PUR Water Filtration Systems Recommended by Whom You Know

Earthy Peachy is always trying to come up with some great Gotham Gadgets to make your life better, and what could be more important than clean water?  We are pleased with the Pur Water Filtration System that we have been testing.  Its superior water quality is just what you need to hydrate your body and eliminate plastic water bottles from your daily routine.  Not only is this fabulous for your home, but it is equally useful at the office.  The Water Filtration System is even better than the pitcher because you have to fill it less often and when you have guests or if you live in a large household (uncommon in Manhattan), more water is available for the thirsty masses (!) which is especially important during the incoming summertime!


WHY PUR FILTERED WATER?  
Water is the body’s principal chemical component and every system in the body depends on it to function properly. In fact, 60-70 percent of your body is composed of water. Water provides life sustaining nourishment for your skin, hair, muscles and brain, which is why it is so important that the water you drink be the absolute best quality. As our water infrastructures age, we’re learning our tap water is not as clean as it could be. In fact, several major U.S. cities still rely on water pipes that were installed more than 100 years ago. While the contaminants or other substances removed or reduced by PUR water filters are not necessarily in all users’ water, by-products from chlorine, along with lead, sometimes show up in our tap water in addition to agricultural pollutants, heavy metals, sediment, pharmaceuticals and microbial cysts. 

DID YOU KNOW? 
Water Filtration:
PUR Water Filtration products do far more than provide great-tasting water. PUR reduces many unwanted contaminants to provide clean water right from your tap. 

• PUR is the first leading brand to claim removal of pharmaceuticals identified in U.S. tap water – more than 99 percent for PUR faucet filters and more than 96 percent for PUR pitchers.*
• The main workhorse of PUR filters is activated carbon. Contaminants in water collide with the activated carbon particles and get trapped in the intricate pore structure of the carbon, thus removing the contaminant from the water stream.
• PUR filtration systems remove 99.9 percent of microbial cysts such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium parvum, which can lead to intestinal illness.
• PUR filtration systems remove 98 percent of lead and 97 percent of chlorine (taste and odor).
• PUR is the only leading pitcher certified by NSF to claim reduction of the weed killer atrazine.
• PUR is certified by NSF International and the Water Quality Association (WQA) and is tested by other third-party laboratories.
• PUR reduces contaminants in the water while leaving fluoride, which is essential for developing and maintaining healthy teeth in children and adults, and has been granted the American Dental Association (ADA) Seal of Approval.

 Drinking Water Infrastructure and Contamination:

• In 2009, the American Society of Civil Engineers gave America’s water infrastructure a grade of a D-.
• The Environmental Protection Agency reported approximately 10-20 percent of human exposure to lead is attributable to lead in tap water.
• In April of 2009, The Associated Press reported that a vast array of pharmaceuticals — including antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones — were found in the drinking water supplies of 51 million Americans.
• In August of 2009, The New York Times reported that the common weed killer atrazine may be dangerous at lower concentrations than what is currently allowed by the EPA, which may lead to birth defects and low birth weights in children. 

* PŪR pharmaceutical filtration claims based on manufacturer testing of faucet mounts and pitchers on 12 pharmaceuticals, which may not be present in all users’ water. 


PUR IS IMPROVING LIVES AROUND THE WORLD  
Water is one of the basic elements of life. Yet, about 4,000 children in developing countries die every day from illness and disease related to unsafe drinking water. Fortunately, the Children’s Safe Drinking Water (CSDW) Program and the water purification technology by PUR are working together to make this statistic part of the past by providing clean drinking water to children in developing countries around the world who lack access to this common necessity.  



DID YOU KNOW? 

• Many children in developing countries simply don’t have access to clean, safe water in their communities. With no running water, many families have no choice but to drink from rivers and streams contaminated with bacteria, parasites and viruses, which contribute to a prevalence of diarrhea-related illnesses that cause widespread death.
• In collaboration with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), P&G developed a low-cost water purification technology, a powdered product that effectively reduces parasites, bacteria and other contaminants found in water.
• The CSDW Program distributes water purification technology in the form of PUR packets, which are as small as a tea bag – each tiny packet can transform up to 10 liters of contaminated water into clean, purified water within minutes.
• The CSDW Program is helping to prevent water-related disease in many countries through education of communities about the importance of clean drinking water, emergency relief work related to natural disasters and the establishment of not-for profit markets to distribute PUR water purification technology.
• To date, the program has provided more than 1.9 billion liters of clean drinking water to people in developing nations*, and they plan on delivering 4 billion liters of clean drinking water from 2007-2012.

 HOW IS PUR HELPING?  

• A portion of the proceeds from the sales of PUR water filtration systems are donated to help fund the CSDW Program. When consumers make the choice to buy a PUR system, they are not only providing clean water for themselves and their families, but also donating a week’s worth of clean water to a child in the developing world.
• Donations from PUR will go towards the P&G goal of providing more than 4 billion liters of clean drinking water in the developing world from 2007-2012, preventing an estimated 160 million days of diarrheal illness and saving an estimated 20,000 lives.
• Please visit www.CSDW.org for program details.

