Can drinking water aid in losing weight?
Contributed by Sean Van Staden
Repetitive media and clever marketing have paved the way for people to be conditioned into automatically making a choice which is not entirely theirs.
If I had to ask you to fill the word
in this sentence: burger, chips and … ? what would you say?
If you could fill the word in with ease, it is probably already
too late for you and more than likely you have been mentally
corrupted.
If you added a fourth word like "supersize" then at this precise
moment you have probably made some fast food franchise cry with
happiness.
Can something so lucid, so pure and so natural be really that good
for you or is this just another one of those myths or old wives
tales passed down from generation to generation? Even more
importantly what is water and how does it benefit me?
Let's look at some positive facts about water: Water is
made up of one part oxygen and two parts hydrogen. Oxygen is a key
ingredient to life on earth and hydrogen is one of the most
abundant substances on earth.
Quite frankly who cares?
What about the fact that your body is made up of between 55% and
77% of water depending on your size. Now what will happen if I tell
you that water can help you lose weight?
Water is known as being a good universal solvent which
means substances like salt, sugars, acids and alkalis can easily be
dissolved. Water helps break down the foods you eat and then takes
up the nutrients for transport through the
body.
When you don't drink enough water, this can place strain on your
entire operating system and if you are feeling moody, irritable,
tired, hungry, have regular headaches, sore joints, this could mean
that your body is desperately craving and in need of
water.
By knowing that water is a fantastic solvent, it helps flush out
toxins throughout the body and also helps neutralize the body's PH
levels.
If you are scared of water retention then drink more water, the
body as a defense mechanism tends to hold onto water because it
doesn't know when it is going to get its next supply.
But if you regularly and consistently feed your body with water
then your body will actually get rid of excess water and water
retention will be a thing of the past.
The amazing properties of water help in aiding to flush
out toxins, increase bowl movement, aids in food breakdown, helps
you feel fuller, helps you feel more energetic, allows for better
mental vitality and because your body needs water to function and
thus this allows for an increase in your
metabolism.
By increasing your metabolism your body is burning up more
calories. All these positive attributes come about through drinking
sufficient glasses of water.
The rule of thumb at Advanced Sports Performance is approximately
your body weight in water divided by the number of days in a month
contribute to a better well-being and vibrant you and more
importantly weight loss.
When you know the truth about something, can you afford not to
heed the advice? And can your body?
Sean is a sports scientist and director of Advanced Sports Performance.
Follow him on Twitter SeanVStaden, contact him on sean@advancedsp.co.za or visit the websitewww.advancedsp.co.za
By: jfoster
NSF International’s Post Hurricane Emergency Safety Tips
What You Can Do to Keep Your Drinking Water and Food Safe
More than 8 million Americans have been left without power in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, and authorities estimate that it could be a week or longer before it is restored. To help protect the safety of both food and drinking water,
Methods of Purifying Water public health and safety organization NSF International provides the following safety tips.
Both public and private water supplies can be compromised during extensive flooding. If you aren't sure about the quality of your water supply, don't drink it. There are several ways to purify water that may have been contaminated or comes from a questionable source:
- Boiling water - Will destroy most bacteria, cysts and viruses. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends boiling drinking water for a minimum of two to three minutes at a good rolling boil.
- Liquid (not granular) household bleach - Should be free of additives or scents and contain a hypochlorite solution of at least 5.25 percent. The American Red Cross recommends adding 16 drops of bleach per gallon of water and letting the water stand for at least 30 minutes. If the water doesn't have a slight bleach odor, repeat the dosage and let stand another 15 minutes. A filter certified for chlorine reduction can be used to reduce excess chlorine.
Purification tablets - If you have them in your emergency kit, be sure to follow the directions on the package. Chemical disinfectants are generally effective against most forms of bacteria and viruses, but may not kill intestinal parasites (cysts), so boiling or filtering for cysts may still be needed.
Determining if Food in the Refrigerator or Freezer is Still Safe
- Perishable foods such as meat, milk and eggs need to be kept refrigerated at or below 40º F.
Frozen foods need to be kept at or below 0º F. If the power is out, keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. The average refrigerator can usually keep food safely cold for about four hours if left unopened. A freezer may hold a safe temperature for 24 - 48 hours depending upon its fullness.
- Placing dry or block ice in the freezer or refrigerator can help keep foods cold for a longer period.
- Keep appliance thermometers in the refrigerator and freezer to help determine if food is being kept at the correct temperature. NSF certified food thermometers can be used to check the temperature of individual food items to make sure they haven't exceeded 40º F.
What to Keep and What to Throw Out After a Flood
- Don't rely on appearance or odor to determine if a food product is safe - most disease-causing organisms cannot be detected in this manner.
- Discard all food that came in contact with flood waters, including canned goods.
Discard wooden cutting boards, plastic utensils, baby bottle nipples and pacifiers as there is no way to safely clean and sanitize them.
- Dishes and cookware that are heat resistant can be washed in a certified dishwasher on the sanitizing cycle or washed by hand and dipped in a 50 ppm bleach solution.
When in Doubt, Throw It Out
Although some may advise that some canned foods may be salvageable, it's best not to take chances - just throw them away.
Sanitizing Your Home
When surfaces in homes are exposed to flood waters, fire or other potentially harmful residues, they need to be properly cleaned and sanitized. To avoid pushing dirt or bacteria further into your home, always start the cleaning process where food is prepared and work outward into the rest of the home.
Surfaces should first be rinsed to remove visible dirt residue, then washed with a mixture of hot water and detergent. After cleaning, rinse the surface with clean, potable water and allow to dry. Sanitizing can be accomplished using a bleach/water mixture or other sanitizing agent specifically formulated to kill germs and bacteria.
