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Your Water Quality: Soft vs. Hard Water, How...
For Water Quality Month, let's take a look at one classic issue many UK households have to contend with: water hardness. When describing our tap water, many of us will be familiar with the terms "hard" and "soft". But what, exactly, do they mean, and why are some water supplies harder than others? What are the implications of having hard or soft water, and what tell-tale signs are there I might have hard water? What do we mean by "hard" and "soft" water? Water is characterised as hard if it has a high mineral content - more specifically, a high calcium and magnesium content. Soft water, on the other hand, has a lower content of these minerals present. How does water become "hard" or "soft"? Our water goes on a long journey from being freshly-fallen rainwater to eventually coming out of our household taps. Water is an incredible solvent - it can dissolve other substances very easily and effectively. On the way to the treatment works, water picks up many of the Earth's minerals and solutions as it passes through rocks, chalk, limestone, sand and soil. As discussed, the main culprits for "hard" water are calcium and magnesium carbonates - the more it dissolves of these, the harder it will be. In different parts of the UK, water has to pass through varying landscapes, sediments and natural rock structures, leading it to pick up differing levels of minerals. If the rainwater falls onto porous rocks such as limestone, the water passes through and picks up more minerals such as calcium which makes it hard. In other parts of the UK, the water tends to fall on non-porous rock, such as granite. In these areas, the rainwater doesn't permeate, causing the water to pick up fewer minerals. The resulting water will be soft. The effects & costs of hard water Most people will know that hard water can be somewhat of a nuisance. As it heats up, the calcium separates and spreads out. These deposits accumulate over time, resulting in a film or scaly residue, which forms a layer. This is known as limescale and can build up on taps, kettles and other appliances at home and in the workplace. As well as being unsightly, there's a financial and environmental cost to hard water. Domestic appliances that are clogged with limescale such as kettles, irons and dishwashers, demand more time and energy to heat up water. This costs you more money and energy, ultimately impacting your household bottom line, as well as meaning it takes longer to make that cup of tea! There's another added downside to hard water. It has a poorer performance with soap and detergents. As the water already has a high mineral content, it is more difficult to form a solution with. That's not to mention the potential corrosive damage to pipes; hard water can affect the efficiency of many household and industrial systems, causing appliances to wear out more quickly. Aside from that, cleaning limescale is simply an unwanted chore for many people, adding yet another cleaning task to an often mounting list. Check out our Limescale solutions now! Is hard water bad for you? The UK has some of the best water in the world; it is strictly and rigorously tested to be safe for consumption. Despite much debate, fortunately, there is no credible evidence that hard water poses a health risk to humans. According to the World Health Organisation, hard water may even be beneficial to those who are marginal for magnesium or calcium intake. However, hard water has been implicated in causing or exacerbating skin sensitivities. A recent study concluded that ˜living in a hard water area is associated with an increased risk of atopic dermatitis(eczema); it's also been reported that the minerals in hard water, as they deposit on your scalp, can cause irritation. Anecdotal evidence suggests that it can make your hair appear flat and straw-like. Is my water soft or hard? Most people will be able to get a measure of their water's quality by looking for the tell-tale signs of hard water: A crusty deposit around taps and showerheads Furred up kettles and other appliances A light film on your tea or coffee Difficulty in lathering shampoo or shower soap Dry skin after washing A soapy leftover layer in your shower or bath. In the UK, water tends to be hardest in the South East and London, the Midlands and eastern Wales. As you move further north into northern England and Scotland, the water becomes much softer. The South West of England, western Wales and Northern Ireland also tend to have very soft water. As we discussed, this is down to the permeability of the surface that the rainwater lands on. Limestone surfaces, by allowing water to penetrate, create mineral-heavy hard water. Granite, on the other hand, doesn't allow the water to dissolve sediments as easily. For an interesting regional breakdown in England and Wales, the below map of water hardness was made available by the Drinking Water Inspectorate. Image Source Safeguard the quality of your drinking water with Doulton Do you have issues or concerns with the quality or hardness of the water in your area? Doulton's range of products provides the perfect solution - we've been at the cutting edge of drinking water filtration technology for nearly two hundred years. Our CleanSoft® limescale reduction cartridge, used in the first chamber of our DUO & BioTect Ultra® under-counter water filter system, works by reducing calcium in the water that comes out of your tap. The minimises the build-up of limescale on kettles and taps, reduces the temporary hardness in drinking water, as well as prevents the dreaded film from building up on your tea! If you have other contaminants in the water that's coming out of the tap in your area, from chlorine or nitrate to sediment or fluoride, explore our range of water treatment cartridges. Safeguard your drinking water and taste the Doulton difference. More about water hardness. Check out our Limescale solutions now!
