Did you know that each year 1.5 million tons of plastic waste is attributed to bottled water? The number is extremely alarming as this figure continues to rise globally. Many of us are unaware that this figure translates to a consumption of 47 million gallons of oil per year just to produce the bottles alone. With a finite amount of natural resources available, we all need to do our part to alleviate the strain we’re placing on the environment. In fact, in most developed countries, water systems are so well regulated that there is no discernible health differences between tap water and bottled water. One company, which is trying to change the way we approach bottled water is Move Collective.  Their Bobble water bottles, aim to reduce our carbon footprint and at the same time filter contaminants and impurities out of the water we drink.

What’s so great about their design is that the water itself is filtered as you drink. There’s no need to sit and wait for the water to be filtered as with traditional filtration methods. This allows you to refill the Bobble as you please, saving you time, money and the environment in the long run. So for you bottled water addicts out there, you can still enjoy the same great taste of bottled water, but at only a fraction of the cost.

If you’ve ever had a bad cup of coffee, keep on reading. There are all sorts of reasons why your morning cup of joe may not be at its best. Whether it’s the type of filters you’re using, quality of water or even the type of coffee maker you own; the science behind coffee brewing has become so overly complex that it’s hard to keep track of it all.

But one simple guideline we follow to ensure we have better tasting coffee is by using freshly ground beans. Did you know that once coffee beans have been ground they can go stale as quickly as 30 minutes? Makes you rethink buying the pre-ground stuff doesn’t it? Not to mention how long ago the coffee beans were roasted.

So the next time you buy your another bag of coffee remember to look for the whole beans rather then pre-ground. Also, pass on those store coffee grinders and do yourself a favor by picking up your own coffee grinder. We’ve recently become fond of this little manual grinder; it fits easily in a drawer and looks great on the countertop.