Proper Hand Washing
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the most important thing that you can do to keep from getting sick and spreading illness is to wash your hands. While hand sanitizers can help kill germs, they are not as effective as hand washing at removing dirt and soil.
Cheryl Luptowski, Home Safety Expert at NSF International says, "The most important thing to remember is to play it safe and practice these simple tips. Also, if you don't have to go outside, then don't."
Editor's note: To schedule an interview with Luptowski, contact Greta Houlahan at houlahan(at)nsf(dot)org or 734-913-5723.
More information: Additional drinking water and food safety emergency tips can be found on NSF International's website.
About NSF International: NSF International (http://www.nsf.org) has been testing and certifying products for safety, health and the environment for nearly 70 years. As an independent, public health and safety organization, NSF is committed to protecting and improving human health on a global scale. NSF protects families by testing and certifying thousands of consumer goods each year, including kitchen products and appliances, personal care products, dietary and sport supplements, bottled water, toys, pool and spa equipment, water treatment systems, plumbing fixtures and many other products used in homes every day. Look for the NSF mark on products you purchase.
Operating in more than 150 countries, NSF is committed to protecting families worldwide and is a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Food and Water Safety and Indoor Environment. In addition, NSF also and certifies organic food and personal care products through Quality Assurance International (QAI).
- originally posted by NSF, Ann Arbor, MI, October 30, 2012 (PRWEB) -
Reducing Toxins in Drinking Water
Reducing toxins in drinking water
Many people are concerned about the quality of drinking water. With over 2100 known contaminants potentially present in tap water, the concern is valid. Water filters are often the last line of defense between the body and the toxins present in drinking water.
So here are our top reasons why you should filter your tap water:
- ensures pure, contaminate-free drinking water
- reduces chlorine, bad taste, odor, lead, bacteria and sediments for better tasting, fresher drinking water
- reduces risk of rectal cancer, colon cancer, and bladder cancer by reducing chlorine and chlorine byproducts
- reduces the risk of waterborne illness and risks like Cryptosporidium and other infectious agents
- safer for kids with still-developing immune systems, pregnant women and adults with compromised immune systems
- provides clean, healthy water for cooking, as well as drinking
- helps appliances, such as refrigerators and coffee machines equipped with anti-scaling element, last longer and prevents scale build-up in household pipes
- more affordable than buying bottled water and reduces unnecessary plastic waste
- uses 2,000 times less energy to produce than bottled water
Most communities in North America have clean, safe drinking water. If you have concerns about your tap water, refer to the EPA for reports on local drinking water. Today there are various water filters available, ranging from refrigerator filters to under-sink filters. With the right water filter, you can reduce chemicals, sediments, lead, chlorine, taste and odor to deliver great-tasting water without the hassle or price of bottled water. One filter can clean hundreds of gallons of water, saving you money and reducing waste. Bottled water is convenient and should always be an option among the many beverage choices in stores, but cutting down on bottled water in your home is good for your health, good for your budget and good for the environment.
Additional tips to reducing water use and saving money on your water bill:
- run the dishwasher or washing machine only when there's a full load
- turn off the faucet when brushing your teeth
- install a low-flow shower head - or better yet, take a bath, which uses less water than a shower
The actions you take every day can reduce water usage, save you money and help the environment.
By: jfoster
Tips for conserving water in the kitchen
As a result of many factors, including the drought of recent years and increases in the cost of oil and natural gas, household costs seem to be going nowhere but up. But the kitchen is one place where a few simple changes can make a big difference, consider the following tips and suggestions for conserving water, you'll save money and benefit the environment.
To save water:
- Thaw meats and other frozen foods in the refrigerator overnight or in the microwave oven rather than under running water.
- Keep a bottle of cold drinking water in the refrigerator rather than running the faucet for cool water.
- When you need hot water, heat it on the stove or in the microwave oven. If you do need to run tap water and wait for it to get hot or cold, capture the water for other uses such as watering plants or soaking dishes.
- Kitchen sink disposals require lots of water to operate properly. To limit their use, peel vegetables, eggs and other food onto paper towels, then dispose of in the garbage container or add to the compost pile if you have available outdoor space. Limiting use of garbage disposals also helps decrease the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and organic matter added to wastewater, thus helping improve water quality and prolonging the life of septic tanks.
- Use a minimum amount of water when cooking foods such as frozen vegetables and stews. This will maximize nutritional value as well as save water.
- When washing dishes by hand, turn the faucet on and off to rinse dishes instead of allowing the water to run continuously.
- Repair the faucet if it leaks or drips.
- Run the dishwasher only when full and use the shortest cycle necessary to clean the dishes.
Tips Posted in She Knows Living
By: jfosterCooties in the Kitchen: Are you as safe as you think?
When it comes to kitchen safety, you know the drill: Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water. Use separate cutting boards for meats and vegetables to avoid cross contamination. Keep work surfaces clean and dry. Clean biofilms off appliances like coffee makers and water coolers.
Wait. What?
Cleanbiofilms?
How do I clean biofilms?
And what are biofilms, anyway?
"Biofilms are offensive slimes," says Michael J. Hurst, BSc(Hons) FRSPH, consulting microbiologist, principal, Watermark Consultancy. "They act as food for fast-growing bacteria and can be a hazard in the kitchen."
Biofilms promote bacteria growth, helping them colonize quickly to slippery, gooey surfaces that can give off an unusual odor.
"Biofilms can act as foodfor fast-growing bacteria."
-Michael J. Hurst, microbiologist
In fact, many homeowners might not being paying enough attention to notice the formation of biofilms-especially in hidden appliance parts, such as the reservoir of their bottled water cooler.
"Regardless of make or model, all bottled water coolers have a reservoir," explains Hurst. "If not maintained and cleaned properly, water cooler reservoirs can harbor lots of rapidly multiplying bacteria. Choosing a water cooler that is easy to clean is beneficial."
