It is a terrible shame to waste anything unnecessarily – especially when what you are wasting is something of vital importance to all aspects of life on this planet, water. One way you can slash the amount of water wasted in your home life is to construct a few simple changes to how you do your laundry.
A great thought, if you can afford it, is to invest in a new and more efficient washing machine, but that isn’t always an option for those who are struggling financially or simply don’t have that kind of money immediately available (although the machine would practically pay for itself in the long run in terms of savings on your utility bills). There are calm plenty of ways you can conserve water and cleave the amount wasted – and they won’t cost you a dime!
If you have a dehumidifier which collects water in a receptacle, instead of emptying the water down the drain or outside, pour it into your washing machine. Your machine will fill faster and use less water to do so if you add to it from an already existing supply which would otherwise be wasted anyway. A typical dehumidifier collects much more water than you need for your household plants, so even if you already expend the water for that, there should still be plenty left to add to your washer’s fill cycle.
Do you have leaky faucets in your house? You’d be surprised to discover just how much water you can collect, descend by drop, if you put a receptacle like a bucket or bowl underneath it. Instead of honest letting those precious drops roll down the drain, save them and use them! Even a slowly dripping faucet can collect two or more buckets a day of water that can be added to your wash!
Don’t forget the water that is freely given to us from the sky! Rain water is perfect for a washer’s gain cycle, and it is absolutely free! In addition to buckets and pails, there are also special systems for harvesting rain water you can situation up, not only for use in your laundry, but you can also add a filtration system and connect the whole thing to your home for all your water needs – even drinking!
Now that you know some additional sources for water to bear your washing machine, there are a few other ways you can maximize your laundry water conservation. Use the water level settings on your machine appropriately (you don’t need to fill the entire machine to wash half a load of laundry). Make sure you wash as many items at once as you can. Only wash things which are actually dirty – a lot of things you’ve only worn once can actually be worn one or two times more before they truly need to be laundered – when you take off your clothes and they are still relatively clean, fold or hang them nicely and put them someplace where they will stay nice until you want to wear them again instead of just sticking them in the hamper. You can even hold your previously worn but not quite dirty clothes for a tumble in the dryer with a fabric softener sheet to freshen them up, but in the interest of conservation, I recommend you wait until you have a nice sized pile of clean previously worn clothes gathered together so you can do them all at once.
By utilizing some easy and painless changes, not only can you save water and possibly money, you will also feel pleasant because you’ll know that you are doing something positive towards conserving our planet’s most precious resource.
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Filed under Ge Whole House Water Filters by on Dec 17th, 2011. 
The idea of “going green” has been around for more than a hundred years in America. Environmentalist and advocates like Teddy Roosevelt soon realized that Industrialization and public expansion was seriously eroding the natural beauty of the land. Environmental concern finally leads to establishing national parks and forest reserve. New agencies were created like The Environmental Protection Agency, which led to The Neat Air Act, Water Pollution Control Act, and many other laws against damaging the atmosphere, land, and water.
The green politics of today is global with worldwide “green organizations” from almost every industrialized country. The green party is very concern with ecological health and against any sort of pollution to the natural world. America and some other countries like England, India, Canada, New Zealand, Germany, Australia, and Africa, are leading the way to protecting the environment.
Going green isn’t just for the average person. With the creation of Earth Day in 1970, it has brought more attention to help protest against the deterioration of the environment and to celebrate the appreciation for Earth’s natural beauty. There has always been a strong political tone in America to improve the environmental standards. Past U.S. Presidents like Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter have made attempts to race a “greener” energy-efficient, environmentally conscious White House, but the Obama administration has already taken steps to really make it work.
First Lady Michelle Obama has already started a herb, fruit, and vegetable garden on the White House lawn. The Obama administration has made it clear that they intend to make LEED certification. LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The White House will implement changes in design and strategies to improve performance in water efficiency, energy saving, ventilation, heating, and recycling.
