by Matt | Oct 31, 2012 | bottled water scam
Bottled Water Blunders
Its no secret that bottled water companies are masters of marketing; you’ve got to be crafty when you’re trying to sell a product at a 2000% markup. Bottled water companies spend millions of dollars each year to advertise their product as “pure” and make tap water seem unhealthy. The fact is that most bottled water is filtered tap water, and municipal water is usually more regulated.
Bottled water companies care more about buzzwords and endorsements than water quality. When marketing and profits come before integrity and ethics a company cannot be trusted. Take a look at some big bottled water blunders:
Nestle Sued
Nestle, the world’s biggest food brand, markets a “100% natural spring water” called Ice Mountain Water. The spring water is actually tap water, and now Nestle is facing legal action for misrepresenting their product. Nestle’s decision to lie about their product shows that they clearly do not respect their customers.
This is the second time that Nestle has faced claims of false labeling in the last decade. This latest offence comes during a year where Nestle has made $6.07 billion and announced growth within North American markets. It is clear that for Nestle, money comes before water quality and the truth.
Lady Agua?
There have been a number of celebrities to endorse bottled water over the years, and Jenifer Aniston is still the face of Smart Water. Last year UNICEF used star power to raise money by offering Celebrity Water. Celebrities like Rihanna and Dwight Howard gave up bottled water and lent their likeness to reusable bottles for charity. UNICEF used the same advertising strategy as bottled water companies for a positive purpose.
Recently it was revealed that Lady Gaga is planning to launch her own brand of bottled water. Her bottled water plan has apparently been in the works for some tie, and is going to be a “healthy drinking water brand”. We can only hope that her socially conscious reputation leads to an environmentally-friendly product.
With all those fans and a charismatic spokesperson, this seems like a smart business move. Rather than sign a deal with a water company, Lady Gaga made her own and retained control. Bottled water companies had better hope more celebrities don’t try this.
The Value of Marketing
It has become clear that water quality is not the top priority for bottled water companies. Bottled water companies pump more and more into advertising each year, and each year more water is sold.
When companies are allowed to lie about their products it is dangerous for consumers. No matter who tells you to buy water, the only way to guarantee your water quality is by installing a home filtration system. Don’t let marketing trick you into thinking otherwise.by checking your home water quality and using a BPA-free reusable bottle, like our BeCause Water Stainless Steel bottle.
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by Matt | Oct 23, 2012 | Health
We all know that it’s important to drink water to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but it’s less apparent how much we truly need in order to stay hydrated. “Drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day” is the common answer, mainly because it’s easy to remember. The truth is that different people need different amounts of water, and staying hydrated is especially important for growing bodies and athletes.
Most Common Causes of Dehydration
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Not drinking enough during exersize and hot weather
- Dehydrating beverages (caffeinated coffee & soda, and alcoholic drinks)
- Excess sweating
Being dehydrated is a terrible feeling. When you lose more fluid than you take in, you become dehydrated your body can’t carry out normal functions. Alcoholic beverages and caffeinated drinks like coffee and soda also lead to dehydration. Drinking fluids is the easiest way to fight dehydration, though severe dehydration requires medical attention.
Symptoms of Dehydration
- Dry mouth/thirst
- Fatigue
- Decreased urine, dark-yellow urine
- Headache
- Dizziness/lightheaded
- Fever/rapid heartbeat in severe cases
Severe Consequences
Untreated dehydration can cause confusion, hallucinations, and in extreme cases death. Extended time without proper hydration has significant mental effects and causes a dementia-like confusion. It is estimated that in a moderate climate, an average human being could last
about a week without water. However, in 2006 a man
survived 24 days without food and water after his body essentially shut down.
If you’re an athlete or person on the go its important to have water with you at all times. Consider buying a reusable water bottle such as the BeCause Water BPA-free Stainless Steel bottle so that hydration can always travel with you.
How Much Hydration?
There are a number of factors that determine how much water you should be drinking a day such as level of activity, weather conditions, and distance from sea-level. The Institute of Medicine recommends that adult males drink 3 liters (around 13 cups) of water a day, while women should drink 2.2 liters (about 9 cups). It is also important to spread out your water intake through the day; drinking a day’s worth of water at once will not give you the same health benefits as balanced consumption.