How Contamination Begins
While it's virtually impossible to create a completely sterile environment in any home, says Hurst, when it comes to bottled water coolers, you can limit exposure by following these safe-handling tips:
- Always wash hands before handling your cooler's water bottles, especially when loading a new bottle into the unit.
- When possible, avoid touching the neck of the water bottle during refilling (even with clean hands).
- Keep dirty hands and fingers or unsanitary plastic bottles from direct contact with water cooler faucets.
- Choose water coolers with easy to clean and maintain reservoirs and faucets.
- Steer clear of using aerosols or other contaminants around the water cooler itself, since these things can be drawn into the cooler when the water is dispensed.
- Position the water cooler in a convenient kitchen location away from where you handle meat and greens, since there have been incidences of dangerous bacteria coming from foods like spinach and alfalfa sprouts.
Time to Clean: Signs & Symptoms
Of course, it's best to clean all kitchen appliances regularly-and that includes bottled water coolers and their reservoirs. Set a cleaning schedule you can remember, such as the last day of the month or the same day you clean your coffee maker or refrigerator.
Not sure when you last cleaned? Here are some tell-tale signs that your water cooler is overdue for its regular cleaning:
- Stale or foul-tasting water
- Slight odor or cloudiness to the water
- Visible slime on faucets or reservoir
- Discolored surfaces on cooler waterway
How to Clean
Hurst recommends cleaning water coolers inside and out with soap and water, peroxide or a sanitation product like Cooler Clean, then rinsing well with plain water to remove residuals.
To avoid the internal parts problem inherent in water coolers with fixed reservoirs, Hurst recommends OASIS International's Nautica Series Bottle Coolers with their patented removable reservoirs.
Featuring a smooth, scratch-resistant, plastic surface, OASIS Removable Reservoirs easily disassemble for simple, effective cleaning in the dishwasher.
"With the OASIS RR line of bottled coolers it takes less than 3 minutes to remove all the parts that require cleaning," says Hurst. "All you have to do is run them through a standard dishwasher cycle and then just as easily assemble and replace. It's truly the easiest cooler in the world to sanitize and the most popular cooler in Europe where I live because it makes complying with our sanitization requirements a snap."
OASIS offers two bottle cooler models with Removable Reservoirs, discover the options:
OASIS NAUTICA
OASIS CAPRI
By: jfosterThe Importance of Drinking Water
The Importance of Drinking Water
by Stephanie Andreon
Summer is an important time to be aware of how much water we are consuming. Warm, sunny days and outdoor activities lead to an increase in sweat, as your body works to keep cool. Now is the time to be particularly conscious about staying hydrated and healthy.
According to the Mayo Clinic, water makes up about 60 percent of our body weight. Water is extremely important to a healthy body as it helps to transport nutrients and oxygen into cells, regulate body temperature, detoxify, protect vital organs and help them absorb nutrients and protect and moisturize our joints. Drinking plenty of water can also increase your overall quality of life by helping you to lose weight, have healthier looking skin, be more productive and feel healthier.
Dehydration can have many negative consequences, such as fatigue, migraines, constipation, muscle cramps, kidney problems, dry skin, sluggish metabolism, and pH imbalance. Symptoms of dehydration include dark urine, dry skin, thirst, hunger and fatigue.
If you suspect that you are dehydrated, it is important that you increase your water intake. While studies vary on the recommended daily water intake, it is generally accepted that you should drink at least eight, 8-ounce glasses of water per day. This can vary depending on your size, how active you are, the climate you live in, your health status, and if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.
About 25 percent of our water intake is from the foods that we eat. You can increase your water intake by eating foods high in water content, such as watermelon, tomatoes, and leafy green vegetables. Beverages such as milk and juice are also composed of mostly water, but are not calorie-free like water.
One way to ensure that you are drinking plenty of water is to fill a 2-liter bottle (approximately eight, 8-ounce glasses) at the beginning of each day. Make sure that it is gone by the end of the day and have a few extra glasses of water if it is especially warm or you have increased your amount of exercise. If you are not a fan of water and want to add some flavor, add a slice of lemon or other citrus fruit.
So remember, the next time you reach for a soda, substitute a bottle of water. Your body will thank you.
Did You Know?
- Approx. 60 percent of our body weight
- Not drinking enough water can result in dehydration
- You should drink at least eight, 8-ounce glasses of water per day
- Dehydration can have many negative consequences, such as fatigue, migraines, constipation, muscle cramps, kidney problems, dry skin, sluggish metabolism, and pH imbalance
- Symptoms of dehydration include dark urine, dry skin, thirst, hunger and fatigue
Link to article posting on thesafetyreport.com
By: jfosterTop Reasons To Filter Water
Many people are concerned about the quality of drinking water. With over 2100 known toxins potentially present in tap water, the concern is valid. Water filters are often the last line of defense between the body and the toxins present in drinking water.
So here are our top reasons why you should filter your tap water:
- ensures pure, contaminate-free drinking water
- reduces chlorine, bad taste, odor, lead, bacteria and sediments for better tasting, fresher drinking water
- reduces risk of rectal cancer, colon cancer, and bladder cancer by reducing chlorine and chlorine byproducts
- reduces the risk of waterborne illness and risks like Cryptosporidium and other infectious agents
- safer for kids with still-developing immune systems, pregnant women and adults with compromised immune systems
- provides clean, healthy water for cooking, as well as drinking
- helps appliances, such as refrigerators and coffee machines equipped with anti-scaling element, last longer and prevents scale build-up in household pipes
- more affordable than buying bottled water and reduces unnecessary plastic waste
- uses 2,000 times less energy to produce than bottled water
OASIS and Philips Team Up to Launch Water Disinfection System
Known for their energy efficient lighting designs, Philips is bringing UV technology to the water world. This particular innovation can instantly disinfect water regardless of temperature, producing clean hot and cold aqua in a snap. Designed to infiltrate point-of-use water systems around the world, including office and school water coolers, taps, drinking fountains, and portable systems, the InstantTrust's compact design can fit just about anywhere.