How does one help on Earth Day? Earth Day is celebrated in the U.S. on April 22. But you don’t have to wait for April 22 to celebrate Earth awareness. Earnest people who really want to “live green” can net attend from these web sites listed below. Learn about Earth Day activities that the whole family can do, get free stuff, and tips on living a greener, healthier lifestyle.
Planet Green is a 24-hour TV network and web site dedicated to eco-friendly living. Their web site PlanetGreen.com is full of helpful solutions, tips, latest information, and an active community forum for conversations. They give expert advice on practical ways to live green and healthy. Other major sites like Treehugger.com and go-green.ae are excellent resources. The Go Green Initiative station is a wonderful non-profit organization geared for teaching schools and students to recycle everything and respect nature. The Kaboose web site has a wide range of Earth Day activities. The most popular activities are the arts and crafts that the whole family can do together.
Here is a list of free tips on living green. Solar panels, a suitable way to become energy independent and make your own electricity. Biodegradable products, saves our landfills from expanding. Green transportation, walking, biking, trains, boats, carpooling, or driving vehicles using Ethanol, Hydrogen, Natural Gas, plug-ins, and Biodiesel fuels. Local Library, why buy when you can read, watch, and listen to it for free. Magnetic generator, a tiny and cheap plot that can make electricity for your home. Cleaning products, Vinegar, Baking Soda, and Vodka. Cleaning laundry with Vodka kills odor-causing bacteria. Cleaner water, install a water filtration system. Composting, reduce garbage output and a great way to feed your garden. Going paperless, popular alternatives are Hemp paper, Bamboo paper, Sugar Cane paper, and Kenaf paper, all near from plants that are much easier to develop and harvest.
For more eco-friendly products and totally free stuff are listed here. Ecobunga, has great stuff for going green, BookMooch.com is great for music and books. Greenerbuyer.com is good for interesting gadgets, clothes, and green products. For nearly and totally free sites try these: Green Giveways, Freecycle.com, Greenshopaholic.com, The Freesite, Craigslist, Swapster, Seventhgeneration.com, and Swaptree for games, music, and dvds. Checking the internet will bring up a host of Green-going sites and ample products.
Going green and celebrating Earth Day can be both a learning experience and fun. Save energy, save money, recycle, have a greener garden, live healthier and cleaner. Simply changing one’s lifestyle to a more nature friendly one can help the environment and improve our standard of living.
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Filed under Ge Whole House Water Filters by on May 12th, 2011.
The Essick Air 4D7 300 is a whole house evaporative humidifier. It is superior for use in houses up to 2,500 square feet. You can find this model for an average price of $180. Keep reading to learn about some of the features that it offers.
Control
The Essick Air 4D7 300 whole house humidifier offers four fan operating speeds. There is also a quiet setting designed for nighttime use. The unit is also equipped with a hygrometer which allows it to measure humidity in the room. You can easily set your desired humidity level.
Water
The Essick Air 4D7 300 is pleasurable of outputting up to 12 gallons of moisture in the environment on a daily basis. It can store up to 5.5 gallons in its two water bottles. When the water level gets too low, an indicator light will let you know that it is time to put more in.
The indicator lights on the Essick Air 4D7 300 light up separately for the left and right water bottles. You will appreciate the included refill hose which makes the refilling task so remarkable easier. The machine will also shut off automatically if there isn’t enough water inside.
Air
Another nice feature provided by the Essick Air 4D7 300 console humidifier is the two-stage air filtration system. This system will help removable particles from the air while also reducing odors. You will also like the fact that it helps increase the lifespan of the wick. The high-output wick will occasionally need to be replaced.
Design
The Essick Air 4D7 300 is fitted with caster wheels so you can easily move it to different rooms. The machine measures 28 inches long, 13.75 inches wide, and 22 inches tall. The motor is backed by a two year warranty and everything else is backed by a one year warranty.