  * Calculated based on sales and distribution data provided by CSDW non-profit partners around the world.


PUR IS SUSTAINING HEALTH 
Many Americans are becoming more aware of what they put in their bodies. They take extra time to read food labels and evaluate their food and beverage choices; however, many don’t realize that they may be ingesting unwanted contaminants such as lead, pesticides and microbial cysts in unfiltered tap water. PUR Water Filtration gives your body the essential hydration it needs, while reducing unwanted contaminants. This way, you get the most out of your tap water. 


DID YOU KNOW? 
Health

• A recent survey showed that Americans rank clean water as one of the major factors for maintaining good health. And with good reason – the body is 60 to 70 percent water and needs it to function well.
• Research shows that mild dehydration can lead to significant impairment of cognitive function, including confusion and irritability. In children, dehydration may even cause diminished mental capabilities.
• It takes about two liters of water (a little more than eight cups), along with your normal diet every day, to replace the fluids lost through your breathing, perspiration, urine and bowel movements.
• Drinking more water can help prevent kidney stones by helping to flush away the substances that form stones.
• Drinking water can help prevent death from a heart attack – study findings show that women who drank more than five glasses of water a day were 41 percent less likely to die from a heart attack during the study period than those who drank fewer than two glasses.
• Water can help prevent kidney and liver problems by helping to flush toxins that burden these vital organs.
• Water is an important part of an exercise routine – water makes up a portion of your body’s fluids that help to cushion your joints through shock absorption. Drinking plenty of water before, during and after exercise can prevent dehydration and cramping.

 Healthy Weight Management

• Children should be encouraged to drink water and to limit intake of beverages with added sugars, such as soft drinks, fruit juice drinks and sports drinks.
• Substituting water for a regular soda (approximately 150 calories) every day, along with participating in moderate activity, could help promote healthy weight. 
• Drinking water can help satisfy the urge to nibble when you are trying to manage a healthy weight. Water has no calories and is the best bet overall when it comes to satisfying thirst and trying to cut the urge to snack.

PUR: PHARMACEUTICAL FILTRATION 
The quality of drinking water in the United States has been making headlines more and more lately. In 2009, The Associated Press released an investigative report revealing that traces of pharmaceutical drugs were found in the drinking water supplies serving more than 51 million Americans. PUR water filtration products do far more than provide great-tasting water. PUR reduces many unwanted contaminants and pharmaceutical compounds to provide clean water right from your tap.* 


HOW IS PUR HELPING?  
PUR water filtration system reduces many of the pharmaceuticals identified in U.S. tap water.  
The new research shows that PUR Water Filtration Systems (PUR) remove more than 99 percent of pharmaceutical compounds from America’s tap water using the PUR faucet filters and more than 96 percent with PUR pitchers. PUR effectively reduces five different categories of medication including:

• Hormones: prednisone, prednisolone, progesterone, testosterone and cortisol
• Antibiotics: ciprofloxacin, administered in tablet form to prevent certain infections caused by bacteria, as well as sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim, which are administered intravenously to treat a wide variety of bacterial infections including pneumonia, and urinary tract and intestinal infections
• Antidepressants: fluoxetine, prescribed to treat a variety of conditions, including depression and other mental/mood disorders
• Anti-anxiety medication: meprobamate, a treatment used to relieve nervousness or tension that exceeds stress of everyday life
• Painkillers: ibuprofen and naproxen

 DID YOU KNOW? 
Procter & Gamble recently conducted a survey of Americans to gauge awareness and concern for pharmaceuticals in their drinking water. Surprisingly, nearly two-thirds of Americans surveyed (64 percent) say they are unaware that a wide range of pharmaceutical drugs have been detected in U.S. tap water. Other statistics include: 

• Amongst those consumers who were unaware that pharmaceutical drugs have been found in drinking water, 94 percent say they would be “concerned” to learn that tap water in their home had pharmaceuticals in it.
• Additionally, of those Americans unaware of the possible presence of pharmaceuticals in their drinking water, 93 percent claim they would be driven to take action upon learning of this.
• The survey also revealed that 37 percent think that bottled water is healthiest, which suggests that many are unaware that pharmaceuticals have also been found in some brands of bottled water.
• Nearly half of Americans surveyed do not think there are pharmaceuticals in tap water, or they think it’s just either a “big-city” or “rural” issue.

  ^* Based on manufacturer testing of twelve pharmaceuticals. May not be present in all users’ water.
 
PUR: HELPING OUR PLANET  
Sustainability, which protects the world for future generations, is important to PUR – both saving natural resources and protecting the environment. Clean water is a scarce and precious resource, but the average person wastes up to 30 gallons of water every day, which could contribute to the fact that 36 states will be facing water shortage problems by 2013. 
PUR products are a smart choice for healthy families, a healthy planet and a healthy wallet: 

• PUR water filtration systems can help ensure that your family’s drinking water is clean and healthy because it is certified to claim reduction of many contaminants from tap water.
• PUR helps save the planet by reducing the number of used plastic water bottles – up to 38 billion – that are discarded each year (Fast Company, 2007).
• PUR also helps consumers save money, because PUR is cheaper than plastic bottled water. In the United States, consumers are spending billions of dollars on plastic bottled water every year.