While public and home water systems are the first step, OASIS and Philips plan to use this technology on an enormous scale, cleaning millions of gallons of water at a time, worldwide.
Read more: OASIS and Philips Team Up to Launch Instant UV Water Disinfection System | Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the WorldWhat's Inside Tap Water
Getting Technical, as always, Wired Magazine explains the
chemical breakdowns in tap water:
- Dihydrogen Monoxide
The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry calls it oxidane. You probably know it as H20. Essential for all life, it's the universal solvent as well as a biological lubricant and coolant. But when it comes out of your tap, this simple combination of hydrogen and oxygen atoms is often mixed with stuff that you might be less happy to swallow.
- Sulfate
A naturally occurring chemical that leaches into groundwater. Some people drink high-sulfate mineral water at spas for its "cleansing" (laxative) effects. In public supplies, the EPA recommends keeping it to 250 parts per million to minimize the sulfurous smell and taste.
- Radio-Nuclides
Millions of years ago, volcanic ash rich in uranium blanketed what is now the Gulf coast of Texas. Since then, the U-238 has made its way into aquifers, where it decays into radioactive isotopes likeradium, thorium, and radon. In Houston, radiation levels in water have been measured as high as 16.9 picocuries per liter, well above the EPA maximum. (Yes, that unit of measure for radioactivity is named after Marie Curie-a fine tribute to a glowing career.)
- Trihalomethanes
Like fluorine and bromine, chlorine belongs to the group of intensely reactive "halogen" elements-the home wreckers of the periodic table, capable of breaking up many molecules (like ozone in the stratosphere). That makes chlorine great for killing microorganisms in water, but it can also combine with organic matter to form trihalomethanes, which damage your DNA and liver and may cause cancer.
- N-Nitrosodimethylamine
Labs have actually used this stuff to induce cancer in rats-with as little as one injection. But relax: It's not a conspiracy to taint our precious bodily fluids. NDMA can be formed as a byproduct of water purification with chlorine or chloramine. You might also drink it if you live near a Cold War-era military base. Riverside County, California, has measured levels of this stuff as high as 12 parts per trillion-four times the state's target limit.
- Lead
New York City boasts about the quality of its drinking water, but that upstate freshness means nothing if the water travels through ancient pipes. (Even new "lead-free" pipes can be 8 percent lead.) New York's soft water readily absorbs Pb, which can cause developmental disabilities and neurological problems. City authorities are required to take steps when levels hit 15 ppb, and they've had rates as high as 19 ppb.
- Chloramines
You know how ammonia labels say, do not mix with bleach-and bleach labels say, do not mix with ammonia? Municipal water utilities, in their zeal to kill microorganisms, have been ignoring that advice for most of the past hundred years. The result is cleaner water, plus a few ppm of this stuff-a compound that can damage red blood cells in mice and some humans.
- Bromate
No, it's not some chill dude that you share your Old Spice with. This potential carcinogen is another water-purification practice gone awry. When water containing bromine ions from natural mineral deposits is purified with ozone (O3), bromate (BrO3) is born.
This article originally appeared on Wired: http://www.wired.com/magazine/2012/02/st_whatsinside_tapwater/
Concerned about what's in your water? OASIS has the solution. Ensure your water is clean, safe and the best it can be with under-sink water filters or through point-of-use/bottleless water coolers with water filtration-either way, you're sure to get the best-tasting, cleanest water possible.
By: jfoster
2012 U.S. Water Prize recognizes efforts to increase water sustainability
The Clean Water America Alliance announced the winners of the 2012 U.S. Water Prize for watershed-based approaches toward water sustainability. "These six water champions are showing America how to innovate, integrate, and educate for water sustainability and economic success," explained Alliance President Ben Grumbles. U.S. Water Prize winners by alphabetical order are Frito-Lay Inc., Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, Philadelphia Water Department, Project WET Foundation, Salmon Falls Watershed Collaborative and the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission.
Frito-Lay is deserving of the U.S. Water Prize because of its corporate-wide stewardship on water and energy conservation. Its Casa Grande, Ariz. facility is leading the way in energy efficiency and process-water reuse. Water is an essential ingredient to the food and beverage industry and both Frito-Lay and PepsiCo are demonstrating how to manage water efficiently and save dollars along the way.
The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District is being recognized for its pioneering watershed-based permitting (WBP) pilot program that many of its other cutting-edge approaches fall within. The pilot WBP extends to the natural boundaries of Menomonee and Kinnickinnic Rivers' watersheds rather than being confined to political jurisdictions or industries. This has the potential to be more effective and efficient than traditional strategies in reducing water pollution within a watershed.
The Philadelphia Water Department is receiving the U.S. Water Prize for "Green City, Clean Waters." This far-reaching program is uniting the city with its water environment, creating a green legacy for future generations and finding a balance among ecology, economics and equity.
The U.S. Water Prize goes to Project WET Foundation for its success in building an extensive, grass-roots network of school and community educators. The program reaches thousands of formal and non-formal educators and millions of children annually with water-science education locally and globally.
The selection of the Salmon Falls Watershed Collaborative for the U.S. Water Prize highlights the importance of inter-jurisdictional partnerships to protect and sustain drinking water supplies. This inter-state collaborative between Maine and New Hampshire unites local, state and federal partners to protect forests and reduce stormwater pollution from anticipated development.
