Preliminary research suggests that the ingestion of harmful chemicals from drinking water may not be the primary exposure.  Scientists found chemical by-products from water containing toxic chemicals can be absorbed through the skin in the bath or shower and that skin absorption rates for many of these chemicals in both children and adults are much higher than from oral ingestion.  Bath lovers especially take note, as you are the ones submerged in bathing water.

Fortunately, point of use bath and shower filters go a long way in eliminating or reducing our exposure to toxic chemicals.  These filters are certainly worth taking a look at, especially for you bath enthusiasts.

The Beverages Industry find themselves under attack once again. After seeing government anti-obesity campaigns ban the sale of soda in schools, groups are now focusing on bottled water as their next target. According to the Ecologist, over 90 universities across the U.S. have either banned or plan to ban bottled water on their campuses. Brown University, which once sold 320,000,000 bottles of water, banned sales in dining halls in 2010. Bottled water has even been banned in places like Grand Canyon National Park.

In recent years the industry has taken a hit for the massive landfills and other ecological problems that plastic bottles generate, and recent reports indicate that bottled water is not necessarily safer than tap water.  Eliminating plastic bottles is well worth it, and the net gain is immense.  And for healthy adults, tap water in the United States is a safe option, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t make your water safer. If you discover that your water is not of the best quality, filtered water is the most viable option.  Many filters attach right to the tap and can filter out lead and other contaminants.

Buying the right shower filter can be a daunting task with the variety of options out there.  Most people are concerned with addressing two things: chlorine reduction for softer skin and hair, and air quality improvements from reduction of chlorine and other contaminants.  The significant health benefits of using New Wave’s Premium Shower filter are well documented, but another major factor that people consider when shopping for shower filters is the impact on their water pressure.  Fortunately, New Wave’s customers have been very satisfied with the quality of their water pressure when using New Wave’s filter.

“It installed easy, and you immediately notice no chlorine smell on your skin. It’s like showering in hot rain! Your skin is softer afterwards, soap lathers up easier, your hair is thicker and styles easier when you dry off, it’s just win-win.”

“One of my concerns was, will I lose water pressure. I want to assure anyone who has this concern; the water pressure is exactly the same as it was prior to adding this filter. Delivery to my home was very efficient.”

“This product is Awesome!!!! I love taking showers now. I had no loss of pressure and just love this thing.“

Environmental organizations are constantly talking about the water crisis and asking others to join the fight against it.  Depleting water sources and water conservation are certainly relevant problems, but as Earth Day approaches, attention should be focused on the nearly one billion people who live without access to clean drinking water.

Water Changes Everything is an Earth Day video created by Jonathan Jarvis and narrated by Kristen Bell, which explains the importance of achieving access to safe drinking water, for everyone.  Fortunately, the water crisis is solvable.  There are solutions, like water filtration systems and even drilled or hand-dug wells.  These solutions bring clean water much closer to the people who need it.  But it still takes a collective effort to make access to clean water for all a reality.

Now that Spring is in the air (and earlier than usual), it’s time to spice up your daily routine.  If you feel like lunch has been monotonous and predictable with the same sandwich, the same sides and the same drink, then it’s definitely time to add some variety with these ideas below!

SUSHI. Accompanied by a green salad, orange slices and a cookie for dessert.  Who doesn’t love sushi?!

ARUGULA SALAD.  And what better time than now, when we’re finally seeing a wider variety of fresh greens at the farmers’ market.  Pair this salad with some fat-free cottage cheese and crackers for a light and delicious lunch.

BRUNCH.  Put together some of your breakfast favorites for a Lunchopolis Brunch!  We recommend farm-fresh eggs, crispy tots and wholesome fresh fruit.

FIESTA.  This will be especially useful if you eat Mexican food for dinner the night before.  Use your leftover beans, tortillas, and rice to create a Lunchopolis fiesta!

GRILLED PANINI.  Paninis seem to be all the rage today.  Pack your panini full of vegetables, and grill it in a very small amount of olive oil.  Compliment your panini with fresh apple slices and carrots.

These are just a few ideas, of course.  Please leave any Lunchopolis recommendations of your own in the comment box below!

Most people are aware that plastic pollution is one of the most serious threats to our environment, yet we still see it everywhere we go.  This is mainly attributable to the convenience factor of using disposable plastics, which many of us are convinced we cannot live without.  In reality, there are more affordable, environmentally friendly, and overall higher quality substitutes for such items as disposable plastic water bottles and food containers.  National Geographic provides some compelling statistics about plastic pollution that will convince you to explore these options.