If you exercise heavily you should take steps to maintain healthy hydration. Drink 1.5-2.5 cups of water an hour before exercising, and take water breaks during your activity. Parents also need to make sure adolescent children are maintaining their hydration during sports. You can use this Hydration Calculator to get a specific idea of how much water you need each day.
Getting Your Fill
If you drink enough water so that you are never thirsty, you are most likely maintaining good hydration. While it may seem like you need to drink a lot of water in a day, you can also get your water through foods. Watermelon is mostly water, and remains the ultimate refreshing fruit on a hot summer day. Other fruits and vegetables such as grapefruit, melons, oranges, celery, and tomatoes can help put water back into your system.
Alcohol is the fastest way to become dehydrated. Make sure you drink a glass of water with every alcoholic drink to maintain your fluid levels. Another great way to replenish your fluids is with milk.
Staying hydrated is one of the most important parts of maintaining your overall health. Make sure you drink the recommended amount of water each day, especially if you are exercising. Raise a glass to your health!
by Matt | Oct 22, 2012 | water quality
Have you ever had a glass of water that just didn’t taste right? Want to make sure that will never happen again? Improve your home’s water quality with a MACgaurd Carbon Filter. Carbon filtration is one of the most effective ways to filter water and one lucky reader will be getting a free filtration system valued at $1099!
Carbon Filtration
One of the most common ways to filter water is through carbon filtration. The filter works by forcing water through tiny pores in positively charged carbon. The positively charged carbon attracts negatively charged contaminants as the water makes its way through the carbon pores. The carbon is compressed to the water must travel through thousands of pores until all floating contaminants have been removed.
The addition of a carbon filter to your drinking water system is a easy way to improve water quality, and its a great first step toward perfect water quality. While carbon filters do not protect against all water contaminants, they are extremely effective in removing chlorine, sediment, and volatile organic compounds. In addition, more time flowing through the filter leads to more contaminants being removed.
If you want to find out exactly whats in your home water, you can schedule a free water quality analysis here.
MACguard Filtration System
One of our lucky readers will get Kinetico MACguard carbon filtration system, one of the most effective and advanced systems for home use. If you have ever worried about chlorine in your water, or had a problem with your water’s taste, this is the product for you. The MACguard system will immediately improve the quality of your home water, and is extremely convenient.
The MACguard filtration system boasts a number of convenient features. The MACguard filter has an easy to read meter to let you know when the filter needs changing. The MACguard also automatically shuts down the system when the filter is ineffective. The unit stores under the sink rather than in plain sight, and comes with a warranty.
- Fresh tasting water through your own pipes
- Dedicated, lead free faucet for drinking water
- Notifies owner when filter needs changing
- 1 year warranty
Feeling Lucky?
BeCause Water is excited to be able to provide a contest like this for our readers! We will be raffling off the carbon filter in the next 2 weeks, so be sure to enter on our facebook page. This is an easy way to get a FREE home filtration system and be on your way to the purest water possible.
by Matt | Sep 16, 2012 | Uncategorized
BeCause Water Interview with Doug Bennett
We recently talked to Doug Bennett of the Southern Nevada Water Authority about water sustainability and efficiency. He has worked to maximize water efficiency in one of the driest areas in the country, and knows a great deal about public water management.
BW: What is your best definition of water efficiency?
DB: Efficiency is simply getting the greatest work out of the smallest amount of water. Our sole focus has been on pushing our community to sustain a strong economy and quality of life while using less water. So many people think conservation means sacrifice, when it often only means doing something differently.
BW: Why do you think water sustainability doesn’t receive the same mainstream attention as “green energy”?
DB: Simply put, energy is more expensive and may have more appeal from a return on investment perspective. In most communities, the electric bill far outweighs the water bill. Furthermore, more federal incentives have been targeted at electric energy than water, despite the fact that reduced water use is one of the major ways to decrease our energy footprint. Pumping water is incredibly energy intensive. If the water is heated at home, or used by a customer who must pump it in a tall building, the energy footprint grows substantially. If the water goes down a drain, even more energy is spent in wastewater treatment.