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) merits the U.S. Water Prize because of its holistic approach to energy, water and urban watershed management. Its strategy for stormwater includes innovative regulation, collaboration with other enterprises and financial assistance and outreach campaigns to increase community awareness and participation to enhance the function of the city's watersheds.
U.S. Water Prize winners will be honored in a special ceremony April 23 at the Washington Marriott Hotel in Washington. National water and environmental leaders will attend the celebration. Each recipient will receive a handcrafted, water-inspired, ceramic art work commissioned from internationally acclaimed potter Miranda Thomas.
The Clean Water America Alliance created and administers the U.S. Water Prize to recognize achievement and inspire action for water sustainability. Brown and Caldwell, Veolia North America, CH2M HILL, MWH, Pirnie/ARCADIS, CDM Smith and HDR are among the proud sponsors of the 2012 U.S. Water Prize. For more information, visit www.CWAA.us.
OASIS congratulates this year's winners!
This article originally appeared on WaterTech Online
By: jfosterBottled Water Is Silly—But So Is Banning It
Posted by Charles Fishman
I remember the moment when the silliness of bottled water became vividly clear to me. I was standing in the factory in San Pellegrino, Italy, at the foot of the Italian Alps, where San Pellegrino water is sealed in those shapely green bottles.
Leave aside that the glass bottles weigh more than the water they contain, or the journey those bottles of water have to make, by truck and ship and truck again, to land on a grocery shelf or café table in Manhattan or St. Louis.
The bottles themselves have to be washed before being filled. And as Pellegrino's wizened factory operations manager explained, they wash the bottles with…Pellegrino water. Before filling them with Pellegrino water.
Of course they do.
But then the silliness took a leap. Where, I asked, do the bubbles in Pellegrino come from? The plant manager's eyes lit up. Pellegrino water comes out of the ground uncarbonated, in fact. Pellegrino has another spring to the south in central Italy that is naturally carbonated. The company harvests the carbon dioxide from that spring, purifies it, compresses it, trucks it north to Pellegrino, and injects it into the water as part of the bottling process.
No matter how far your Pellegrino water has traveled to get to you, the dancing Italian bubbles that make it so delightful have traveled just a little farther.
San Pellegrino, which is now owned by the conglomerate Nestlé, has a storied history - as a town, as a spring, as a water - but let's be clear: It's a product no one needs. It's refreshing, it's appealing, but it is a pure indulgence. Whether you live in Milan, just down the road, or Mexico City, where Pellegrino is on the shelves at Wal-Mart. And I say that as someone whose wife and 13-year-old son both love San Pellegrino.
In fact, unless you're struggling in the aftermath of a natural disaster, unless you live in a developing world nation without safe tap water, all bottled water really falls into that category: luxury, indulgence, convenience.
That's okay, of course, lots of things I like are indulgences: Oreos, "The Good Wife," Italian Merlot, even the ice cubes I all-but-require in the glass of water that sits on my desk through the work day.
There is a fresh burst of controversy about bottled water on college campuses, specifically, around whether bottled water should be sold in the dining halls of U.S. and Canadian universities. Last week, the University of Vermont became the latest of 15 campuses in the U.S. and Canada to ban the sale of bottled water, according to figures from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).
Dozens more campuses have active campaigns to discourage bottled water purchases - including giving out free reuseable water bottles to students, and providing elegant, easy-to-use bottle filling stations. (Try to fill a water bottle from a water fountain sometime - you'll be lucky to get halfway full.)
Over the weekend, NPR's food blog had a story about college students squaring off against the bottled water industry which drew more than 100 comments. Columbia University's Water Center posted an essay last week asking, "Should Universities Ban Bottled Water?" which is getting a little of Twitter attention.
The essay doesn't answer the question, but I will: Of course bottled water shouldn't be banned.
Virtually all the bans are the result of well-intentioned student activism on campus.
But I don't understand how campuses can ban sale of bottled water while continuing to sell Coke, Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Vitamin Water and Red Bull.
What do the fired-up campus environmentalists think Coke is, anyway? Regular Coke is about 95 percent water; Diet Coke is 99 percent water.
The reasoning runs something like this: Water is available on campus - from taps, from spigots, from filtered water-filling stations. Students and staff don't need it delivered in plastic bottles. Coke and Red Bull aren't available the same way. (Although sodas, of course, are often delivered on tap in dining halls.)
The environmental contrail from bottled water (which I wrote about in a magazine story that took me to both Fiji and Poland Spring, Maine) is astonishing. It takes a fleet equivalent to 40,000 18-wheelers just to deliver the bottled water Americans buy every week.
But how is the fleet of trucks delivering water in bottles any different than the fleets delivering caramel-colored, caffienated water in bottles? It takes 2.5 liters of water to produce every liter of Coke products.
I can understand cities banning the purchase of bottled water with city funds for city offices - as San Francisco, Seattle, and New York have done. That's about both money and symbolism. Those cities run tap water systems - why would their employees need bottled water paid for by taxpayers?
I can understand vigorous on-campus awareness efforts to create a culture where carrying a bottle of Evian or Deer Park or SmartWater into class causes raised eyebrows. (No college student appears to be able to make it through a class these days without a drink of some kind - coffee, soda, water - as if scholarship had become seriously dehydrating. Not so long ago, students wouldn't have thought of stepping into a lecture hall with a cup of coffee or a can of soda.)
Indeed, you can start with the fact that buying water in a bottle makes absolutely no economic sense. The water in a half-liter bottle typically costs 3,000 times what the same amount of water from a spigot costs. Buy a single bottle of Poland Spring for $1.29 at the college store, and you can refill the bottle every day for 8 years - college plus medical school! - before the tap water costs what the original Poland Spring cost.
