Staying Hydrated During a Drought

As we all know, there’s a drought going on in Southern California. Local water monitors come through residential neighborhoods looking for culprits, boat owners can’t put in local lakes due to their shallowness, and signs are up everywhere pleading people to cut back on their water use. But humans need water to live, it’s a fact. So how do you drink enough water to stay hydrated while also contributing to lessen your water use during this drought? Here are a few tips to doing just that.

1. Buy a filtering water bottle and stop buying bottled water. Firstly, some bottles leak chemicals from plastics, so you don’t really know what’s in your water. Secondly, the actual water itself can come from many different sources, so you don’t know what you’re putting in your body. And lastly, buying bottled water is not eco-friendly. 100 bottles= more trash than 1 BPA-free bottle re-used 100 times. It’ll also help you to drink more water if you carry a bottle everywhere.
2. Drink a glass or two of water with every meal. Experts say that most of the time when you think you’re hungry, you’re actually just thirsty/dehydrated. So use that filtered water bottle you’re about to buy and fill it up a couple times before, during, and after your meal.
3. Make sure you hydrate properly before, during, and after a workout. It’s hot out, and if you’re running outside you’re going to need to drink enough water to replenish your body’s 70% H2O makeup. It’s also a fact that drinking water helps to flush out the lactic acid in your muscles after a workout. So grab some water and drink up so that you aren’t as sore tomorrow.

Filtercon Technologies provides you with two great ways to save water and money while staying hydrated during this drought. Firstly, we have two different filtering water bottles that you can carry with you anywhere. One is from BPA-free and includes a carbon filter that takes out chlorine. The other is a stainless steel bottle that filters out bacteria. The other way that you can save money, water, and help your family stay healthy is to buy a whole house water filtration system for your home. It feeds filtered water to all of the pipes in your house while also re-using the water it backwashes with.

To find out more information, visit our website at http://www.filtercon.com or call our office at our toll-free number (800)-550-1995.

Chlorine and Food Allergies

GMOs, or genetically modified organisms, are in most of the foods and drinks we consume. Some studies show that the long-term effects of GMOs can cause damage to humans. Also, data shows that GMOs grown with pesticides and watered with chlorinated tap water result in higher numbers of food allergies. FARE, or Food Allergy Research and Education, says that researchers estimate that up to 15 million Americans suffer from some type of food allergy. Our children have it worse as this disease is exponentially growing every year. Presently, 1 in every 13 children in the US has a food allergy. The economic cost of this creates nearly $25 billion per year for America.

The most common allergies are those to dairy, peanuts, wheat, fish, shellfish, and soy. According to the CDC, these types of allergies make up 90 percent of food allergies. Symptoms vary from mild rashes to life-threatening allergic reactions. Many people carry Epi pens in case they are exposed to a food they are allergic to.

The specific chemical that causes issues for humans is dichlorophenols. It is a type of chlorine in some pesticides that kills bacteria. If consumed in large numbers, it can cause renal failure, damage organs, and in some situations even be fatal.  Recently, researchers followed 10,348 participants in a U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Of them, 2,548 had dichlorophenol levels measured in urine; 2,211 were included into the study. Food allergies were found in 411 of them, while 1,016 had environmental allergies. It was concluded that the pesticide chemical could be ingested from eating different fruits and some juices. This study suggested that the use of pesticides and other chemicals are indeed associated with food allergies. Unfortunately, it also showed that the trend is increasing.

Some people think that the easiest solution to prevent food allergies is to switch to bottled water so that they aren’t being exposed to as much chlorine. However, this is not the best solution because bottled water does not include all ingredients on its labels. One alternative is to know what you are buying by reading the labels. Luckily, organic foods follow specific codes where organic pesticides must be used in order to be labeled “organic.” Laundry and cleaning products with chlorine should be avoided. It is a good idea in getting a shower filter and find out exactly what is in your tap water.  But the best solution is to invest in a whole house water filtration system that filters chlorine and chemicals out. You can save money while also saving water and your health. You and your family are worth the investment!

Call us 1-800-550-1995 at or Visit our Website for more information.

Sources:
cdc.gov, foodallergy.org

Your Ecological Footprint

Sustainability is becoming more and more popular in our culture today. The term sustainability as defined by the Bruntland Report in 1987 (the first definition) is, “Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Since 1987, we have developed far from just having a definition of sustainability. We have the resources and technology to measure and predict our use of nonrenewable resources. We also have the means to understand that humans are destroying our Earth at a rate so quickly that it cannot keep up or even recover.