BW: What are your Top 3 recommended household water efficiency installations to save water?
DB:
- Change your landscape style – The simplest way to maintain an attractive yard without an enormous water footprint is to use water-efficient plants, low-volume drip irrigation and a smart controller that monitors weather or soil conditions to water only as much as necessary.
- Wash smarter – New high efficiency machines use about one-third as much water as old-school top-loaders. Not only will you use less water, but you’ll save up to $100 annually on electricity and hot water.
- Tell your commode to hit the road – If your home was built before 1994 and you haven’t changed the toilets, you’re probably flushing 3.5 gallons or more five times per person per day.
BW: What would you say to people with the opinion that “We are a water-rich country, there should be no urgency in becoming more water efficient?”
DB: The drought of 2012 ought to be a wake up call to anyone that takes water for granted. Most water supply systems are built upon assumptions based on historic weather records. Water scarcity can come at any time to any region as a result of a shortage of infrastructure, a lack of natural precipitation, or even a court judgement. Being water efficient makes our communities more resilient.
BW: Any big events or projects in the works that you would like to inform the BeCauseWater.com readers about?
DB: The world’s largest conference for urban water efficiency is held annually in Las Vegas. The SNWA hosts WaterSmart Innovations (WSI) on a not-for-profit basis to bring together the world’s experts on water efficiency. This year’s WSI was held this past October 3-5, but you can visit www.WaterSmartInnovations.com to stay updated on future events.
We want to thank the Southern Nevada Water Authority and Doug Bennett for sharing his expertise with us. We look forward to building a smarter and more water efficient community for years to come.
by Matt | Sep 16, 2012 | Uncategorized
Ocean Contaminants
No one likes a crowded beach, especially one that’s full of trash and bacteria. It’s extremely important to make sure your beach is safe and free of ocean contaminants. Increased rainfall coupled with steamy, humid temperatures can lead to bacteria forming in and around the beach which can cause severe illness.
Whether you’re at the beach or in your home, its important to know that your water is pure and safe: You can request a FREE home water quality analysis here, and know for sure that your water is free from contaminants. We previously talked about how to avoid bacteria on the beach, but what exactly is lurking in the water? Here is a list of the top 5 contaminants that could be lurking in ocean water.
Top Ocean Contaminants:
5. Plastic Debris – We already know that humans consume and throw out far too many plastic products. Unfortunately these products often end up in the ocean, where it takes hundreds of years for the plastics to degrade. Bits of plastic end up contaminating water and harming ocean life.
4. Boating Waste – The environmental impact of shipping is huge. Sewage from ships and discharged ballast water contains viruses and bacteria that is extremely harmful for ocean life and unsafe for human interaction. Luckily Massachusetts restricts where boats can dump their waste.
3. Cyanobacteria – Cyanobacteria or “blue green algae” can develop exponentially in certain water conditions. The algae produces cyanotoxins, which are among the most powerful natural poisons known. Exposure to cyanotoxins can lead to respiratory failure and death.
2. Sewer Runoff – Storm water and sewage runoff is how most contaminants get into ocean water. Whether it be from improper human interaction, dumping, or a problem with drainage, it is important to maintain safe ways for runoff to get to it’s destination.
1. E-Coli/Enterococci – E-Coli and enterococci are bacteria caused by human or animal fecal contamination. E-Coli and enterococci cause gastrointestinal and upper respiratory problems when found at an unsafe level. These bacteria cause the majority of beach closings.
Staying Safe
The last thing you want to think about the beach is contaminants, and the possibility of getting sick; when you’re at the beach have fun but BE SAFE. Almost all water contamination comes from improper human interaction with water sources; we need to clean up our act. This means never disturbing public water supplies, proper dumping of chemicals or waste, and keeping good beach etiquette.
Luckily, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Bureau of Environmental Health conduct regular inspections to ensure water quality at Massachusetts lakes and beaches. Recently Boston kids played in the harbor to celebrate how far the ocean cleaning efforts have come. Be sure to check if your local beach has passed inspection, and keep an eye on the weather. Let’s all stay safe during these last weeks of summer!