The very university food service systems that proudly announce bottled water bans offer products with at least as much environmental impact that also have all kinds of dietary impact. Froot Loops at breakfast? Chocolate chip cookies at dinner? Frozen yogurt on tap 16 hours a day?
Bottled water bans are not just oddly hypocritical - taking bottled water out of campus vending machines while leaving soda in those machines - they seem oddly misplaced in a setting where people are supposed to be thinking for themselves.
I love seeing college students leading an imaginative revival of the drinking fountain - and it would be great if the revival spilled beyond campuses into cities. Why do people buy bottled water? Because cities don't have public water fountains that are easy to use, clean and safe.
The bottled water debates is a great way of waking people up to the big water issues almost every community faces - scarcity, purity, reuse, sustainability. But the conversation has to move on from bottled water to the water supply itself.
Banning bottled water doesn't really teach anyone anything.
Charles Fishman is an award-winning investigative journalist and New York Times bestselling author who has spent the last four years traveling the world to understand and explain water issues. He is the author of The Big Thirst, which is being released in paperback tomorrow with a whole new chapter.
This article originally appeared on National Geographic. We were so impressed with this article that we gained permission to share it with the OASIS audience.
Innovation Drives Better Tasting, High-Quality Drinking Water
Someone said if you don't innovate, you die. And if you innovate and don't get it right (think Kodak), you might die. As many of you know, the OASIS brand has been the leader in water delivery and management solutions for 102 years. And, like many businesses, we've had to adapt to thrive. Today we are a strong and lean company, one that has held onto its heritage of developing high-quality drinking water solutions, but expanded from commercial-only products to innovative solutions for residential use.
A few years ago we started using the tagline "Water Friendly Solutions" to clarify we're not just a water cooler company, but a company that seeks solutions so everyone can have great drinking water. In 2010 and 2011 we released new products like our Green Filter™ system, Onyx countertop water cooler, vandal-resistant fountains, a new and improved AquaBar™ POU/Bottleless cooler line and the VersaFiller® bottle filler a one-of-a-kind, easy to install bottle filler that easily fits existing water coolers turning them into eco-friendly bottle fillers as well as a drinking fountain.
This year we plan to announce new filtration solutions and new water delivery systems, so stay tuned for updates as the innovation continues.
As a company focused on solutions that provide
great-tasting water, we're constantly looking for ways to improve
our products and to improve the water quality that people receive
from our solutions. Innovation and meeting unmet needs drive us and
we're always open to feedback and new ideas. Feel free to reach out
to us through our website, Facebook, or Twitter; we look
forward to engaging with you and sharing ideas on water
innovation.
John Kucharik
President & CEO, OASIS International
12 things you should know about filtered water
We've been around since 1910, pioneering the deliverability of clean, filtered water-water that's free from harmful chemicals, bacteria and sediment.
All that to say we know a thing or two about what makes for great-tasting water.
Check out our list of filtered water facts:
- Makes food taste better
- Rinses dishes cleaner
- Helps appliances, such as refrigerators and coffee machines equipped with anti-scaling element, last longer
- Prevents scale build-up in household pipes
- Is the safest choice for kids with still-developing immune systems
- Is more economical than bottled water
- Takes 2,000 times less energy to produce than bottled water
- Is as convenient as tap water
- Reduces the risk of waterborne illness and risks like Cryptosporidium and other infectious agents
- Is recommended for pregnant women and adults with compromised immune systems
- Removes unpleasant tastes and odors
- Is the only way to ensure pure, contaminate-free drinking water
January is National Tea Month
In the U.S., tea has become hot, hot, hot. In fact, after water, tea is already the world's second most popular beverage.
So with January being national tea month, we thought it would be a great time for tea time.
Black, white, green or oolong, tea is chockfull of good-for-you phytochemicals.
But how do you make a great cup of tea?
With great water, of course.
You can get great-tasting filtered water fast with Oasis Onyx bottleless coolers. These on-demand water coolers deliver 40 cups of fresh, filtered, hot water every hour. Plus, every Onyx model features an adjustable temperature hot tank, so you can steep tea at the perfect temperature. (Which, by the way is 175º or hotter.)
Here's to January … a month "steeped" in hot, tasty tradition.
What's thirst got to do with it?
In the doldrums of winter, hot beverages are the defacto drink of choice. So enjoy a hot cup of coffee, tea or cocoa-but don't forget to drink plenty of water, too.
"But I'm not thirsty."
Perhaps not. But you may be at risk of becoming dehydrated. Thirst is not an indicator of dehydration. In fact, by the time you are thirsty, you may already be dehydrated.
That's because winter weather causes us to lose a lot of water from our bodies. In fact, studies show that working or exercising in cold weather can deplete our body's fluid by as much as 3 to 8 percent. Considering that the human body is two-thirds water, that's a lot!
Cold weather also means bundling up more and going in and out of dry-air environments. All that adds up to respiratory fluid loss and evaporating sweat.
So don't wait until you're thirsty. Drink up. And drink in plenty of water this winter.
Why buy Energy Star® this holiday season
The holiday shopping season is in full force (even if it's a bit early for some of us).
From refrigerators and washer-dryer combos to dehumidifiers and water coolers, it's a good time to gift yourself a little something too.
Before you do, though, here are 5 things you should know about buying Energy Star® products and appliances:
- Energy Star is the government-backed symbol for energy efficiency.
- Products must earn the Energy Star label.
- Energy Star products meet stringent EPA specifications for reducing greenhouse emissions and other pollutants.
- Energy Star-rated products are tested and verified for energy consumption and performance.
- Energy Star products are energy efficient without sacrificing performance, features and comfort.
Of course, OASIS has plenty of Energy Star-rated products, including our Onxy Series bottle coolers.