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Plastic Pollution: Interesting Facts & Statistics You Didn't...
Did you know that small pieces of plastic - microplastics - have been found contaminating the Arctic's ice core? The Earth is struggling to cope with the amount of plastic we're using, and here are the facts and stats to prove it. Check out our refillable Water Bottles now! Single-use plastic pollution: The impact on our oceans, wildlife & planet It's no secret that plastic pollution is destructive to wildlife and our environment, particularly aquatic creatures. We use plastic every day. Some of the main examples of single-use plastic include plastic bottles, cotton buds, straws, coffee lids, wrapping, bags and plastic cutlery. When these macroplastics degrade over hundreds of years, they don't actually disappear, they break down into tiny pieces and toxic fragments called microplastic. These miniscule fibres are everywhere. How big is the issue of plastic pollution for our seas and its creatures? Plastic rubbish resembles food to many marine creatures, particularly sea turtles who can confuse bags for jellyfish. Its consumption causes them to starve, choke or sustain internal injuries like clogged or punctured guts. According to the UN, plastic kills one million seabirds and 100,000 sea mammals each year. [source] In 2019, a dead whale was found with 40 kilos of plastic waste in its stomach. [source] 90% of marine birds and fish are estimated to have plastic in their stomach. [source] A sea turtle has a 22% chance of dying if it ingests just one piece of plastic. Once a turtle has 14 plastic items in its digestive tract, it has a 50% chance of dying. [source] If marine plastic pollution continues at its current rate, by 2050 the plastic waste in the sea will weigh more than the world's population of fish. [source] Globally, it's estimated that 52% of sea turtles have eaten plastic waste. [source] Nine in 10 sea birds are thought to have ingested plastic waste. [source] It's not just the oceans. Land animals - including those that humans consume - are affected by plastic pollution. Microplastic pollution in soil, sediments and other bodies of water poses a real danger to our ecosystems. They have even been found in our tap water. Over 50% of cattle in Kenya were found to have plastic bags in their stomachs, before the country moved to ban single-use plastic bags completely. [source] In 2019, it was reported that 60,000 cows in France suffered from tumours and infections caused by an accumulation of plastic in their rumen. [source] Microplastic contamination on land is estimated to be anywhere from four to 23 times higher than marine microplastic pollution. This can have a long-term negative impact as plastic enters the food chain and contaminates soil. [source] Billions of people are ingesting microplastic in the water they drink out of their taps; a study found 83% of global tap water samples to be contaminated, including 72% of European samples. [source] Make a lasting change today. There's demand out there to make the change, and the good news is that we can all be part of it. By making small changes to our individual and family lifestyles, we can reduce the amount of waste entering our landscapes and oceans. Do your part by committing to a plastic-free July. As convenient as it may be, the small plastic bottle is one of the most littered items in the world, contributing to one third of all marine pollution. Make the easy change to a reusable, sustainable solution with Doulton's stylish TASTE bottle - ideal for staying hydrated with great-tasting, healthy filtered water on the go. Looking to take more steps towards sustainability as a family? Drinking more water is a great place to start. An at-home water filtration system - such as our undercounter systems - which will help you to swap pollution for hydration, reducing temptation to reach for plastic bottled soft drinks. Check out our refillable Water Bottles now!
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The UK's Plastic Problem: How Much Do We...
