Water Bottle Bust

Posted on 07.16.2012 by kcox

Why Bottled Water Is A Waste

By: Krysten C.

So, you think you’re cool carrying around, ordering, and purchasing bottled water. After all, it’s the “cleanest,” “healthiest” – and if you’re really cool, your water is even “smart.” Here’s the thing, you’re wrong.

WATER BOTTLE WHY NOTS

The growing usage of plastic water bottles and the amount of waste that comes with it is a problem that is increasingly growing around the world.
BBC reports that, “Empty bottles, made of petroleum-based plastic, accumulate as non-biodegradable rubbish along city streets, in rivers, in parks, on beaches, and ultimately, they can end up in the ocean. Floating in the Pacific is the Eastern Garbage Patch, a large heap of trash twice the size of Texas, according to the Los Angeles Times. The vast majority of it is plastic.”
If tap water cost the same amount as the cheapest bottled water, then monthly water bills would cost $9,000. Ouch.
Each year, our landfills and litter chalk up $1B worth of plastic water bottles. Talk about a waste of money.
If you think gasoline prices are through the roof, then guess how much bottled water costs? $10 per gallon.
It takes 1.5M barrels of oil to make plastic bottles each year. With that oil, 100,000 Americans could fuel their cars for a year.
30 billion plastic water bottles are thrown away every year. With plastic taking thousands of years to disintegrate, toxic waste is continuing to build in the Pacific Ocean.

WHAT YOU’RE REALLY GETTING WITH WATER BOTTLES

Here’s the thing, top bottled water produces such as Aquafina (Pepsi) and Dasani (Coke) are practically stealing your money. Aquafina and Dasani account for 24% of all US bottled water sales. However, all that these companies do is treat their municipal tap water and resell it at a premium mark-up. So for what your refrigerator water filter can do, you’re paying premium.

Do The Math:

Let’s just say that your refrigerator filter from DiscountFilters.com costs you $66.55 for a year’s supply (2 filters). You can use this water for drinking, cooking, washing dishes, whatever.

On the other hand, if the average person purchases 167 bottles of water a year at the cost of $1.25, it costs $208.75 a year – and that’s just for drinking water.

Additionally, a recent study reported that the cost of bottled water is 7.5 times the cost of tap water.

Let’s Get Real:

A lot of people live under the assumption that bottled water is healthier for them. However, this belief doesn’t hold up in reality. Actually, tap water is more regulated because it has to be under FDA rules. Some bottled water can actually be contaminated because it doesn’t have to be filtered and is often filtered superficially to improve taste and smell. In fact, the plastic used for bottled water can contaminate the water.

In reality, your best bet for your wallet and the environment is to use your tap water and purchase a refrigerator water filter for drinking water. The difference that each person can make by doing so goes beyond yearly savings and into the world’s water that we rely on to keep us alive.

Sources:

Drop The Prop: http://www.droptheprop.info/bottled-water-statistics

Friendsofwater.com: http://www.friendsofwater.com/Water_Filters.html

Statistic Brain: http://www.statisticbrain.com/bottled-water-statistics/

Why You Need A Refrigerator Water Filter

Posted on 06.27.2012 by kcox

Getting To The Point About Fridge Filters

By: Krysten C.

You may have asked yourself why you need to change your refrigerator water filter or why you need to filter your water. To answer why is simple – because you don’t want to consume the things that your filter is cutting out of your water. Like what? You may ask.

Lead
Radon
Arsenic
Nitrates
Pesticides
Disinfection process byproduct
Contaminants
Microbes
Bacteria

*Source: everydayhealth.com

Want to learn more about filtering your water? Check it out here!

Don’t Forget to Flush…Your Refrigerator Water Filter

Posted on 02.15.2012 by kcox

How and Why You Need to “Flush” New Refrigerator Water Filters

by: Krysten C.

Your mom and dad taught you to flush the toilet, right? But who taught you to “flush” your new refrigerator water filter after initial installation? Chances are – no one did.

WHY FLUSH YOUR REFRIGERATOR WATER FILTER?

Your refrigerator water filter is made out of a carbon media block that is formed to fit your specific filter shape. With a properly installed water filter, your water runs through this block to filter out any contaminants and particles picked up prior to entering your refrigerator. By doing so, water is safe for drinking and tastes clean.

However, manufacturing and shipping causes carbon particles in the media block to knock loose. This means that the first few glasses of water most likely contain these bits, causing water to look gray and cloudy. While consuming this water won’t hurt you, most people would probably prefer not to drink it. To save yourself the hassle, you should flush your new refrigerator water filter.

