Water is the most important daily nutrient. However, how you
get your water matters; some methods are safer and more earth-friendly than
others. For example, drinking water from plastic bottles contributes to 1.5
million tons of plastic pollution each year, while the water sold in plastic
bottles may contain even more impurities than your municipal tap water. Read on
to learn about green drinking water solutions for health, and the Earth’s.
Point-of-use water filtration products – In addition to representing a major source of pollution, drinking water from plastic bottles may also cause cancer-causing chemicals from the plastic to leach into your drinking water. Nevertheless, many people are not impressed with the taste or safety of their local tap water. For these reasons, water filtration products exist. These products include special activated-carbon filters for your kitchen sink faucet, as well as pitchers that you can use to filter tap water and store the filtered water in your fridge. As a result, bad odors and chemicals such as chlorine are filtered out for cleaner, better tasting water.
Whole-house water filtration system – Like point-of-use water filtration products, a whole house water filtration system is also a green drinking water solution in that you can use it to eliminate your plastic water bottle usage, while getting cleaner drinking water. However, whole-house systems provide even more benefits than point-of-use products. First, they are a more complete solution, typically using activated-carbon filtration together with reverse osmosis for the most effective treatment against a broad range of contaminants and impurities. Water filtration systems also remove contaminants and heavy mineral deposits from your entire water supply, rather just drinking water, which can benefit your home plumbing system, as well as your skin.
Energy-efficient water coolers – In some situations, such as a small-business workplace environment, a water cooler may be the best way to offer drinking water to a large group of people. People also sometimes use water coolers in their homes. However, water coolers are major energy suckers, consuming 7 billion kWh/year across homes and businesses. If you do use a water cooler in your home or business, make sure to choose an ENERGY STAR-certified unit, which uses approximately half the energy of conventional models. Learn more about energy-efficient water coolers on the ENERGY STAR webpage.
To find out more about whole-house water treatment systems and how they could benefit your family, check out this resource or call 513-333-HELP.
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Written and published by Thompson Electric, Plumbing, Heating & Cooling.
(Photo via Flickr)
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