In recent years, there has been growing environmental awareness in society. Many of us are now committing to household recycling schemes - but make no mistake, we still have a single-use plastic problem in the UK. We all know just how dangerous and devastating plastic pollution is. It's estimated that eight million tonnes of plastic enter the sea every year, to the detriment of marine life as well as our landscapes. Check out our refillable Water Bottles now! Here's some facts about our plastic consumption in the UK - some alarming, some interesting - as well as ways we can all play a role in going greener! In numbers: Our single-use plastic problem in the UK 38.5 million - The amount of plastic bottles used each day in the UK.(1) 16 million - The approximate number of plastic bottles that are not recycled per day - entering landfill, our environment or oceans.(1) 5 million metric tonnes - The amount of plastic used each year across the UK. Half of this is packaging, which includes plastic bottles.(2) 46.2% - The percentage of plastic packaging waste that was actually able to be recovered or recycled in the UK; this is less than The Netherlands, Germany and Spain, although higher than the EU average of 42%.(3) 1.75 billion - The amount of single-use plastic bags used over the course of a year, according to the most recent government data. Although still shocking, this represents a decrease of 83% from 2014.(4) 24% - The percentage growth in plastic waste in the UK according to the latest figures, compared to 2010.(2) 48% - The estimated landfill rate for plastic in the UK, according to government statistics.(2) 40kg - The approximate amount of plastic waste most UK households throw away every year.(5) Sources: Water.org (1); House of Commons Library (2); Eurostat (3); gov.uk (4); Statistica (5). How can I reduce my single-use plastic consumption? Looking for some easy adjustments to your lifestyle that will make a real difference? Form eco-friendly habits to last a lifetime - and say 'see ya, single use'! Reusables and refillables - Hitting the gym? Choose a refillable water bottle. Heading to the takeaway? Bring your own food container to reduce styrofoam. Grabbing a coffee? Insist on the use of your own refillable coffee cup. (On the subject of coffee, if you have a coffee pod machine, make sure you steer clear of the non-recyclable plastic pods - did you know that they can take over 500 years to decompose?) Coming prepared takes practice, but all of these individual lifestyle changes add up and drastically diminish our plastic consumption. Drink more water from the tap - It's a fact that most of our litter in the UK comes from drinks consumption and plastic bottles, so this is a very important place to start. By making tap water consumption a habit and staple of your lifestyle, you'll be more hydrated, have less temptation to reach for bottled water or soft drinks, as well as save money in the long term. If you have concerns about the taste or scent of your water supply, an at-home filtration system will mean you have abundant, healthy and delicious water straight from the tap! Get back to basics with milk deliveries - It's true, the milkfloat is making an eco-friendly comeback. Having your milk delivered in glass bottles and collected for re-use can drastically diminish the amount of plastic your household is contributing to landfill, or energy to recycle the empty containers. Always carry a bag - Since the phasing in of the 5p charge for single-use plastic bags in the UK, their use has declined by over 83% - but they are still a problem. The latest UK government statistics show that, despite progress, over 1.75 billion single-use plastic bags were issued over the course of a year. Make sure you're never caught short if you're out shopping or having a bit of retail therapy by packing a small, reusable shopping bag. Choose loose produce - It can be difficult to avoid all plastic packaging, but when you're going shopping, say no to pre-packaged items and don't rely on the throwaway grocery bags provided for loose items. If everyone brought their own reusable produce bags, supermarkets may eventually get the hint and we'd certainly see less of a plastic footprint! Show your steel - Plastic straws may be small, but they can certainly add up. Stainless steel or metal straws can look smart and do just as good of a job; so making sure there's one available in your bag or a supply in your kitchen drawers is never a bad call. Kickstart your journey to a reduced-plastic lifestyle with Doulton® Doulton®'s range of ceramic water filtration products give great tasting, healthy filtered water, at home or on the go - helping you and your family to lead more environmentally conscious lives. Our stylish, refillable TASTE bottle is ideal for when you're out and about socially, working or travelling. For the home, Doulton®'s filtration systems will encourage the family to swap the pop and choose hydration over pollution. Check out our refillable Water Bottles now!
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Lockdown Litter: Tourism, Plastic Pollution & Playing Our...