HOW TO FLUSH YOUR REFRIGERATOR WATER FILTER

You should always check the owner’s manual for your specific refrigerator water filter to make sure that you are following all installation and set-up properly. Most manufacturers’ recommend that you run between three to five gallons of water through your refrigerator water filter before consumption. For refrigerators that don’t dispense water, discard the first two batches of ice. Remember, these carbon particles can also get frozen in your ice cubes.

Need some extra help? Check out our video about “flushing” your new refrigerator water filter.

Happy flushing, everyone.

Why You Need To Change Your Refrigerator Water Filter

Posted on 02.6.2012 by kcox

The Dirty Deed That Must Be Done

By: Krysten C.

GOT CLEAN REFRIGERATOR WATER?

Can you imagine the damage to your engine if you never changed the filter in your car? How rank do you think your coffee would taste if you used the same filter for a week? Or worse, what if you didn’t change your clothes for a week? Clearly, you wouldn’t do these things because you care about your car, your coffee, and your social life. So when are you going to replace your refrigerator water filter? It provides the water you’re using to replenish your body with. Stop drinking swill, America.

Don’t feel bad if you haven’t changed your refrigerator water filter in a while (or ever). The truth is that most people don’t even know that they need to change their refrigerator filter. Heck, most people don’t know where it is, how to change it, or if they even have one to change in the first place. Well, wake up and drink the clean water. Experts suggest that you change your refrigerator water filter every 3-6 months. If you only do it annually, you’ll live. But if you get in the habit of changing your refrigerator filter at least twice a year – you’ll have learned the secret to a lifetime of fresher, cleaner water and ice cubes.

**THE CLEAR REASONS WHY YOU NEED TO CHANGE YOUR REFRIGERATOR FILTER TODAY:**

The most obvious reason for changing your refrigerator filter is that you don’t want to be disgusting. You don’t want your dog drinking out of the toilet, right? It’s the same principle here, just a different source.

The water that comes from your refrigerator has first traveled through miles of tubing to get to your refrigerator. Along the way, the water picks up a few bugs that a good filter can usually remove before it goes into your glass, your mouth, your stomach, and back into the toilet water that it most likely went in as. Ah, the circle of life.

Continue reading →

How to Change Your Refrigerator Water Filter

Posted on 02.1.2012 by kcox

Steps to Clean Drinking Water

By: Krysten C.

LOST IN REFRIGERATOR FILTER LAND

We’ve all been there. There’s always something you know you need to do, and every day you go to bed knowing that you didn’t because, um, because we live in a free country. And there is nothing more liberating than staring chores in the face and refusing to do them. Putting off chores is even easier when you don’t know how to do them or where to start. Well, that’s why you’re here, and we are proud of you for taking the first step in the recovery process of your drinking water.

One of the easiest ways to know what kind of refrigerator water filter you’ll need is by identifying the model number of the current refrigerator filter in use. From there, you can look it up online. It’s always a good idea to locate where your filtration system is, so you can better navigate websites and discuss any issues with customer service representatives. Locations vary depending on your refrigerator type: French door, side-by-side, top freezer, and bottom freezer. There are a lot of refrigerator filters out there, but it isn’t too difficult to discover your specific one.

MOST COMMON TYPES OF REFRIGERATOR WATER FILTERS

In-Line: These types of refrigerator water filters are attached to the incoming water line for the refrigerator. This is often used for older model refrigerators, so they aren’t as common any more. Here’s an instructional video on how to replace an in-line refrigerator filter. It’s not the best quality, but it still gets the job done.

Push or Twist-In: Most recent models have an integral filter that purifies the water feeding the drinking water dispenser and icemaker. The filter pushes in, or twists in. It’s as easy as pushing it in or twisting, hence the name.

I’VE GOT MY REFRIGERATOR FILTER – NOW WHAT DO I DO?

It’s gotten to the point where not even your dog will drink the water from your refrigerator. You’ve finally broken down and decided to change your refrigerator water filter. Now what? Well, truth is that there is a variety of instructions for installation because there are a variety of refrigerator water filters. You can start by searching for a refrigerator filter by brand or by model.

DOES YOUR REFRIGERATOR FILTER LOOK LIKE THIS?

Here are some instructional videos on how you can replace your refrigerator filter today:

Instructional video for filters similar to the Frigidaire Pure Source filter below: