Water Cooler

Drink up!

I have a confession to make: Up until a few weeks ago, I only drank bottled water. Yup, even at home. Note though that I was very frugal about it: On laundry days, while my clothes were in the dryer, I would buy a case of Dasani at Key Food (which was cheaper than buying individual bottles, say, from Duane Reade) and wheel it back to my apartment. So in terms of the expense, it wasn't substantial enough to put a serious dent in my wallet.

However, this bottled water fixation was very very contradictory to the organic and "green" lifestyle I've come to adopt (which includes conscientiously sorting my recyclables in the trash bin). Can you imagine the carbon footprint and my contribution to the plastic bottle problem? Yet, I couldn't get my tastebuds to get used to drinking from the tap. Well, that, and a general concern for microbes.

Before.

Anyhow, one day back in February, I decided to snap out of this water rut of sorts and off I went and purchased a very handsome blue Brita water pitcher. These smart carafes come with replaceable filters that promise "cleaner, great-tasting water." While the initial investment may come at a premium—expect to shell out between $20 to $38 for a jug that comes with one filter—it's quite worth the price, given the environmental impact of "bottling up." The idea is to replace the filters every 40 gallons, approximately two months, and each one costs $8, depending on where you shop (you'll save money if you buy in bulk). According to the website, a Brita filter can "reduce chlorine (taste and odor), copper, and mercury content ... and can save up to 300 bottles of water. Now that's definitely cool.

And, my tastebuds have been happy so far.

So far, so cool.