We're currently undergoing a litter epidemic. How bad is our single-use plastic problem and what can we do to fight 'lockdown litter' in the UK? For many families, the coronavirus pandemic has pressed the pause button on all spring and summer travel plans. That fortnight soaking up the sun in the Canary Islands? Forget it. Seeing the historic sights of Europe on a long weekend? No-go. As a result, we're now looking closer to home to satisfy our wanderlust, exploring the natural beauty and wonders contained within the British Isles. But there's also a downside to this - a new litter epidemic. Whilst many people have been flocking to our beautiful beaches and popular public spaces, they have not been leaving without a plastic trace. As well as being unsightly, discarded rubbish results in a spike in plastic entering our seas, posing a mortal danger to marine and aquatic life. Check out our refillable Water Bottles now! According to a recent report by Defra and Keep Britain Tidy, the most littered item in the UK is the small plastic bottle ”accounting for 25% of all our litter. So, what's the relationship between travel and single-use plastic pollution? How can we do our part to fight lockdown litter? The single-use scourge: The travel industry is a big-time plastic polluter Our planet pays a very heavy price for our love of travel. Many popular tourist destinations simply don't have the recycling infrastructure in place to cope with the level of plastic waste that we consume on holiday. According to a WWF report, the 200 million people who flock to coastal resorts every summer contribute a 40 percent spike in plastic pollution going into the sea. It's been reported that 150,000-500,000 tonnes of macroplastics enter our oceans every year - enough to fill 66,000 rubbish trucks and bear in mind that each piece takes hundreds of years to decompose. The health risks of this to marine life are well understood; sea creatures can suffocate and choke on large pieces of plastic, mistaking them for food. Microplastics, the less visible but no less ubiquitous or dangerous polluter, number approximately 70,000-130,000 tonnes per year, to the deleterious effect of aquatic life. These tiny, microscopic fragments enter the food chain, threatening not only animal but even human health. Microplastics can get everywhere, even found in tap water samples in European countries. According to the UN, if the travel industry went about its business˜ as usual, by 2050 we would have a 251 percent increase in solid waste disposal and a 131 percent increase in greenhouse gas emissions. We have a big plastic problem on our hands. The good news is that it is possible to clean up and protect the sea from plastics. But this requires the commitment and collaboration of all: governments, businesses and individuals. With global air travel falling significantly due to coronavirus and the ensuing lockdown, foreign tourist destinations and their nearby seas are getting some much-needed respite. The solution, therefore, must be a more sustainable way of traveling and enjoying the world's many stunning tourism hotspots. Individuals, businesses and governments all have a big role to play in quashing single-use plastic pollution. The scourge of UK lockdown litter With the fall in foreign tourism in 2020, many of us in the UK are exploring our own national travel treasures public spaces, beaches and heritage areas. Unfortunately, it appears that the rubbish we usually export overseas is instead being dumped on our doorstep. The result? A pandemic of lockdown litter. Our behaviour has also been transformed by lockdown. With restaurants off the menu for much of the year, socialising has been moved into open areas with the exploding popularity of eating outdoors - the 'picnic effect'. Many of us will have seen media reports exposing mounds of discarded rubbish - soft drink and water bottles, disposable barbecues, food wrappers polluting our shores and countryside. Sadly, with bins overflowing, litter is surging. Coronavirus restrictions have also impacted collection and sorting of recyclables in many countries. According to a report on plastic recycling, we're currently at a crossroads - will we regress, or resurge? At the present time, the plastic recycling industry could go in either direction. How to fight lockdown litter: What can I do? How can we protect our beloved public spaces, oceans and beaches from plastic? According to environmental psychologist Lee Chambers, the prevalence of litter is a result of an 'overarching culture of disposability'. Individuals, therefore, have a role to play in fighting the litter pandemic by cutting down on single-use disposables. Here are four simple ways we can still enjoy everything our treasured landscapes have to offer, whilst reducing lockdown litter: Say 'see ya, single-use plastic' - Did you know that the most littered item is the small plastic bottle for non-alcoholic drinks? It accounts for around 25 percent of all our litter! So, start with eliminated single-use water and fizzy drink bottles; one helpful thing to remember is that bottled water companies don't create water, they create plastic. A simple change: invest in a portable reusable water bottle for when you're travelling out and about. A fantastic five - this one's perfect for the little ones. It's a great way of involving them in fighting lockdown litter whilst teaching them the importance of global citizenship. When you make a visit to a tourist spot, pack a litter bag. As part of your mission, pick up five pieces of litter that you see. You could even make a fun arrangement with your children - 20 pence for each piece of litter collected, perhaps? Who can collect the most? Explore local hidden gems - instead of guzzling fuel on a miles-long journey to a busy, bustling beach, why not seek out those lesser-known local attractions? With fewer people congregating on the same site, bins aren't full or overflowing. Pick up after yourselves - it needn't really be said, but it's classic, age-old advice for a reason - and it'll really make a difference. The aim: to leave no trace. If no-one left unwanted items behind, there wouldn't be any litter! On your travels? Say 'see ya, single-use plastic'! 75 percent of litter is the result of drinks consumption in the UK - so look here as a matter of priority for reducing single-use plastic pollution. The stylish Doulton® TASTE bottle allows you to have great tasting, healthy filtered water wherever your holidays and trips take you - giving you the undeniable convenience of bottled water whilst eliminating single-use plastic. Do your part, whilst looking the part. What are your top tips for keeping lockdown litter to a minimum? Let us know on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter! Check out our refillable Water Bottles now!