 DID YOU KNOW? 
Bottled Water

• Making bottles to meet America’s demand for bottled water requires more than 1.5 million barrels of oil annually, enough to fuel some 100,000 U.S. cars for a year (Discovery Planet Green).
• Only twenty-three percent of plastic water bottles used in the United States are recycled (Fast Company, 2007), resulting in 38 billion plastic water bottles being discarded every year.

 PUR Can Save Consumers Money

• Each PUR pitcher can replace up to 2,000 16 oz. plastic bottles of water per year.*
• A PUR faucet mount can deliver the equivalent of up to 3,200 16 oz. plastic bottles of water in one year.**
• PUR filtered water is about one-tenth the cost of bottled water, which can lead to a savings of up to $600 per year.**
• Refilling portable bottles with PUR water gives consumers an easy way to make a healthy choice while saving natural resources and reducing plastic.

* Reducing up to 2,000 water bottles per year based on comparing annual capacity of PŪR pitcher system and 5 refills based on filter life expectancy to corresponding number of 16 oz. water bottles. 
** Reducing up to 3,200 water bottles and saving up to $600 per year based on comparing annual capacity and average price of PŪR faucet mount system and 3 refills based on filter life expectancy to corresponding number and average price of 16 oz. water bottles.
 
PUR & SUMMIT ON THE SUMMIT: KILIMANJARO
For years, PUR and the Children’s Safe Drinking Water (CSDW) Program have been working together to ensure that people around the world have clean water to drink – in the U.S. with PUR Water Filtration Systems and in developing countries with PUR water cleaning technology.  Because of this expertise, PUR was invited to join a new clean water charity initiative – SUMMIT ON THE SUMMIT: Kilimanjaro.  PUR is excited to partner with SUMMIT and bring major attention to the global water situation while providing even more people with access to clean drinking water. 


WHAT IS SUMMIT ON THE SUMMIT: KILIMAJARO?
SUMMIT is a charity climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain in Africa, to raise awareness both about the need for clean drinking water, as well as funds for life-saving water programs in the developing world. The program was created by Grammy-nominated musician, Kenna, whose father nearly lost his life as a child after contracting a water-borne disease from drinking contaminated water.  The climb will take place in January 2010. 
Why Climb for Clean Drinking Water?

• About 4,000 children in developing countries die every day from illness and disease related to unsafe drinking water
• Many children in developing countries don’t have access to clean, drinkable water in their communities
• With no running water, many families have no choice but to drink from rivers and streams contaminated with bacteria, parasites and viruses, which contribute to a prevalence of diarrhea-related illnesses that cause widespread death

 Who’s Climbing?
Dr. Greg Allgood, Founder and Director of the CSDW Program, will be joining the climb as one of the SUMMIT team’s water authorities. He’ll lend his vast expertise to the cause and educate the climbers about the global water crisis throughout their journey.  Kenna has also enlisted a number of celebrities and cultural influencers to help shine the spotlight on this effort, including: 

• Jessica Biel – Actress (upcoming films Valentine’s Day and The A-Team)

• Isabel Lucas – Actress (Transformers 2)

• Emile Hirsh – Actor (Into the Wild, Milk)
• Lupe Fiasco – Grammy-nominated musician
• Jason Walsh – Renowned Trainer and Movement Specialist
• Alexandra Cousteau – National Geographic Emerging Explorer
• Kick Kennedy – Environmental activist and granddaughter of Robert Kennedy
• Elizabeth Gore – Executive Director of Global Alliances for the United Nations Foundation

 Additional celebrity climbers are expected to join the January ascent.  In addition to scaling Mt. Kilimanjaro, the climbers will be visiting a nearby village in Arusha, Tanzania where Dr. Allgood will show them, firsthand, the toll the global water crisis is taking on communities around the world, as well as the relief efforts being used to help. 




JOIN THE CAUSE

• A portion of the proceeds from the climb will go to benefit the CSDW Program.  Anyone in the U.S. can join the climb and the clean drinking water cause by purchasing a PŪR pitcher or faucet mount system. Purchasing a PUR system will donate a week’s worth of clean drinking water to children in need in the developing world^*.
• Donations from purchases of PUR pitchers and faucet mounts will go towards the CSDW goal of providing more than 4 billion liters of clean drinking water in the developing world from 2007-2012, preventing an estimated 160 million days of diarrheal illness and saving an estimated 20,000 lives.
• Please visit PURWater.com for additional program details.

 * For each PUR system purchase, PŪR will donate 10 cents to the CSDW fund.  For additional program details, visit PURWater.com or CSDW.org