Stay hydrated this summer. Best to avoid drinking from plastic water bottles

Aug 02, 2013 News 0

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Water in plastic bottles causes all sorts of health and environmental problems – so filter tap water with natural charcoal, and use a refillable bottle instead say Nigel’s Eco Store

The weather this summer has been glorious (mostly), but the heat means we all need to drink more water to stay hydrated.

Water makes up about 60 percent of our weight – keeping hydrated is vital for proper functioning as every system in the body depends on water.

Water helps with alertness and performance in sports, it controls appetite, and it also keeps symptoms like fatigue, headaches and dry skin at bay.

In the summer heat, we perspire more and need to drink more.

But in the summer, drinking water from a plastic bottle – which we all know is an expensive way to get water [1], and is never great from an environmental point of view [2] – means that the exposure to chemicals such as BPA and phthalates [3] which leach from the plastic into the water is made worse by the heat.

(BPA and phthalates can cause a whole host of problems to the immune system, the brain and the prostate.)

So, follow these guidelines to stay hydrated, healthy and cut down on waste:

1. If you’re out and about: drink filtered tap water using a refillable, re-usable bottle
The ergonomically designed, clip-on, stainless steel 500ml H2Onya bottle, is made from food-grade stainless steel, meaning it won’t retain or leech flavours, no matter how many times you refill it.

Refillable Water Bottle £10.20 + p&p

“About 1.5 million tons of plastic are used to make water bottles each year around the world, and the processing itself releases toxic compounds like nickel, ethylbenzene, ethylene oxide and benzene. Not to mention the health problems that plastic water bottles can cause,” says Nigel Berman, MD of Nigel’s Eco Store.

2. Drink Filtered tap water instead of buying water
Home water filters don’t have to be expensive or encased in plastic. Natural Bamboo Charcoal filters cost from just £4.99 and last for up to 2 months.

Made in Japan, bamboo charcoal filters are a natural and easy way to filter water. You just drop a few pieces in to a jug filled with tap water and they soak up nasties such as chlorine, pesticides and heavy metals – leaving nothing but clean, smooth water that tastes great.

Bamboo charcoal’s incredible filtering ability comes from its super-porous structure, which works like a sponge and absorbs impurities into its pores. In fact just 1gm of the charcoal has the surface area equivalent to up to 3 tennis courts!

You can use filtered water to drink at home, or fill up a refillable bottle to take around with you.

They’re very cost effective: each set of charcoal lasts for 2 months and at the end of their filtering life you can re-use the charcoal to reduce smells, and stop mould.

Nigel says, “Why pay a fortune for bottled water, or for ‘manufactured’ filters when you can use a natural, effective, cheaper alternative?”

Bamboo Charcoal Filters from £4.99 + p&p

Sources:

[1] Typically bottled water retails at up to 500 times more than the price of tap water. ETC, University of Nottingham.

[2] Bottled water also has considerable environmental costs, including the energy costs of production and transport, and the environmental costs of disposing of (or, very rarely, recycling) the bottles. Sustainweb

[3] Studies have shown that phthalates, which are known to disrupt testosterone and other hormones, can leach into bottled water over time. NDRC

 

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