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Swap The Pop - Is Our Obsession with...
Plastic Free July - it's time to Swap the Pop Single use plastic remains a hot topic - we've all seen controversial and saddening images of littered beaches and trapped sea life, struggling to exist alongside the tide of plastic used and discarded by humans. Much of this discussion has (rightly) centred on reducing the amount of single-use water bottles - because not only is water the best way to stay hydrated - it's natural and essential for all-round wellbeing, it is readily available, rendering single-use bottles unnecessary and avoidable. Check out our refillable Water Bottles now! However, this Plastic Free July, we're looking at another major polluter, both of our bodies and our seas - and that's carbonated soft drinks. It turns out that our sugar cravings are acting as a major issue for our health and the environment and swapping out your favourite fizzy drink can have a huge impact and a lot of benefits. What are the effects of carbonated drinks? Fizzy drinks and our health Let's take a look first at the health implications of our nation's fixation with fizzy drinks. Predominantly, we need to start by acknowledging that there are practically zero benefits for your body when consuming them and Sustain says that Brits currently consume over two litres of soft drinks per week - that works out at 63g of sugar per day, more than double the daily recommended sugar intake of 30g. Based on the fact that most of these drinks are sugar or sweetener based, they do not boost or support your health in any way, in fact, quite the opposite. Studies have shown the potential for a wide variety of negative side effects of excessive consumption, such as: Potential increase in visceral fat around major organs Obesity Dental health issues Cardiovascular problems Increased risk of diabetes Fizzy drinks and the environment This isn't just a health concern - our fixation with fizz means we are also using and therefore, dumping, much more single-use plastic and we have to consider the carbon footprint of soft drinks. A report has shown the combined plastic pollution produced by giants Coca-Cola, Unilever, PepsiCo and Nestle, in six developing countries stands at more than half a million tonnes per year, which means it could cover 83 football pitches a day. This puts into perspective how great an impact ditching soft drinks and swapping to a refillable bottle, could have. If you look at the global picture and consider those reluctant to recycle, those unable due to lack of, or poor provision, it's clear how quickly our own contributions to the plastic problem can mount up. As a developed country, with access to clean and safe water, we should be looking to maximise this position by making a switch. Single-use swaps to benefit everyone Water is the answer, plain and simple. We can start to tackle the plastic problem and boost our health and wellbeing right away, by simply 'Swapping the Pop' this Plastic Free July. Water is essential for our life and it plays several key roles, including: Helping to transport nutrients within the body Regulating body temperature Remove waste products from the body Being appropriately hydrated can positively impact mental performance and concentration As well as feeling better for drinking less sugar, the reduction in our plastic use is a welcome boost to global efforts to reduce plastic pollution. A million plastic bottles are bought every minute, so a simple swap to a refillable receptacle is a quick way to do your part. Filtered not fizzy Better still, filtered water is the best of the best! Filtering your water not only ensures maximum great taste, but it is an extra level of protection against any remaining irritants or contaminants that can remain even after water treatment. Our ceramic filters remove up to 99.99% of common contaminants, so you can enjoy the very best in clean, tasty drinking water. With us, you can take your optimum hydration experience wherever you go, thanks to our stylish TASTE bottle and range of filter systems for the home. Go Plastic Free this July and explore our range of high-quality portable water filters. Check out our refillable Water Bottles now!