Holiday helper: The #1 must-have ingredient for holiday baking
From bread dough to piecrust and cakes to cookies, now is the time for season's eatings.
Of course, every great recipe starts with great ingredients.
Our #1 ingredient?
Why, water, of course! (As the leader in water friendly solutions, what else would you expect us to say?)
Truth be told, we think most home cooks agree. Hot or cold, OASIS-filtered water has a refreshing taste that takes the cake. Or cookie. Or fudge. Well, you get the idea.
Plus, did you know that adding small amounts of water to solid shortening is a great butter or margarine substitute?
There's just no end to the great things that water can do during the holiday baking season.
Visit us on Facebook to share your favorite holiday recipe using fresh, OASIS-filtered water. We'll randomly pick one person to win an OASIS reusable, roll-up water bottle.
Happy holidays!
By: jan6 reasons to switch to refillable water bottles
According to the EPA, two-thirds of recyclables don't get recycled, ending up instead as litter or waste. That's just one of the staggering statistics-and a primary reason-to switch from plastic to refillable.
Here are 6 more reasons to switch from plastic, disposable bottles to refillable water bottles:
- Convenient. Like a plastic, a refillable water bottle lets you keep water close at hand so you can stay properly hydrated. The difference? You don't have to spend time, money or effort going to the store to replenish it.
- Sanitary. Refillable bottles wash easily and thoroughly. Plus they eliminate the confusing, "Is this your water bottle or mine?" dilemma, which adds even more waste.
- Economical. In most instances, tap water costs nothing. Can't say that about bottled water.
- A BPA-free alternative. The choice for BPA-free refillable bottles is bigger than ever. BPA, or bisphenol A, is a chemical used in some plastics and bottles. While not deemed a risk to human health, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has expressed concern about the chemical. Look for refillable bottles with a "BPA-free" label.
- Energy-saving. It takes 2,000 times more energy to produce a plastic bottle of water than it does to produce tap water for a refillable bottle.
- Sustainable. The U.S. uses enough plastic water bottles to stretch around the earth more than 190 times. Need we say more?
Ready to make the switch? Post a comment on Facebook and we'll send you an OASIS reusable, roll-up water bottle.
By: jfosterBetter than recycling: The #1 thing you can do to reduce plastic waste
Happy America Recycles Day! Today is a day to dedicate (or re-dedicate) yourself to reducing personal waste through recycling.
If you're like most people, you may not realize the impact you can have when you recycle. Take plastic water bottles, for example.
Last year alone, Americans consumed a whopping 65.8 billion plastic water bottles-the majority of which were not recycled.
Think about it.
If you, just you, recycled your plastic water bottles, you'd make a decent dent in reducing plastic waste.
But what if you completely eliminated plastic water bottles from your life, swapping them instead for fresh, filtered drinking water in a reusable bottle?
In just one year, you would completely eliminate 214.34 plastic water bottles from your life and the planet.
Now that's something to be happy about.
For more environmentally friendly water tips, follow us on Facebook.
By: janDo you really need to filter your water?
It's safe to say that staying hydrated is good for the body.
Even with plenty of tap water available, a lot of people don't drink enough simply because they don't like the taste.
Things like lead, chlorine and microbial contaminants can dramatically affect taste and quality.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), small amounts of these impurities are common. While the EPA considers them safe for healthy people, they advise those with weakened immune systems or other health conditions, or those concerned about specific contaminants, to treat their water.
Filters like the OASIS EZ Turn Green Filter® remove undesirable tastes and odors caused by contaminants and impurities, making your tap water more palatable for the whole family.
And when your drinking water tastes better you'll likely drink more of it-not to mention that using filtered water for cooking makes food taste better too.
Both the EPA and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommend an absolute one micron filter (or one labeled for cyst removal) to removeCryptosporidium, a microscopic parasite that's particularly harmful to people with immune systems weakened by AIDS, chemotherapy or transplant medications.
A high-quality, multi-stage tap water filter like ours effectively removes 99% of contaminants, leaving you with purer, cleaner water for drinking and cooking.
Water for Coffee, Cocoa, or Tea
Who's in for a steaming mug of tea, hot chocolate or coffee? We are! Especially now that the air's turned a bit chilly.
And while stores are stuffed with a dizzying variety of choices, ranging from white pomegranate to dark chocolate to French roast, the real secret to a great cuppa is this: water.
Yep. Your favorite brew is mostly water. (About 98-99%.) So in order to enjoy a hot, delicious beverage, you have to start with great tasting water.
At home or in the office, use the OASIS UnderSink Filtration System for fresh, cleaned water for beverage making.
It removes the funky stuff like:
- Distasteful impurities
- Lead
- Chlorine
- Scale
- Smells
- Sediments
And for a ready-to-pour solution, try our Water Pitcher System for cleaner tasting water.
5 tips for healthy hydration
After air, we need nothing more than clean water. But many of us forget (or struggle) to down even a few glasses every day.
Why?
Well, perhaps you don't like the taste. That's an easy enough fix with one of these.
Perhaps you haven't considered that clean water is important for a healthier you.
More likely, though, you simply haven't developed the habit. Keep reading and we'll tell you how-the easy way.
First, let's start with how much water you should drink.
The Institute of Medicine recommends 13 cups of water for men and 9 cups for women every day. If you're there, great job! You're doing good things for your body, including hydrating your cells, tissues and organs, and even fighting cancers, colds and headaches.
For the rest of us, though, that amount of water can seem a little daunting.
If you're not at the recommended amount, that's okay for now. The most important thing is to up your intake a sip or glass at time until you get there.
Here are 5 ways to give your body the water that it needs:
- Drink some water every hour. Just a few sips over your waking hours will add up.
- Use a straw. Many people find they're able take in more with just this simple switch.