Each human creates an ecological footprint that determines how our waste and energy use impacts the earth. There are so many ways that humans create their footprint without even recognizing it; by eating more meat, by buying new clothes regularly, by owning a home that has running water… these are just a few ways that we impact the Earth. If you’d like to see your individual impact on the Earth by figuring out your ecological footprint, check out the Global Footprint Network’s footprint calculator at http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/calculators/.

Here are some tips to reducing your ecological footprint:

1) Eat less meat and buy more produce from local farmers

2) Use less water in your home and buy water-saving products

3) Use more public transportation and carpool often

4) Dispose of trash properly and recycle all reusable materials

5) Look into supporting your home with renewable energy like solar power

One way that you can reduce your water use is to buy a whole-house filtration system that doesn’t waste water. Filtercon Technologies has created a revolutionary system that reuses backwash to recycle water. Check it out at http://www.filtercon.com or call 800-550-1995 for more information.

Source:

http://www.footprintnetwork.org

Image:

chargerbulletin.come

The Cost of Saving Water in California

What happens when we start saving more water during this seemingly never-ending drought? Rates for water increase. In a fixed-cost industry, the price of water increases when low supply equals high demand. “If you want to buy water on the market this year, the price is 10 times higher,” says Timothy Quinn, executive director of the Association of California Water Agencies.

But the districts, who are selling the water directly to these households and businesses, have no choice but to do so. The Union Tribune explains it like this, “If you sell less of something, you must cut costs, boost prices, or do both to balance the budget.” This cut hurts during a time when business and homeowners are working hard to use less H2O. Water consumers in San Diego County (and the rest of the state) have been not only meeting, but exceeding state-mandated water reductions. Some residents believe that the price increase is unfair and that officials should find a way to keep them down.

And the increase in prices won’t stop here. Next year, San Diego county officials proposed to raise prices 17%. In San Diego, the monthly price for a family of four using 50 gallons of water per person per day is $49. So this price will go up about $8 for a family in this situation, making their water bill $58 a month. To make matters worse, San Diego residents get higher bills due to the fact that California gets most of its water from pipelines and aqueducts in Northern California and the Colorado River. The longer the distance for water to travel, the more it costs due to delivery costs and vulnerability to water deliveries.

Although it’s frustrating to save water at a time like this, there’s not much we can do. To help save water, you should buy a water-saving filtration system for your home. To find out more, visit http://www.filtercon.com or call us at 800-550-1995.

Sources:

Higher Water Bills Likely. San Diego Union Tribune. 27 July 2015. http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2015/jul/27/tp-higher-water-bills-likely/

Image- waterwealthproject.com

How Your Houseplants are Affected By Different Types of Water

What’s the best way to make your houseplants grow strong and vibrant? Watering them. But often times, it’s easy to overlook what kind of water you’re feeding your plants. Tap water may cost less, but filtered water has many more advantages. Some tap water has harmful chemicals that can hurt you and your plants. Let’s take a look at the different types of water and their effects on houseplants…

Chlorine
Chlorine is often found in tap water and is used to kill diseases. Chlorine is a gas that evaporates out of water. That’s why you can smell chlorine. This has a terrible effect on houseplants and their growth. However, letting chlorine water sit and “breathe” for 24 hours before pouring it into your houseplants helps. Your water container also needs to be clean sot that the water going into your plants is pure.

Hard Water
There are some people whose tap water is what is called “hard water.” This simply means that the water has excessive amounts of minerals like magnesium or calcium. If this is your water, make sure not to use it on your houseplants.

Salt Water
Salt prevents the plants’ roots from absorbing water. This mineral forms around the plants’ cells, pulling water out of the plant as it starts settling in the soil. Although salt is found in tap water, the content is too low to be problematic.

Sugar Water
Unlike salt water, sugar causes bacteria to grow in the right environment. If you use this type of water, your houseplants will become unhealthy and die over time. It can also be a great place for fungus to grow, causing the same harmful effect on your plants.

Well Water
Well water nourishes houseplants. Since it comes from deep below ground, and it carries nutrients from the soil that plants need. It acts almost like a fertilizer, leading to greener and healthier plants. However, most people in urban areas are not privileged to this type of water.

Bottled Water
This can get a little pricey. Not only that, but you never know where the water comes from or what types of contaminants are in its container.

Filtered Water
The best and most economical source for water is buying a whole house water filtration system. It provides chlorine free water that tastes great. Additionally, it removes heavy metals and pollutants that will give life back to your houseplants. You and your plants will benefit immensely from it.