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5 Blockbuster Movies That Would be Ruined by...
We're taking the time this Plastic Free July to think about making˜ One Lasting Change' - encouraging everyone to swap single-use plastics such as straws and bottles for more sustainable alternatives (like our TASTE bottle!). From our own corners of the world, it can be hard to imagine the scale of the plastic tide, so we thought we'd speak in the universal language of art - more specifically, movies. So, to help paint a clearer picture, we've rounded up five blockbuster movies that would be almost unrecognisable if plastic pollution had gotten in the way. Check out our refillable Water Bottles now! 1) Jaws There's no mistaking that music, the tension that builds with it, or that poster of all those sharp teeth. But, what if Amity Island had been lapped by waves of plastic bottles, straws and netting? Well, it would have gone one of two ways - the people would have avoided the beach altogether, and that would have made for a pretty short movie, or, worse still, the only thing Jaws would have caught is a mouthful of plastic - again, thoroughly underwhelming, and we might even have felt sorry for the shark. 2) Finding Nemo That fateful journey to P.Sherman 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney, would have looked very different if our rainbow fish Nemo and his pals had been contending with litter the whole time. Imagine the jellyfish swapped out for discarded plastic bags, the turtles trapped amidst plastic straws and trash - it's a sad thought and would make Dory's˜ just keep swimming' a little more sombre. 3) Titanic Perhaps reimagining the Titanic movie with a berg of plastic bags and discarded bottles is a bit far-fetched, but if Rose had survived the sinking only to have found herself adrift amongst plastic carrier bags or single-use plastic bottles, she would definitely not have made it back to shore; that is, unless she was able to fashion a raft, but...unlikely! 4) Treasure Island Picture the scene: a young Jim Hawkins finds a treasure map and embarks on an epic adventure to trace down the riches. Now imagine, he finds the island and amidst its plentiful caves is just a mountain of fizzy drinks bottles, carrier bags and other recyclables - not exactly edge of your seat viewing! 5) Waterworld Plastic-waste World doesn't have quite the same ring to it, does it? The ice-caps have melted and people live at sea, endlessly in search of a fabled˜Dryland'. We're not sure Dryland would have been the utopia they were searching for if all it was was a mounting heap of stinking waste from the old world! These 'changed-stories' are just a bit of fun, but the threat posed by plastic pollution to our environment and sea life is very real. We can all play our part by making 'One Lasting Change' this Plastic Free July. Why not swap the Pop - ditch sugary drinks and opt for a refillable water bottle instead? You can feel healthier, more alert, and all the while, you'll be boosting your body and the environment. Or, if you're a water fan already but you just can't ditch the bottled stuff because you're in search of a superior taste, then it might be time to consider our stylish TASTE bottle or our range of filter systems for the home. Check out our refillable Water Bottles now!
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Join Us In Saying ˜ Goodbye To Single-Use'...
We're all aware of how plastic pollution is endangering both our environment and our sea life. With this in mind, we're raising our voices and our hopes this Plastic Free July, that you'll join us in making ˜ one lasting change' to turn the plastic tide. You might be thinking,˜How can I do my part?' - well, it's easier than you think. Saying goodbye to single-use plastic is one of the most vital ways we can all make a difference. We're sharing lots of information and insights on how you can get involved (and still enjoy your great-tasting water fix thanks to our TASTE bottles and in-home water filtration systems!) Over on our blog, we're also looking at other ways to start swapping landfill for refill, such as ditching fizzy drinks as a super-quick way to boost both your own health and the health of the natural world. We'll walk you through all the upsides of what happens when you 'Swap the Pop' and switch to tasty, fresh and filtered water, as well as several other interesting blogs to get you in the mood for a plastic-free July! So, join us and make one lasting change this July. Check out our water solutions now!
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Children's Art Week Competition: Win A filtadapt® Countertop...
Grab the pencils, crayons and paints, as we're launching our Children's Art Week competition! We're giving children the chance to create their very own design of a Doulton filtadapt® Countertop water filter Kids, your mission: design an eye-catching, water-themed wrap for Doulton's filtadapt® system a popular choice of water filter for the kitchen. If you're the winner, we'll make a real version of the wrap you designed. To get the kids started, simply grab a piece of A4 paper and set them to work on creating their very own masterpieces. Design your own wrap for Doulton's filtadapt® tap for Children's Art Week. Of course, it's free to enter. Once you've submitted your design, you'll be in with a chance to win a fantastic prize... The winning design will receive a filtadapt® system and a standard plain sleeve, as well as the wrapped version. The prize draw opens for entries on Monday, 8 June at 12:00 BST (midday in the UK). Entries close on Sunday, 21 June, at 23:59 BST, so you'll have around two weeks to prepare your work of art! Once the design is ready, scan it and send it over to: competitions@doulton.com You can also show off your design on social media, using the hashtag #ChildrensArtWeek and tagging us (@DoultonWater). We can't wait to see some of the exciting, water-related designs that you all come up with. The lucky winner will be chosen at random by Friday 26 June; we'll get in touch by 3 August if that's you. One last thing” make sure to check out the terms and conditions for the competition over on our website Happy designing! Check out our water solutions now!
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Hydration & Physical Performance: What's The Link?
Water is essential for our everyday health and wellbeing - but it's even more important during exercise. In addition to ensuring you are making suitable food choices and following an appropriate training programme, staying hydrated is important for optimising sports performance. In this blog post, we'll examine ways to enhance your athletic performance with good hydration. One of the best sports drinks for hydration is simple, plain water and lots of it! Check out our water solutions now! Hydration and Exercise Why is it important to drink water during exercise? During exercise, the body maintains its optimal body temperature by removing heat through sweat. The amount of sweat that we produce increases with exercise intensity, as well as in environments with high temperatures and humidity. Just a small loss of fluid through sweat, equal to just 2% of body weight, can result in a decrease in physical performance. As well as impairing performance, dehydration during exercise can place stress on the cardiovascular system and increase the risk of illness and injury. Mild levels of dehydration during exercise can also affect mental performance, resulting in decreased motivation. The good news is that rehydration can reverse these effects. Therefore, drinking water is necessary to replace the fluids that have been lost through sweat during exercise. How to Stay Hydrated During Exercise We should aim to be in a well-hydrated state before starting any physical activity, so seek to drink appropriate levels of water as part of your normal routine. You can read more about how much water you should be drinking here. You can estimate your sweat losses during exercise by weighing yourself before and after training; each kilogram of body weight lost during exercise represents a fluid loss of approximately one litre. This can help you to estimate how much fluid you need to consume during exercise. We should aim to lose no more than 2% of our body weight through sweat during exercise, for the reasons outlined above. After Exercise It may not always be possible to take on water at the same rate that it is lost through sweat. Therefore, it is important to continue drinking after you've finished exercising. Pay attention to your thirst levels and toilet habits to indicate your hydration status. If you notice that you are going to the toilet less often than normal and/or passing small amounts of urine that are any darker than pale yellow, you are dehydrated and need to drink some water as soon as possible. What Should I Drink? For low to moderate-intensity exercise that lasts less than an hour, water is an effective choice. For higher intensity sessions that last longer than an hour, sports drinks that contain electrolytes are ideal. This is because we also lose crucial electrolytes, such as sodium, through sweating. Ensuring these are replaced will help to prevent any negative effects on health or performance. You can make your own electrolyte drink at home by combining 800ml of filtered tap water with a pinch of salt and 200ml fruit squash. For the best electrolyte drink, you'll want to ensure that your fruit squash is NOT sugar-free. You can also buy ready-made isotonic sports drinks such as Lucozade water. Maintain good hydration levels during exercise. Use filtered water for great-tasting, healthy water with up to 99.99% of some common contaminants removed whilst the naturally occurring minerals are retained. Explore our range of high-quality portable water filters and discover the Doulton difference today. Check out our water solutions now!
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