the-tap-2

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(NaturalNews) We go to great pains to drink only pure, chemical free water. We filter it because what we ingest is so important to our health. But it`s easy to forget that your morning shower may be just as potent a source of toxins as your drinking water, which is why a shower filter may be necessary for your health.

Chlorine (that irritating, poisonous chemical that makes your eyes burn) is just as bad for the outside of you as it is for the inside. And few people make the connection that, when we bath or shower, not only are we simmering in a caustic chemical wash, but we`re also fogging our home`s air with it.

It`s actually pretty scary. If you knew you were about to be exposed to a rain of sulphuric acid, would you step out into it naked? Of course not. But every day millions of us are blithely showering in heavily chlorinatedtap water.

And even worse is that long, hot shower or bath is actually making the situation considerably unhealthier, as heating releases thechlorinefrom the water stream itself and proceeds to surround us in a cloud of highly-caustic, concentrated poison gas that we breathe the entire time. As you know, that moist air also travels throughout yourhome, so everyone else in the house gets to breathe it, too: your friends, your kids, your dog or your canary.

Healthrisksof showering in unfiltered, chlorinatedwaterinclude: asthma, pulmonary edema, breast and bladder cancer, prematureaging, skin infection (because chlorine kills the beneficial organisms our skin needs to stayhealthy), dry hair, fatigue, birth defects and more. In fact, showering in chlorinated water is as damaging and aging to your skin as overexposure to sunlight. Chlorine can even make your eye condition worse, burning your retina and causing tearing and irritation.

Because of risks to bothhealthand beauty from showering in chlorinated tap water, showerhead filters are increasingly in demand. Compared to whole-house filtration systems, they are affordable and also easier to install and maintain. Be sure to have a filter on every faucet in your home and check and replace them regularly.

Thehealth risksare so serious that many are now lobbying their local governments to abandon chlorination and switch to other sanitation methods; but until that is available in your area, remember that installing a filter on your showerhead is just as important as having one on yourdrinkingwater tap. It`s a small investment with huge health and beauty rewards.

http://www.naturalnews.com/030905_shower_filters_water_quality.html

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NSA Water Filters

Another year has slipped through our hands and we hop right into a new one -2011 is the year of the rabbit. I hope last year was all you expected it to be and that you are looking forward to what’s to come.

I think that the making of New Year’s resolutions is an important ritual and that we should aim for constant improvement and better living at home and within ourselves.

Here is my list of resolutions for 2011:

Reduce clutter. I make this one every year, but I think an annual reminder is imperative. If you are not using it, don’t need it or don’t love it, pass it on or throw it out. From a piece of paper to a sweater to a table lamp, the same rule applies. Keep clutter at bay and continually edit all spaces.

Less paint, more texture. This year I will aim to reduce painted wall space at home and replace it (actually, cover it) with texture. Stone, paper, fabric, leather, concrete or even metal. The most stunning homes have minimal painted wall surfaces.

Create a meditation centre. All of us need a special space, a quiet corner in which to read a good book, knit a sweater or simply sit and think. Surround yourself with mementos of the things that mean the most to you (a photo collection in fabulous frames, for instance), add a good lamp to read by and your favourite chair, even if it’s the old worn-out recliner.

Start a library. A few stacks on a coffee table or shelves filled will volumes of books on your favourite topics and passions. Whether you surf auction sites for first editions and rarities or shop Amazon for the latest best-sellers, start collecting and start enjoying,

Stop buying bottled water. This year, we will install a water-filtration system. We’ll always have fresh, clean water to drink, we’ll save money on deliveries and we’ll do something positive for the environment.

http://www.woodstocksentinelreview.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2912146

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Chromium VI, a human carcinogen, was found in 31 of 35 cities around the United States when tested this year by the Environmental Working Group, and Norman Oklahoma had the highest level of Chromium, followed by San Jose and Riverside California, Washington DC and Madison Wisconsin. This deadly compound gained its notoriety from the movie Erin Brockovich.

Before running out and buying bottled water though, you might want to rethink that idea. There is no standards to test bottled water and source could very well be the same source that you get your water from, and probably is. The image on the bottle or the name of same have little or nothing to do with source. The price, the plastic bottles and source all make drinking bottled water a bad choice.

There are however several filtration processes that can effectively remove this compound from the water you drink and that would be your best move.

EPA standards for almost everything are so outdated and politically polluted that they cannot even be taken seriously and filtration processes used by the cities and municipalities around the country are not the best although they meet the sub standard standards currently in place, does not mean they are safe.

http://www.current-movie-reviews.com/off-beat/2010/12/20/dont-drink-the-water-its-spoiled-where-are-you-erin-brockovich/

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NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — ‘Tis the season to be jolly, and unfortunately, to toss also out a lot of trash.

In the period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, American households generate 25% more waste. That’s about 1 million extra tons of trash each year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

That includes everything from food to wrapping paper, holiday decorations, packaging, and old cellphones and laptops that are unceremoniously dumped as soon as the latest models emerge from under the Christmas tree.

“The holiday season is especially important for us because all of the festivities, gift giving and traveling does create a lot more waste than at other times of the year,” said Jennifer Berry, spokeswoman with Scottsdale, Arizona-based Earth911.

“People get so caught up in the fun that they forget about the environmental impact of these activities,” said Berry.

Earth911 provides local resources about recycling centers as well as tips on how to recycle and pollution prevention. It has a large network of over 127,000 programs nationwide.

http://money.cnn.com/2010/12/16/news/economy/holiday_trash/

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(NaturalNews) More than half the water in China is so polluted as to be undrinkable, and nearly a quarter is so toxic that it is unsafe for even industrial use, according to the latest survey by the country’s Ministry of Environmental Protection.

The ministry divides water safety into six categories, the first three of which are safe for drinking and bathing. Samples taken from all of China’s major rivers and lakes in the first half of 2010 show that the percentage of water in categories I-III increased to 49.3 percent from 48 percent in 2009. Another 26.4 percent of China’s water is considered safe for agricultural and industrial uses (categories IV and V). The remaining 24.3 percent falls into category VI, unsafe for any use.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection was formed two years ago to replace the largely powerless State Environmental Protection Agency. This corresponded with a major campaign by the federal government to convince local officials that environmental protection would now be evaluated alongside economic growth.

Yet the ministry reports that the 102 environmental accidents in the first half of 2010 mark a 98 percent increase over 2009, which had a total of 172 accidents in the entire year. Air pollution has worsened as well.

Although China’s pollution problem has become infamous worldwide, many analysts note that this pollution is a direct consequence of China’s industrial development, largely to produce items for consumption in wealthier countries.

http://www.naturalnews.com/030630_China_pollution.html

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(ARA) – It’s empowering to know that there are small changes you can make in your own life that can also have positive effects on everyone else’s life. But did you know that many of the same things you personally do to live a healthier lifestyle, can also positively impact the environment?

In fact, improving your own waistline and reducing your personal waste are connected in more ways than you’ve probably thought about. Here are four changes you can make to your everyday life that will also make a positive impact on your health and the earth:

* Eat local, organic foods. By making sure that you are purchasing locally grown, organic foods, you are also reducing the amount of energy it takes to transport the food to your area. When you eat locally, it means that the food has to travel a much shorter distance to make it onto your plate, therefore reducing its impact on the environment. It also allows you to know that you are eating some of the freshest produce available to you, which are packed with vitamins you need to improve your health.

* Drink more water, but ditch the disposable plastic bottle. We often mistake thirst for hunger, so grabbing some water might quench both a craving and your thirst. Water is a far better choice than calorie-ridden sugary beverages.

By carrying a reusable container with you instead of single-use plastic water bottles, you’ll do your part in reducing plastic waste. “If everyone in the United States pledged to give up bottled water for just one month it could save more than 5 billion bottles,” says Josh Dorfman, environmental activist, TV host and author of “The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget: Save Money. Save Time. Save the Planet.”

http://www.kpvi.com/feed.php?id=17053&storyid=8052740101

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Envisioning a more sustainable campus, a group of students have posed ideas for renovating and retrofitting buildings, installing shower timers, promoting educational smartphone applications and incorporating gym equipment that converts movement into energy while users burn calories.

More than 130 University of Arizona students in the Honors College presented these ideas and others during Thursday’s MIS 111 Honors Project Showcase, held at the UA’s Eller College of Management.

The judged showcase coincided with the UA Green Fund opening its campus-wide call for funding requests for projects centered on sustainability and strong student involvement.

“This is a testament to the creativity embodied in the students and great ideas to improve campus sustainability,” said Lon Huber, the Green Fund chair, said about the forum.

All told, nearly three dozen projects were presented during the symposium. This year’s winning teams are:

• “Big Belly Trashcans,” which would use solar energy to compact stored trash, enabling more storage and less need for frequent emptying while keeping pests out of the bins.
• “EcoCat Boxes” would serve to incorporate the use of reusable to-go containers at campus dining areas. The boxes could then be returned to Dining Services to be cleaned and sanitized for further use.
• “I Heart Tap Water” would

• involve testing tap water against bottled water while encouraging people to refill rather than replace water bottles.

Huber, who attended the forum along with other Green Fund committee members, said the Green Fund committee would be providing seed funding to the “best ideas” from across campus.

Students who participated in Thursday’s symposium are welcome to apply for funding, along with other members of the campus community – so long as students are involved in a “meaningful” way, he said.

http://uanews.org/node/35994

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If you want to help out someone you know who is struggling financially, you could give themmoney for Christmas. That might not be practical, though, since the recipient may be too proud to accept a handout, but there are several gifts you can give that will save the recipient money all year long.

[In Pictures: 12 Money Mistakes Almost Everyone Makes]

1. Reusable water bottle

If you know someone who drinks lots of bottled water, they could save a lot of money and make less waste by using a reusable water bottle instead. If they switch to drinking water instead of soda they could save a lot of calories as well.

2. Rechargeable batteries

This is a great gift for that person who has lots of electronic gadgets that take batteries. This will save them from having to spend money on new batteries plus it is much more convenient than always having to run to the store for new batteries.

3. CFL Bulbs

These bulbs use much less electricity than standard incandescent bulbs. According to EnergyStar.gov, a CFL can save over $40 in electricity costs over its lifetime.

[Visit the U.S. News My Money blog for the best money advice from around the web.]

4. Power Strip

Many of the electrical appliances in your home , such as TVs, use electricity even when they are turned off. By plugging these appliances into a power strip and turning it off when the appliances aren’t being used the recipient will save electricity and reduce their electric bill.

5. Smarty Pig account

This account is a good alternative to just giving money. It is similar to a savings account but it is for a specific financial goal. There are some restrictions on when account holders can access their money. The account currently pays 1.75. percent APY though and if you cash out via a gift card you can receive up to a 10 percent bonus on your money.

These are just a few gifts that keep on giving. If you choose to give a gift similar to these, your recipient will not just get a gift at Christmas, but they will save money throughout the entire year.

http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/my-money/2010/12/09/5-christmas-gifts-that-keep-on-giving

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