- Play the "alternate" game. Enjoy a cup of coffee or a soda but make every other beverage choice a glass of refreshing water.
- Follow the formula. Here's a sure-fire formula for getting plenty of water in throughout the day: Drink one or two glasses after waking, brushing your teeth, with each meal, before and after work and before and after exercise.
- Carry it. Take a reusable water bottle with you everywhere you go and fill up at bottle filling stations.
Got some of your own ideas? Share them with us on Facebook.
Clean water for a healthier you
In our previous posts we talked about how OASIS Green Filter saves you money and how this revolutionary filter system saves the environment. Now lets talk about one last good-for-you benefit of the Green Filter: clean, healthy water.
The OASIS International Green Filter provides your family with an endless supply of the cleanest, healthiest water.
As you know, doctors recommend drinking eight glasses of water each and every day. So use the Green Filter to fill those eight glasses with the purest, best-tasting water straight from your tap and enjoy these health benefits:
- Water is the healthiest and most effective way to hydrate your body.
- Filtered water is the safest choice for children with developing immune systems.
- Green Filters reduce and/or eliminate many harmful agents in tap water, including microbial elements (depending on the Green Filter cartridge element).
- The superior taste of filtered water makes drinking water more palatable for the whole family.
- Increased water intake can lead to better skin, fewer toxins in your body and a faster metabolism.
One simple thing you can do to save the environment
In our last post, we talked about how OASIS Green Filter can help save you money. Let's look at how it can help save the environment too.
When you use the OASIS Green Filter system, you're using the most environmentally friendly choice in water filters.
In fact, you'll help eliminate some of the 6 million plastic filters that are thrown into landfills every year.
Unlike other water filtration systems that require replacing a plastic filter cartridge and housing, the OASIS Green Filter with has a reusable outer housing that doesn't create unnecessary plastic waste. It truly is the greenest water filter available.
- The Green Filter's outer housing never needs replaced, minimizing the impact on the environment.
- Green Filters eliminate the energy costs required to produce new plastic filter housings, saving an average 1.2 megawatts each year.
- The Green Filter interior filter element is almost entirely biodegradable, with virtually no environmental impact.
- Drinking tap water that's filtered through an OASIS Green Filter system instead of bottled water minimizes your family's contribution to the nearly 1.5 million tons of plastic bottled water waste produced each year.
Save green when you go green
Our tech-types and engineer geeks love to talk about product design. Get them talking about an OASIS International product like our commercial sinks and you'll hear things like "true gauge," "hand polished" and "front apron" through their smiles.
They can't help it. They're proud of the things we make and how we make them. So are we.
But we also know our products aren't about us. They're about how to make your life and your water better.
That's why, from time to time, we'll take a closer look at an OASIS product from your perspective. First up? Our patented Green Filter. Read on for part one of our three-part series on this revolutionary, reusable system …
It's hard to argue this fact: bottled water takes a toll on our environment. But bottled water can also take a toll on your wallet.
Avoid the cost of bottled water or expensive water delivery services with OASIS International's Green Filter system.
Here's how Green Filter can help save you money:
- Green Filter's filter media only needs to be changed twice a year, saving you hundreds on annual maintenance expenses.
- There are no throwaway plastic housings, making the cost to change filters far less than with other systems.
- Bottled can cost between 240 and 10,000 times more than tap water, which, when filtered through our Green Filter system, tastes clean and healthy.
- Compare the cost and gallon capacity of Green Filter cartridges with the filter on your refrigerator and see how much you'll save.
- Appliances, such as coffee machines, refrigerators, ice makers and even tea kettles last longer with filtered water that's free of scale and deposits.
Water for the world
No matter who you are or where you live, clean drinking water is absolutely essential.
Which is why we're proud to have provided water solutions for homes and businesses since pretty much forever. (Well, since 1910, to be exact.)
Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio with facilities in Mexico, Ireland and Poland, we make and distribute a whole bunch of water dispensing solutions under the OASIS® and Sunroc® brand names.
But no matter what name is on our products, one thing is certain: our passion is to provide durable, high-quality, technologically advanced water and water filtration products at a value you can expect from a global leader in water appliances.
Bottom line? We make the best water solutions at an affordable price. For home. For office. For life.
Our Products
Bottled Water Coolers and Point of Use Water Coolers
OASIS International offers a wide range of water cooler products for drinking water needs for just about every environment. Our water coolers have set the standard for performance, serviceability and ease of refurbishment. This means you can trust your OASIS water cooler for your drinking water needs for years to come.
Pressure Water Coolers
Our OASIS and Sunroc brands of dependable, high-quality pressure water coolers and drinking fountains are perfect for any building requirement, including schools, hospitals, airports and sports stadiums. We offer stylish models that suit every architectural need or specification. And we meet all water device certifications including UL, CE, ADA and other global and regional water quality standards.
Water Filters
OASIS offers an eco-friendly water filtration system called the Green Filter. This advanced water filtration system means you get reusable filter housings and biodegradable filter elements instead of large plastic or metal housing components that end up in the landfill for life. The Green Filter filters everything from chlorine, bad taste and odor to 99.99% of cysts and many bacteria. And with a wide variety of filtration solutions available, our filter inserts can be combined to create a customized water filtration system that meets your specific needs.
Our Commitment to the Environment
At OASIS, we know that the world's natural resources are precious. We also know that you're looking for new and innovative ways to reduce your impact on the environment. Our new Energy and Water Conservation water coolers save money while using less water and energy, too.
And our newest product, OASIS bottle fillers (brand name Aqua Pointe®), are the clean, pure, on-demand solution for filling popular reusable bottles. OASIS lets you enjoy the highest quality filtered, refrigerated or ambient water, 24 hours a day-without the waste of throwing away millions of plastic bottles.
By: admin