Other notes: many times houseplants are killed due to over-watering. Before watering your plants, stick your finger in the soil about an inch down. If the soil is dry, water away. If the soil is still moist, there’s no need to water. Equally important factors to growing plants are sunlight and proper exposure.

For more information on whole house water filtration, visit http://www.filtercon.com or call us at 800-550-1995.

Images:

http://www.earthtimes.org/green-blogs/green-living/detoxifying-houseplants-21-May-11/

examiner.com

Making Sure Your Pets Are Healthy This Summer

Dog? Cat? Ferret? Koala? Our pets are important to us, which is why we need to always make sure they’re healthy. Part of that means making sure they aren’t outside in the heat for too long and making sure they get enough water. Did you know that animals can survive if they lose all of their body fat, but can become seriously ill if they lose just 10% of the water in their body? It’s a scary thought to think about Fido getting heatstroke, so make sure that you take the necessary steps to keep your pet healthy. Here are some tips for keeping your pet out of the heat and making sure they’re hydrated:

1) Don’t leave your pet in the car for more than 10-15 minutes in temperatures over 65 degrees Farenheight, especially if he/she is known to have have respiratory issues

2) Make sure your pet has water. Living things need water to survive, this is a fact. Your pet is no exception. If you’re traveling, make sure you have a bowl or bottle so that you can give your pet the water it needs to stay hydrated

3) Don’t trim too much hair off of your pet. The layers of your pet’s coat help to keep them from getting a sunburn and overheating. It’s okay to trim long hair, but remember that hair works differently for pets than it does for humans

4) Sometimes it’s better to leave your pet at home. We know you think your puppy or bunny is soooooo cute, but heat affects animals differently than it does humans. So think about letting your pet get some rest in the shade rather than taking him/her on that 6 mile hike you’re going on this weekend

5) KNOW THE SIGNS. When your dog is panting or your cat is trying to find a shady spot under a tree, make sure he/she is okay. For more information on signs and symptoms that your pet may be ill, visit petmd.com

Filtercon Technologies is a full-line water filtration company located in San Diego, California. We know it gets hot out here, and we know we have to keep our pets hydrated while also doing our part to save water during this drought. Our company creates sustainable water filters that purify water without wasting it. With our products, Fido will be healthy and you’ll be saving money.  Check out our website, http://www.filtercon.com, or give us a call at 800-550-1995 for more info.

Images:

1) www.dailymail.co.uk

2) lubbockonline.com

MIT Finds Way to Reuse Water from Fracking

Fracking, or the process of extracting oil from underground reservoirs, takes a lot of time, money, and water. But humans are extremely dependent on this technique because it brings out a natural resource that fuels transportation methods that we use in our everyday lives. Cars, buses, trains, and planes are just a few of the ways we get around that use oil as fuel. So how can a process that is so important still be so inefficient? Fracking wastes millions of gallons of water per year, water that could be reused for other purposes.

So why isn’t it being reused? Because when water is pressurized down into the ground to extract oil, it becomes contaminated and deemed “brimy”. This type of water is discarded into deep injection wells and new, clean water is bought to continue the fracking process.

Luckily a company that works with MIT has come up with a genius process to reuse some of these million gallons that are wasted every year. This company, called Gradient Corporation, has created a cost-effective process to treat brimy oilfield water for reuse. Depending on the location and type of fracking, carrier gas extraction (CGE) or selective chemical extraction (SCE) is used to clean the brimy water. Carrier gas extraction heats produced water into vapor and condenses it back into water without contaminants. In selective chemical extraction, chemical reactions remove specific contaminants. Both processes are effective, easy to use, and will save millions of dollars annually for fracking companies.

Reusing water is important, especially at a time when the West Coast is in a severe drought. It is important that every person does their part in helping to save water and save our environment. There are so many ways that you can save water, but one important way that also improves your health is to buy a water filtration system for your home that reuses backwash water. Think of it as your own system, like fracking, that can normally waste backwash water. Filtercon Technologies has developed a system that does just the opposite; reuses that water for other purposes while still purifying the water that goes into your home. Want to know more? Visit http://www.filtercon.com or call us at 800-550-1995.

Source:

Toward Cheaper Water Treatment. MIT News. July 15, 2015. http://newsoffice.mit.edu/2015/cheaper-fracking-water-treatment-0716

Images:

1) wkms.org

2) huffingtonpost.com

How San Diego is Saving Water during the Drought

Last week the San Diego community received the 2014 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report handbook. In it contains information about where the city’s water is sourced from, how the water treatment process works, how the city is diversifying our water, and how the city is moving towards more sustainable practices.