The Essick Air 4D7 300 whole house humidifier is suitable for use up to 2,500 square feet. It can store up to 5.5 gallons in dual water bottles, while outputting up to 12 gallons per day. There are also indicator lights to let you know when it’s time to put more water in. The included refill hose makes this task very easy.
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Filed under Ge Whole House Water Filters by on Apr 6th, 2011.
Whole House Water Treatment for Better Water Quality
There have been plenty of times when I have noticed undesirable characteristics about my tap water. I have actually never been a fan of water, but when it’s clean, it’s not as difficult to luxuriate in. It helps to be aware of how a whole house water treatment purification system can benefit the water you exhaust each day. Not only does having cleaner water taste better, but it also contains added health benefits.
Every aspect of tap water is disgusting, right down to the taste, and you can probably agree. People usually do not like to think about what is really in their water, so they simply go about their day using it, and try not to give it any thought. Chances are that you have heard about some of the things that are in your water, but also do not like to dwell on the idea that you may be washing your body with metals and harsh chemicals that cause numerous health diseases. Owning a whole house water treatment system is a sure shot blueprint to help lower your chances of some of the health issues that seem to be plaguing just about everyone coming and going.
Given below are some of the things that are definitely in your tap water:
Chlorine – This one is a given, but it’s in your tap water. Even if you don’t drink it, chlorine can still sneak it’s design into your body through bathing, washing your hands, dishes, etc. Chlorine has been proven to interfere with the body’s detoxification system. Studies show that an excess of chlorine can cause complications with heart and other major organs. Some researchers beget that chlorine is also linked to the development of cancer within humans.
Fluoride – Despite it’s positive reputation for whitening teeth, there really isn’t too much more to recognize forward to. When it comes down to it, whitening teeth is all that fluoride is suitable for. When it seeps into your blood stream, you can bet on higher chances of developing osteoporosis, heart disease, lung complications, neurological conditions, arthritis, hormone imbalances, and calcification.
Fluoride and Chlorine Are Not All
Now, I am not going to lie to you and tell you that those two chemicals are all that are in your tap water. There are likely to be hundreds, if not thousands more toxins, pollutants, and byproducts. Honest think about the pipes that your water has to go through to get to your sink or bath. It’s not a very appealing thought, especially when you consider the ground and all of the impurities that go into it including gas, waste, dead bodies, and just downright filth!
A whole house water treatment system is great for purifying your water of all impurities. Positive, there are a lot of different water purification systems, but do they promise that your water will be completely purified? Absolutely not. If you do your research, you will find that other water purifiers state that they cannot completely filter your tap water 100%. There are still going to be impurities in your water, which, if you’re asking me, is just as bad.
Types of Water Purification Systems Available
The types of water purifiers available include the basic whole house water treatment system TO15000 (recommended for the cleanest water experience), reverse osmosis, shower filters, kitchen sink purifiers (not good quality), fluoride water filters, and counter top filtration systems, just to name a few.
When it comes to water, I prefer that every drop is purified. If I only have a faucet-mounted purifier, I might as well not even have a filtration device in my home at all. After all, it’s only sterling when at the kitchen sink! What about the rest of the house? When you take a shower, you’re still getting all of those chemicals inside of your body.
Children are actually more sensitive to tap water than adults for all of the obvious reasons. No one wants to think that there children are drinking perilous chemicals that could potentially harden their arteries and set them up for disease.
Your body has to work twice, if not three times as harder to rid your body of all of the toxins you put into it, therefore putting more stress on all of your major organs. This means that the heart pumps harder, creating high blood pressure. All of this work to detoxify your body can wear down your immune system and cause you to get sick more frequently. As you can see, making the decision to get a whole house water treatment purification system is one of smartest you’ll ever make – and anyone else for that matter.
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Filed under Whole House Replacement Water Filters by on Mar 7th, 2011.
