Bottled Water: Save Real Green

By Tania Reuben

I recently wrote an article on why using a water filter is one of your best options for safe drinking water. You may not be worried about the environmental impact of bottled water, that daily 60 million wattle bottles end up landfills – you’re just thirsty and want a drink of water. Let me appeal to the bottom line.

In this economy people are watching their budgets.

Let’s examine how much an average family of 4 is likely to spend annually on drinking water:
$ 200 – Using a water filtration system.
$ 520 – Home water cooler delivery.
$ 528 – 2 Gallon Jugs
$ 1755 – Drinking 3 bottles of water a day at a cost of .40 per bottle, 4 person family.

There are many cost variations. Clearly the brand you buy, how much you pay per bottle, how many bottles you drink each day… all of these factors will impact your annual cost. Use this link figure out how much your family is actually spending, this link also provided me figures that I used for the above calculations.

If you rent don’t despair, there are many portable water filtration systems available in the marketplace.

In some ways it is less convenient to use stainless steel, you have to keep the bottles clean, round them up, fill them up… but I’v never been a fan of lugging heavy flats of water!

An average family of 4 can save $1555 per year eliminating bottled water. Add the dollar savings to the environmental impact of bottling plants, trucking, refrigeration, not to mention disposing of billions of bottles a year and perhaps you will reconsider grabbing that next plastic bottle of water.

CLICK HERE to see the great selection of stainless steel water bottles available at Amazon.

Bottled Water: Save Real Green

Organic Denim

Denim is a staple in everyone’s wardrobe – I’m noticing that more and more designers are offering Organic Denim in their line up. Why choose organic denim, after all it’s not like you are going to eat it. Denim is only going on your body not in it.

Cotton is responsible for an estimated 12% of global pesticide use and 25% of insecticide use. With that many chemicals being used in it’s growth it can’t be having a positive effect on the environment, not to mention the water supply.

Brands that are offering Organic Choices include:

Paige Premium Denim
Joe’s Jeans – in muse, olivia & provocateur.
Levi’s

With so many great brands offering up organic selections. Next time you’re shopping for denim consider organic.

If you don’t find what you’re looking for in Organic, be sure to ask.  It’s important for retailers to know that their customers care about organic offerings!

Organic Denim

List of Natural Remedies Known to Have Dangerous Interactions With Medications:

A report just out from the Mayo Clinic lists the following known drug interactions between natural remedies and prescribed medications & conditions:

St. John Wort – Increases the potency of some drugs.
S-adenosylmethionine (SAM-e) – Interacts with drugs that affect serotonin.
Garlic – Avoid if taking anti-clotting medications.
Ginseng – Avoid if taking anti-clotting medications.
Ginger – Avoid if taking anti-clotting medications.
FeverFew – Avoid if taking anti-clotting medications.
Ginko – Avoid if taking anti-clotting medications & can interfere with anti-seizure medication
Kava – Avoid if you have liver problems or taking cholesterol medications

St. Johns Wort – Image from Shandchem

I use natural remedies myself but it is important to remember that natural remedies CAN interact with prescribed medications – just like any other medicine! My personal choice is to work with an Integrative Doctor who prescribes both prescription and non-prescription drugs. If you see a traditional Doctor, or don’t have an Integrative Doctor in your area, be sure to keep your doctor informed of any natural therapies you are using.

The above list is condensed, to read the full story.

List of Natural Remedies Known to Have Dangerous Interactions With Medications: