On Sunday, May 3rd, Thermos was proud to sponsor Brookfield Zoo’s annual “Party for the Planet” in Brookfield, IL. This family-fun day was part of a special Earth Day initiative to get everyone thinking more ‘green.’

The Thermos booth was a huge hit. Families lined up to spin our prize wheel for a chance to win a reusable Intāk® hydration bottle and entered to win the grand prize of a Thermos Family Hydration Pack (worth over $100!). Kids and adults alike had the opportunity to test their strength and learn more about the global water crisis at our charity: water walk - though the length they walked was only a fraction of the average 6 kilometers millions of people walk daily to gather water in developing countries. Families also received information about how they can get involved in funding new water wells at www.charitywater.org/schools. Check out pictures of the booth and a video of the charity: water walk:

A family trying their luck at the Thermos prize wheel on Sunday, May 3rd

Intāk® hydration bottles for all! Everyone in this family won!

Two brothers trying their hand at our charity: water walk.

We were also excited to see our friend and fellow blogger, Stephanie Precourt, with her family. Check out what she had to say about Party for the Planet here, or follow her on twitter at @babysteph.

Did you attend Party for the Planet? If not, how did you celebrate Earth Day?

After talking about hydration for the last few months, we asked a few friends and fellow bloggers to share their hydration stories with us – why water is important to them, how they keep hydrated and more.

“My son loves juice so to get him to drink more water and less sugar, I’ve been diluting the juice more and more each day. And sometimes when I need a little boost for my water, I add just a little bit of organic lemonade.”
- Jessica, http://www.jessicaknows.com      

“Hydration is so important for everyone, especially mothers!   I can remember times when I felt like I was having contractions early in my pregnancy and 3 glasses of water later the contractions stopped. I also remember holding Graham nursing with one hand and drinking a glass of water with the other in order to keep up my milk supply! Now, I make sure to keep a water bottle with me at all times in order to keep headaches at bay!”
- Felicia, http://www.gograhamgo.com

“My best advice on keeping hydrated to is to eat lots of fresh and raw fruits and veggies. Cooking depletes much of the moisture and water content of foods so eating a big portion of raw fruits and veggies everyday is important.”
- Tiffany, http://www.naturemoms.com/blog

“Many people don’t realize how important it is to your body to stay hydrated during exercise, and also to have the right type of hydration which is water. Soft drinks, energy drinks, and sports drinks usually contain sugar and sometimes caffeine and guarana. That’s why we need plain old cold water, and Thermos has the best products to help us out with that.”
- Patty, http://babychic101.blogspot.com

What hydration story or tips would you like to share? 

Fifty percent of all schools in the world lack clean water and basic sanitation. Parents have to send their kids to schools that do not have bathrooms, sinks to wash their hands or even water fountains. 

Because of this and similar conditions at home, children in developing countries miss 433 million school days each year. They become sick from drinking the unclean water, which is all that is available to them.

In addition, acquiring the unsafe water is not an easy task. With no nearby wells, children must walk miles with pails (up to six hours!) in search of water. Girls are usually responsible for collecting water for their families, which they start doing as early as age eight. The long distances and time required to get the water usually mean they miss classes. This is why water is the number one reason girls drop out or fail to attend school. 

Even more saddening, some children never even get to go to school. More than 37,000 children under the age of five die every week from unsafe water. 

Thermos wants everyone to have access to clean water, at school and at home. You can join them in building two wells through charity: water by donating through www.hydrationforall.com/charity.html.

How long does it take you to get to water? A minute to get to the kitchen to wash your hands? Five minutes to locate the nearest water fountain at work or school?

In Africa, women and girls walk an average of 3 miles every day to collect water. Then they must carry the water, which often weighs 45 pounds, back to their homes! This is a time-consuming and exhausting process. Women lose hours that could be spent generating income for their families and children frequently miss school and may be forced to drop out. 

When clean water wells are built in communities of developing countries, this process becomes significantly more simple. Charity: water and Thermos are bringing two wells into communities in Liberia and Ethiopia. In other areas of these countries where wells were already built, charity: water has heard about the positive impact the wells have had on women and children’s lives. 

In Liberia, a woman was able to start a soap-making business when water was brought into her village. In one Ethiopian community, mothers expressed joy and excitement for the opportunity to send their kids to school instead of to collect water. 

Not only does the construction of new wells directly impact the families, but the entire country. Research has shown that for every $1 invested in water, $3-$34 is returned in increased economic activities, health and education.

Thermos is proud to invest in water for communities. Would you like to help? 

In the United States, daily indoor water use per family home is about 69 gallons.  The main sources that the water is used for are toilets, clothes washers, showers and faucets.

In contrast, families in developing countries share only 5 gallons of water per day, making every drop count. Water is primarily used for drinking and cooking, basic life necessities. This leaves little left to use for cleaning, or for washing hands. Most adults and kids do not wash their hands, which is the most common way to get sick. It is estimated that a million lives per year could be saved if everyone washed their hands worldwide.

When charity: water comes to communities to build wells, like the wells Thermos is helping fund in Ethiopia and Liberia, they also bring basic education in good hygiene. Now that families will have more water available, it is important they learn how to stay properly clean to reduce the spread of disease. They are educated on how to construct their own handwashing stations for their homes and schools.

Can you imagine not having access to water to wash your hands?

For tips on how you can save water in your household, visit Drinktap.org. 

As you know, Thermos partnered with charity: water to bring clean water wells to villages in Ethiopia and Liberia. While safe water clearly benefits the health and sanitary needs of the community, it also affects other important aspects of residents’ lives.

Clean water has been shown to increase gender equality in developing countries. Women are more than twice as likely as men to collect water for their families, prohibiting them from taking on other responsibilities within society. When villages construct a freshwater well, they develop water committees. These water committees consist of elected community members who are responsible for the maintenance and repair of freshwater wells. The members attend workshops to learn basic engineering and how to replace well parts. Members are considered prestigious leaders among the villages. Since women are already involved in the water collection process, many communities recognize the valuable insight they have and elect them to the water committees. This is often the first leadership position ever held by women within their communities.

This is just one of the reasons Thermos is excited to raise money for charity: water. Do you want to contribute?

Previously, we’ve discussed why water is important to our bodies,  why other countries are in need of clean and safe water and places to enjoy recreational water activities. 

But how do other drinks compare? See below for an evaluation of six beverages (based on a 8 oz. glass). 

Juice 

• To be beneficial, juices must be 100 percent fruit juice.
• Certain 100 percent juices provide nutritional benefits, such as orange juice with vitamin C.
• The American Academy of Pediatrics urges parents to give their young children no more than 4 ounces of 100 percent fruit juice per day to reduce the risk of cavities and ensure good oral health.
• Those labeled “drink”, “cocktail” and “beverage” contain as little as 5 percent juice, and are filled with other ingredients such as artificial flavorings and sweeteners.  
• Juice has been linked to an increased incidence of type II diabetes and carries the risk of putting on extra weight due to the high amount of sugars commonly found in them. 

If one of your New Year’s Resolutions for 2009 is to slim down, don’t forget the water!

Since 70% of total body weight for an average person is water, a relatively high percentage of weight loss is likely to be water loss. But losing “water weight” isn’t a good thing – and can hamper your efforts to lose weight. 

As we mentioned before, our bodies need water to hydrate and run basic functions including converting food to energy. Water weight can occur from not drinking enough water (so your body stores it), not eating a healthy diet, medications or medical conditions. 

The best solution? Drink more water! According to AOL health, “while it seems contradictory, drinking plenty of plain water will flush salt and fluid out of your system. A well-hydrated body is less likely to retain water.”

In fact, an article on WebMD highlights the results of a study that found after drinking 17 ounces of water, the subject’s metabolic rates (rate at which calories are burned) increased by 30% for both men and women.

Also, our brains do not differentiate between hunger and thirst, so your body may be telling you to drink more when your stomach growls. Since water is also a natural appetite suppressant, reaching for your reusable beverage bottle could fill you up and is a better choice than potato chips or another snack.

For tips on staying hydrated while working out, check out this previous post.

January brings resolutions and commitments to live healthier, better and more consciously. This year, pledge to use a reusable beverage bottle and you will:

• Save money – Switching to a reusable beverage bottle from bottled water will save over $200 a year. A reusable bottle can be transported anywhere with you and can be refilled as many times as you desire!
• Help the environment – Eight out of ten water bottles become landfill waste and take 700 years before they begin to decompose.
• Conserve energy and resources – It takes more than 1.5 million barrels of oil to produce the plastic for bottled water in the US alone, which is enough to power 100,000 cars for a year. This does not factor in the amount of raw materials needed to ship the final product, which is heavy and requires large quantities of fuel. The water is often sourced from various locations, but using a reusable beverage bottle allows you to drink locally – right from the tap.
• Be healthy – Having a BPA-free reusable bottle with you at all times will encourage you to drink more water and be more healthy! Learn why hydration is important in one of our previous posts.

Save money and the Earth with a Thermos reusable beverage bottle this year!

Cold, harsh weather outside and dry, hot air inside contribute to dehydration in the winter months. A dehydrated body is more susceptible to common colds and the flu, so be sure to drink the proper amount of water during these colder months.

Here are a few tips to stay hydrated and healthy over the winter:

• Water doesn’t to be icy to be enjoyable. Tepid water won’t chill you and is easier for your body to absorb.
  When you enjoy a cup of coffee or hot chocolate to warm up, pair it with a glass of water.
  If exercising in the cold, hydration is even more important. Although you’re not seeing the sweat, your body is losing fluids quickly. An Anchorage Daily News article mentions that a well hydrated body offers better circulation to your extremities to help keep you warm.
• Snack on fruits and vegetables high in water content, such as apples or melons, which your body will process and use for hydration.
• Add a humidifier to your home to keep moisture in the air. This will keep your skin from drying out and itching.
• Moisturize your skin daily, particularly your hands and face, since they are exposed to more of the cold weather.

Remember to always carry a reusable water bottle with you to have easy access to drinking water everywhere you go.

What are your suggestions for keeping hydrated this winter?