Too Much Fluoride
Recent articles on the health risks associated with long-term fluoridated water ingestion may have spurred your interest in removal of fluoride from your home water supply. If you live in a community with a fluoridated water supply, you may have personal interests in ingesting less fluoridated water. If the children in your area have dental fluorosis, this is a sign of too much ingestion of fluoride. There are several things you can do in your own home to decrease fluoride intake.
Background on Water Filtration
Most of the water filter systems do seize chlorine and some contaminants. Carbon-based filters such as Brita, Pur and most refrigerator filters do not remove fluoride, but do remove chlorine and contaminants such as lead and arsenic. Boiling water does not remove the fluoride, but instead concentrates the fluoride rather than eliminating it. Freezing water does not effect the removal of fluoride.
Rep out if the filter removes fluoride and what percentage is removed. NSF is a third party non-profit testing agency that rates water filters for the past 50 years. Look if the water filter is NSF certified. Water filtration systems require installation in the home in several different ways: on the cabinet-top, under the kitchen sink, in the refrigerator water line with an ice maker, or a whole house filtration system. These products can range in cost from $100 to several thousand dollars.
Activated alumina filter media, bone char carbon, and reverse osmosis systems are the three EPA recommended methods for removing fluoride from drinking water. The activated alumina filter and reverse osmosis are available for in home use and are the most effective ways to remove fluoride in households. Bone char carbon only removes about 50-60% of fluoride from treated water and is used in some industrial systems for fluoride removal.
Distillation also removes fluoride from water. However, distilled water does not imply that a product is valid for drinking water, as other impurities may quiet be reveal in the water with this process.
In-Home Water Purification to remove Fluoride
Consumer Reports (CR) and Consumers Digest Magazine are some of the best online and publication resources for the best water purifier reviews. You may also need to talk with a water filtration system specialist to find the best model to remove fluoride for your budget.
A full cartridge of 100% activated alumina is needed to allow proper contact time for effective fluoride removal! Activated alumina is aluminum oxide. (This is not aluminum, which is a more highly-processed metal made from activated alumina.) Activated alumina has a very high surface-area-to-weight ratio, with a lot of tunnel-like pores that race all through it. This means that there is a lot of surface spot against which the water interacts, thereby removing fluoride (and arsenic). Through the attraction of the metals, 90% to 98% of fluoride (and arsenic) is normally removed. The fluoride coats the surface of the alumina over time and eventually the cartridge needs to be replaced (usually once a year for a family of four). The best rated models have two or more cartridges: one or more for effective fluoride removal and one or more for the removal of other contaminants as chlorine, arsenic, etc. Another consideration is checking the water flow rate for optimal fluoride removal.
Faucet mounted water filters install directly on the kitchen water faucet and provides a button or lever to switch between filtered and unfiltered water. These are only one cartridge filters. Some remove fluoride, but this type is not the best product on the market. CR’s best buy for a faucet mounted water filter is the Culligan FM-15, but it does not remove fluoride.
The countertop water filter system allows for large volumes of filtered water, but also requires room for the unit on the counter. CR recommends The Crystal Quest Countertop Replaceable Triple Multi PLUS Water Filter System CQE-CT-00109 which removes fluoride. The tag on eBay starts at $125. Placement and size consideration is necessary as this model is the size of a bread-maker. This method is one of the best values and generous quality for fluoride removal.
CR reported that refrigerator in line filters do not work well at removing impurities. But CR did recommend using an under-sink system with a diversion that will feed the kitchen sink and the refrigerator as well. These install under the kitchen sink and connect to the water line allowing for large volumes of water without modifying the faucet. CR recommended three models but none of these removed fluoride including Culligan Preferred Series 350 Drinking Water System, the Everpure H-300 Water Filtration System EV9270-70 and the Everpure H-1200 Water Filtration System EV9282-00. The under the sink system for fluoride removal should have at least 3 cartridges to remove bacteria, fluoride and other contaminants. These models initiate at $150. A professional may be needed to install the more complicated under the sink systems. The refrigerator filter needs to be changed frequently even if there is an additional external filter. There are some brands of in-line fluoride removal filters for use in refrigerators with ice-makers or water through the door. These models start at $100.