By 2035, the city of San Diego plans to have 1/3 of its drinking water supplied through a program that purifies recycled water. It is planned to produce about 15 million gallons of water for the city each day. The technology used to do so requires membrane filtration, reverse osmosis, advanced oxidation with ultraviolet light, and hydrogen peroxide. The city tested this method through a one-year project using 9,000 water quality tests and daily monitoring to ensure that no contaminants were present in the recycled water. The California Department of Public Health and San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board approved the recycled water purifying process as it met all federal and state drinking water standards.

San Diego is also exploring ways to use groundwater basins to provide water storage, capture rainwater for recycling purposes, and implement an ocean desalination plant to produce desalinated water for use throughout San Diego County.

The 2014 Water Quality Report also states that the city has been mandated to reduce its water use by 16% as a whole. They are asking residents and businesses to identify where they can most save water and give tips on the best ways to do so. Some of these include: only watering your lawn two times per week, putting low-flow heads on your faucets and showerheads, and evaluating your pipes for possible water leaks. They are also urging residents to use the City’s Public Utilities Department website, wastenowater.org, for water-saving resource guides.

Are you wasting water throughout your home? Filtercon Technologies is a full-line water treatment company. They have whole-house water filters that don’t waste water, save you money, and keep you healthy! They are one of the most trusted water filtration systems in the state, and work mostly by referral. Check out their site, http://www.filtercon.com. Or call for more information at 800-550-1995.

Source:

The City of San Diego 2014 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report. City of San Diego Public Utilities Water & Wastewater. 2 July 2015.

Image:

kidscures.org

Exercising in the Heat

Summer is here. We all want to have those great bikini or board short bodies, but a lot of us exercise outside and it gets hot in the summer. So what should we do?

Well, let’s learn about what happens to us when exercising in the heat. When running in hotter weather (when the temperature is above 75 degrees Farenheight), our bodies spend about 70% of the energy that they normally would be using towards our workout to just cool down. Only 30% goes to moving our arms and legs and breathing. What’s more, the heat, humidity, and UV rays all have a negative effect on us because we aren’t used to putting our bodies to work in such harsh environments. The heat makes us sweat, the humidity doesn’t allow our cooling processes to occur as effectively, and UV rays burn our skin which makes our core temperature higher.

But the good news is that after 1-2 weeks of working out in hotter weather, your body starts to acclimate. John Woo, M.D., a clinical associate professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine says, “Your body will expect circulating plasma volume and become more efficient in sweating, and, psychologically, you just start dealing with the heat better.” To help this process occur safely, start out by cutting your workout in the heat in half and add 5% every day or 10% every couple of days or so. You can even finish the rest of your workout inside (do core work, lift weights, do a yoga routine) until you get back up to 100% of your workout in the heat. Other things you should be doing to help this process occur safely are: drink 8 glasses of water throughout the day, make sure to get enough electrolytes, and use sunscreen.

If you follow these simple steps to working out in the heat, your body will thank you. To learn more about the body and effects of water on the body, check out our other blog posts or visit our website (www.filtercon.com) to learn about why it’s important to filter your water at home.

Source:

What Running in the Heat Does to Your Body. SHAPE Fitness. 7 July 2015. http://www.shape.com/fitness/cardio/what-running-heat-does-your-body

Image:
http://www.fitbe.com

Eat Your Water

Summer is here, the hottest three months of the year when we need to remember to drink lots of water. It’s important to stay hydrated when it’s hot out because your body sweats naturally. Although drinking your water is important, you can also eat it! Many fruits and vegetables are made up almost entirely of water! Here are some of the most original freggies (fruits and veggies) that are made up of more than 90% water:

Radishes. 95% water.

Cauliflower. 92%

Starfruit. 91% water.

Broccoli. 90.7% water.

Carrots. 90.4% water

Other fruits and vegetables that contain more than 90% water include: cucumbers, strawberries, celery, cantaloupe, grapefruit, watermelon, green peppers, tomatoes, spinach, and lemon. To put more water into your daily diet, eat more of these fruits and vegetables in your diet!

If you’re worried about the water you drink in your house, visit our website (wwww.filtercon.com) to find out how and why you need to be filtering your tap water before you drink it (Hint: there are lots of chemicals in it!).

Source:

15 Foods That Help You Stay Hydrated. Health Magazine. http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20709014,00.html

Images:

1) healthyfig.com

2) iop.org

3)naturespride.eu

4) atlannaturespride.eutablackstar.com

5) hungrymeetshealthy.com