This is the time of year that many of us make our New Year’s resolutions. The ways we’re going to improve. The family and friends we’re going to treat better. The weight we’re going to lose (that one is one our list every year).
Some of us will keep our resolutions. Some will keep some of them. Many will keep none of them. But at least we try – that’s an admirable start.
In that vein, we at CLEAR2O® have five resolutions related to our favorite subject: water. These are not resolutions for us; they are for you. We don’t want to come across as preachy or judgmental – thus, they are merely suggestions.
I resolve to drink only filtered water. A recent Fox News article reminded us that while the vast majority of community water systems meet legal standards, the latest research shows that contaminants present in the water at those concentrations – perfectly legal – can still harm human health. Even the purest tap water has some contaminants that you would be better off not ingesting. Filtered water is simply better. End of story.
I resolve to drink less bottled water. Fast Company notes that around the globe, people are using almost 500 billion plastic water bottles per year; that number is predicted to grow to 580 billion by 2021. According to some scientists, polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, the plastic used to manufacture most water bottles, never completely decomposes. Never is a very long time.
I resolve to learn more about my local water supply. According to the U.S. Geological Survey website, the best way to learn about your local drinking-water quality is the annual drinking water quality report/consumer confidence report that water suppliers send out by July 1 each year. (The reports are often sent out with water bills but may be sent separately.)
They provide information on where drinking water comes from, what contaminants are in it, and at what levels. A quick online search will also reveal additional sources of local drinking-water data. Don’t try to guess what’s in your water – know it. And share the information with your neighbors. They’ll appreciate that you’re looking out for their health as well as your own.
I resolve not to take my drinking water for granted. While your drinking-water supply may not be ideal, the World Health Organization (WHO) notes that 785 million people lack even a basic drinking-water service, including 144 million people who are dependent on surface water. So even a mediocre water supply is better than none at all. Not to mention the fact that the mediocre supply can easily be improved through any one of a variety of water-filtration methods.
I resolve to reduce the ways I waste water. We all waste so much water in so many ways, we hardly even know we’re doing it. Here is a list of the top 10 ways in which we let water needlessly go down the drain every day (the list is from an older article, but all points in it remain true today). The good news? You can change all these water-wasting habits with a minimum of effort.
We fully realize that you likely have some resolutions of your own to make 2020 a better, safer, healthier, and more fulfilling year. Piling on five more resolutions might make your list a bit overwhelming. But we think that if you accept all or at least a few of them, you will find yourself – as well as the planet – in a better place a year from now. Even if you don’t lose any weight.
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