All reverse osmosis water filtration systems will remove fluoride. For spend in the home, this is the most expensive design to remover fluoride and contaminants from household water. The disadvantage is that several gallons of water are wasted in purifying each gallon of water for drinking with some brands. Some of the highest rated systems are Pentek RO-3500 Reverse Osmosis System and the WaterFilters.Salvage RO5-WF 5 Stage Reverse Osmosis Systems. These systems will cost several thousand dollars to install.
Bottled Drinking Water and Beverages
Unless the bottled water is distilled or reverse-osmosis is used to purify the water, the water is probably from a fluoridated public water supply. Some companies merely bottle tap water. On a commercial scale, reverse-osmosis is used by several bottled water companies to remove fluoride and other impurities and this is listed on the bottle tag. If fluoride is show, the amount will be listed. Choose brands that clearly indicate a fluoride content of 0.2 ppm (parts per million) or less.
Here’s a sampling of bottled water brands that are fluoride-free: Apani Purifie, Aqua Panna, Arrowhead, Calistoga Spring, Crystal Geyser, Deer Park North, Deer Park South, Evian, Big Contain, Hinkley & Schmidt, Ice Mountain Keeper Springs, Loon Country Natural Spring, NARA International Himalayan Spring Ozarka, Penta, Perrier, Poland Spring Snow Valley Mountain and Sparkletts.
Other Steps to Gash Fluoride
For adults wanting to decrease fluoride levels in the body, avoid drinking black or red teas as these tea leaves naturally contain high amounts of fluorine. Avoid using chewing tobacco. Avoid long term employ of medications that believe fluorine. Some antidepressants and medications for osteoporosis contain fluorine.
Non-Fluoridated Toothpastes
If dental fluorosis with children’s teeth is happening in your community, there are other ways to decrease fluoride exposure in addition to water filtration. The easiest way is to avoid fluoride supplements and fluoride dental rinses, and switch to non-fluoridated toothpaste.
For small children, consider Tom’s of Maine Silly Strawberry toothpaste. Silly Strawberry is a natural fluoride free toothpaste for children with savory real fruit flavors to appeal to children’s taste. Another choice is Melaleuca brand Koala Pals Training Tooth Gel. This non-fluoride, sugar-free formula tastes like apples and includes baking soda. It’s sweetened with xylitol, a natural sweetener derived from fruit and berries that’s shown to not promote tooth decay.
There are a variety of adult non-fluoridated toothpastes available. Tom’s of Maine also has adult toothpastes that are fluoride free. I am currently using Jason’s Healthy Mouth tag of non-fluoridated toothpaste with cinnamon oil flavoring and tea tree oil. Some people use hydrogen peroxide and baking soda to brush their teeth.
Summary
All of the suggestions in this article will reduce fluoride for everyone in your household.
What brand of fluoride water purifier do you prefer for your home? Which brands of non-fluoridated toothpastes do you like the best? Let me know in the comments share below!
Resources:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5890058/fluoridated_water_is_risky_for_your.html? cat=5
http://www.pure-earth.com/fluoride-water-filters.htm
http://www.filterwater.com/p-105-undersink-fluoride-filter-triple.aspx
http://chemistry.about.com/od/chemistryhowtoguide/a/removefluoride.htm
http://www.filterwater.com/s-4-fluoride-filters.aspx
http://www.bizrate.com/water-filters/water-filters-fluoride-removal/
http://www.blog.waterfilters.net/consumer-reports-water-filters-ratings/666
http://www.allwaterpurification.com/water-purifier-reviews.html
http://green.yahoo.com/blog/the_conscious_consumer/56/find-the-best-filter-for-your-tap-water.html
http://www.nofluoride.com/betternutrition_article.cfm
http://www.nextag.com/non-fluoride-toothpaste/sho
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Filed under Ge Whole House Water Filters by on Jan 30th, 2011.