Water is a necessity for humans, animals and plants. As we take steps to clean up our oceans, lakes, and rivers, so too we must pay attention to the quality of water in our homes and communities. Municipal water treatment facilities are responsible for maintaining the quality of drinking water by removing many harmful contaminants found in it, but not all substances can be filtered away with one-hundred percent efficacy. Any contaminants that make their way past mechanical filtration systems tend to be so small that specialized filtration mechanisms may be required to sift them apart. The common household products we use on a daily basis such as dish soaps, shampoos and detergents may further contribute to the decreasing purity of our groundwater aquifers beneath the ground, which the source of our water here on Long Island.
We can take extra steps in reducing the pollutants in our groundwater by choosing less toxic products such as plant-based soaps and detergents found at health food stores, vs. the typical name brands which are petroleum based and may contain harmful contaminants such as 1,4 dioxane (as well as fragrances containing hormone-disrupting phthalates). Local wildlife also relies on a healthy water ecosystem—after water goes through treatment or our cesspool/septic system, it goes back to our waterways...
We can also protect our own health through the installation of home water filters that target specific contaminants such as volatile organic compounds, pesticides, and other chemicals. And although purchasing a home water filter may be an expense, it is worth it to prevent the risk of illnesses, and is cheaper and less wasteful than drinking from plastic water bottles. Below is a list of some of the common harmful ingredients found in daily-use products that further pollute the quality of our water:
• Synthetic perfumes/fragrances – common in lotions, soaps, detergents, shampoos, and conditioners.
◦ Impedes the lymphatic system process of cleaning your body of toxic antigens and wastes
• Potassium Sorbates & phenoxyethanol – found in hair-care products and some cosmetics.
◦ Can cause contact dermatitis, organ toxicity and irritates the skin, scalp, eyes, or lungs
• Dimethicone – found in lubricants, moisturizers, and cosmetics.
◦ Can cause skin and scalp irritation due to the chemical trapping bacteria within the skin.
• Formaldehydes (DMDM Hydantoin, Bronopol, quaternium-15, and others) – found in cosmetics, baby shampoos, body soaps, and hair gels.
◦ Skin irritations and rashes caused by skin PH sensitivity and allergic reactions
• Contaminants – unplanned byproducts of the multitudes of ingredients mixed into products.
◦ Are NOT listed in product labels due to the unpredictability of byproduct outcomes.
◦ Some known harmful contaminants:
‣ polyethylene glycol
‣ polyethylene ceteareth
‣ butane and isobutene
‣ coal tar
‣ Heavy solids (lead, nickel, and others)
Many types of water filters can be outfitted into your home to help filter out different contaminants. It is recommended that you have your home’s water tested to see which pollutants may be present. It may also be of benefit to check your county/state Annual Water Quality Reports as a reference to the general safety. Attached below are links to the New York State Annual Water Quality Support, and we encourage any readers out-of-state to search for their respective state’s reports. Additionally, please see our Water Filter Factsheet for a brief synopsis covering the types of water filters that can tackle the contaminants according to the specifications needed in your home’s water quality.
View / Download: Water Filter Factsheet by Green Inside and Out
Maji ni muhimu kwa wanadamu, wanyama na mimea. Kama vile tunavyochukua hatua za kusafisha bahari, maziwa, na mito, ndivyo tunavyopaswa kuzingatia ubora wa maji katika nyumba zetu na jamii zetu. Vifaa vya maji ya manispaa ni wajibu wa kudumisha ubora wa maji ya kunywa kwa kuondoa uchafuzi wengi hatari kupatikana ndani yake, lakini si vitu vyote inaweza kuwa filtered mbali na ufanisi mia moja. Vitu vyovyote vinavyosababisha uchafuzi vinavyopitia mifumo ya kuchuja vyenyewe huwa vidogo sana hivi kwamba huenda vikatakiwa kutumiwa vifaa maalumu vya kuchuja ili viwe mbali. Vifaa vya kawaida vya nyumbani tunavyotumia kila siku kama vile sabuni za kuosha vyombo, shampoo na dawa za kuosha zinaweza kuchangia zaidi kupungua kwa usafi wa maji ya chini ya ardhi ya chini ya ardhi, ambayo ni chanzo cha maji yetu hapa Long Island. "Kama vile tunavyoweza kupunguza uchafuzi wa maji ya chini ya ardhi kwa kuchagua bidhaa zisizo na sumu kama vile sabuni na dawa za kuosha zinazopatikana katika maduka ya chakula cha afya, badala ya bidhaa za kawaida za jina ambazo zinategemea petroli na zinaweza kuwa na uchafuzi mbaya kama vile 1,4 dioxane (kama vile harufu zenye phthalates zinazoathiri homoni).""" Wanyama wa mwituni pia hutegemea mazingira ya maji yenye afya - baada ya maji kupita kupitia matibabu au mfumo wetu wa septic, inarudi kwenye njia zetu za maji... Tunaweza pia kulinda afya yetu wenyewe kwa kufunga vichungi vya maji vya nyumbani ambavyo vinalenga uchafuzi maalum kama vile misombo ya kikaboni, dawa za kuua wadudu, na kemikali zingine. Ingawa kununua kichujio cha maji cha nyumbani kunaweza kuwa gharama kubwa, ni muhimu kuzuia hatari ya magonjwa, na ni nafuu na haina hasara kuliko kunywa maji kutoka chupa za plastiki. Hapa chini ni orodha ya baadhi ya viungo vya kawaida vya madhara yaliyopatikana katika bidhaa za matumizi ya kila siku ambazo huchafua zaidi ubora wa maji yetu: • Manukato ya synthetic (manukato) - kawaida katika lotions, sabuni, detergents, shampoos, na conditioners. Huzuia mfumo wa lymphatic mchakato wa kusafisha mwili wako wa antigens sumu na taka.  Potassium sorbates & phenoxyethanol  kupatikana katika bidhaa za huduma ya nywele na baadhi ya vipodozi. • Inaweza kusababisha dermatitis ya mawasiliano, sumu ya chombo na kuchochea ngozi, ngozi ya kichwa, macho, au mapafu • Dimethicone <unk> hupatikana katika lubricants, moisturizers, na vipodozi.  Inaweza kusababisha kuchochea ngozi na ngozi ya kichwa kwa sababu ya kemikali ya kukamata bakteria ndani ya ngozi. Formaldehyde (DMDM-hydrangein, Bronopol, Quaternion-15 na wengine) hupatikana katika vipodozi, shampoo za watoto, sabuni za mwili, na gel za nywele.  Kuchochea ngozi na rashes kusababishwa na ngozi pH unyeti na athari za mzio  uchafuzi  unplanned byproducts ya wingi wa viungo mchanganyiko katika bidhaa.  Si waliotajwa katika lebo ya bidhaa kutokana na unpredictability ya matokeo ya bidhaa za ziada.  Baadhi ya uchafuzi unaojulikana:  polyethylene glycol  polyethylene ceteareth  butane na isobutene  coal tar  solids nzito (lead, nickel, na wengine) Aina nyingi za vichungi vya maji vinaweza kuingizwa nyumbani kwako kusaidia kuchuja uchafuzi tofauti. Inashauriwa kwamba upime maji ya nyumbani mwako ili uone ni vimeng'enyaji gani vinavyoweza kuwapo. Pia, ni muhimu kuangalia ripoti ya kila mwaka ya ubora wa maji ya jimbo lako kama kumbukumbu ya usalama wa jumla. Kuunganisha chini ni viungo kwa New York Jimbo ya Kila Mwaka Maji Quality Support, na sisi kuhamasisha wasomaji nje ya hali ya kutafuta ripoti zao husika hali. Kwa kuongezea, tafadhali angalia karatasi yetu ya habari ya kichujio cha maji kwa muhtasari mfupi unaofunika aina za vichujio vya maji vinavyoweza kukabiliana na uchafuzi kulingana na vipimo vinavyohitajika katika ubora wa maji ya nyumba yako. Download: Water Filter Factsheet na Green Ndani na Nje View /