• Almost every piece of plastic ever made still exists today.
• Plastic bottles take nearly 1000 years to begin composting.
• An estimated 14 billion pounds of trash, much of it plastic is dumped in the world’s oceans every year.
• Plastic bags and other plastic garbage thrown into the ocean kill as many as 1 million sea animals each year.
• At least 80% of plastic bottles are not recycled.
• In a study conducted by the National Resources Defense Council about one third of the bottled water tested had significant contamination.
• Americans generate more than 10.5 million tons of plastic waste a year but recycle only 1 or 2 % of it.
• Midway Atoll is home to two-thirds (1.5 million) of the global population of Laysan Albatross. Nearly all of these albatross have plastic in their digestive system and one-third of their chicks die from plastic pollution ingestion.
• 24 million gallons of oil are needed to produce a billion plastic bottles.
• The world’s annual consumption of plastic has increased from around 5 million tons in the 50′s to nearly 100 million tons today.
• The federal standards for tap water are higher than those for bottled water.
• It takes about 72 billion gallons of water a year just to make the empty plastic bottles.
• Bottling and shipping water is the least energy efficient method ever used to supply water.
• The shipment of bottled water burns huge amounts of fossil fuel, a weekly convoy of 37,000 18-wheeler trucks.
• 25 percent of bottled water comes from a municipal supply.The water is treated, purified and sold at a thousand times the price.
• According to the Beverage Marketing Corp, the average American consumed 1.6 gallons of bottled water in 1976. In 2006, that number had jumped to 28.3 gallons.
• Consumers spend an estimated $7 billion on bottled water in the US each year.
• Imagine a water bottle filled one quarter of the way up with oil. That’s about how much oil was needed to produce the bottle.

Below is a review from Integrative Mom who describes her experience with the Bathtub Filter.  Enjoy!

Are you a mom who has been very mindful when selecting your baby’s shampoo, body wash and lotion- considering every ingredient and carefully choosing the perfect products?

Have you given as much thought to what’s in the water in which you are bathing your baby?

Our skin is the largest organ. It is very absorbent to everything we soak in and slather on it. It is also our first line of defense in filtering out harmful substances from our bloodstream.

The most harmful substance in our bath water is chlorine.

Chlorine is defined as a pesticide by the EPA since it is used to kill living organisms. It also causes cancer in humans. It is in our drinking water in low doses which is why I drink filtered tap water.

But the scary part is that over 60% of our harmful exposure to chlorine is due to inhalation of steam and skin absorption while showering and bathing.

From the time my baby was born until his first birthday, we lived in a LEED certified green building. Amongst many other amazing eco-amenities, they triple filtered the water that we used for baths and showers, removing most of the chlorine.

When he was one, we moved into a not so green building. Every time I gave my son a bath, I cringed at the heavy smell of chlorine in the bathwater, and noticed how dry his skin felt upon taking him out of the bath.

I resolved the issue by bathing him less. This is really not the best option with a very active toddler who spends most days outdoors and maybe even eats a little dirt.

Then I had another baby and when I put him in the bathtub and smelled the chlorine, I felt I was doing more harm than good.

I recently heard about a product that removes the chlorine from bath water and knew I had to try it. It is called the Splish Splash Bathtub Filter and works by running your bath water over the ball, or swirling it directly in the tub. Sounded easy enough to me!

I contacted New Wave Enviro and they sent me a Splish Splash Bath Filter to try out with my precious babies.

It was super easy to use- I just hung it over the faucet and let the water run through it.

Then I swirled it in the water for a few minutes. Next, I plopped my healthy little giggling dribbling baby boy in the tub. He was a-splishin’ and a-splashin’ and…

His skin felt softer upon exit, but I knew I needed to try it for myself for a true assessment.

It works.

My skin felt the best it has felt in 2+ years. I didn’t feel the need to slather anything on it when I was finished. The bath felt more luxurious too.

Perhaps it was the peace-of-mind I was feeling knowing I wasn’t marinating in chlorine, or maybe it was because I was actually in the bath. (A rub-a-dub, just relaxin’ in the tub)… But I know the filter was doing its job.

Easy to use, and it removes harmful toxins from my baby’s bath? Yes, please!

Getting enough fluids is important to staying healthy. Proper hydration has been associated with energy levels, concentration, physical endurance and other things that help us get the most out of life. But when we don’t get enough to drink, we risk becoming dehydrated, a condition that can range from mild symptoms to severe heat-related illnesses.

Kids are often at greater risk of becoming dehydrated, mainly because they’re less effective at perspiring and also because their bodies can produce more heat during exercise. And if you’ve ever watched kids play, you know that they’re so preoccupied with what they’re doing that they often forget to break for a drink.

That’s why it’s important to get kids in the habit of drinking water.  Encourage your child to drink water with meals and snacks, and limit caffeinated and sugary beverages.  Whenever your child leaves the house, make sure he doesn’t leave without a reusable water bottle.  Also, be a good role model.  If your child sees you drinking water throughout the day, then he’ll more likely follow your lead.