5 Eco-Friendly Water Bottles to Help You Do More and Be Better

Let’s face it, we’ve already got a thousand things to remember right now: work out more, drink more water, eat better foods, complete more projects, see more friends, aim higher at work, read more books, engage in more activities, do more, be more, give more.
So many of us seem to be on this perpetual path of self-improvement and we work endlessly to become even better versions of ourselves. And I’m not even sure this is taking New Year’s resolutions into consideration!
How we manage to find time for everything is anyone’s guess. But who can blame you for simply wanting to do, be, and perform better? I’d say it’s a great goal.
But let’s start small
Let’s take some baby steps toward improvement. What on your list is going to bring you the biggest impact for the smallest effort? Drinking water is great for your skin, it’s an elixir for your organs, it gives you boosts of energy and helps you maintain focus. So, let’s start here.
We’re even going to help you out by giving you some solid recommendations for ways to drink more water:
1. Kool8
Eco-friendly Water Bottles
Eco-friendly Water Bottles
A great way for you to tackle doing better, being better, and giving more, all in one fell swoop. The Kool8 refillable water bottle is an eco-friendly, insulated canister that keeps your water both cool and hot, whichever you prefer. They give back too, in the form of donations, where 20% of the profit from each bottle sold helps deliver fresh water to underprivileged areas of the world. Plus, if you look for a little extra pep or flavor, it comes with a tea infuser as well. Take a sip of water and know that while you’re helping yourself, you’re also helping others.
2. BKR
Eco-friendly Water Bottles
Eco-friendly Water Bottles
BPA-free, made of chic, modern glass and silicone, and in a convenient size and shape, the BKR bottle is small and easy to carry around. Stylish and convenient carry-handle, this bottle seems more like a high-fashion accessory than a water canister. Carrying Stay stylish and stay healthy, all at the same time. Who says we have to sacrifice style in order to get healthy? Not to mention, as a one-liter bottle, you’ll find it’s easy to drink all day without continuously getting up to refill. Currently offered in pale pinks or edgy blacks, BKR bottles have a few different styles for you to choose from.
3. KOR One Hydration Bottle
Eco-friendly Water Bottles
Eco-friendly Water Bottles
Ultra-modern and iconic, this sleek 12-ounce water bottle is great for you physically and spiritually. The cap of the vessel has a small token slot for KOR Stones for internal inspiration. Clear design lets you see how much progress you’ve made on your drinking and motivates you to drink more. With its ergonomic design and protective spout system, they make it easy for you to drink without spilling and hold without dropping. Fill it with fruit pieces for a little extra flavor, and watch the colorful morsels inspire you to keep hydrated all day.
4. Lokai Water
Offered in both black metal and clear plastic forms, the Lokai water bottles are conveniently slender to fit in any standard cupholder, while also having a perfectly sized mouth that can fit ice cubes to help keep your water refreshingly cool. Plus, Lokai donates 10% of their total profits to their specific charity partners. To date, their site recognizes that they’ve planted over 200,000 trees, granted 69 Make-a-Wish wishes, and built 98 water wells, all through their charity partnerships across the world. Want to do even more good, you can purchase one of their Dead Sea charity bracelets when you buy your matching water bottle and double your impact.
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5. Bamboo Bottles
While most of the reusable bottles available for purchase today are made to look like special plastics, metals, or glass, the aptly named, Bamboo Bottle encases it’s glass bottle with a protective and aesthetically pleasing bamboo cover. It gives off a very natural vibe, earthy and healthy, and reminds you the importance of living sustainably as well as the importance of drinking water for your own health. Durable and smooth, this bottle is a stylish accompaniment whether you’re headed to the gym or headed to the office. Made of a fast-growing and quickly harvestable tree, the bamboo, this bottle keeps protected while maintaining a small environmental footprint.
Watch how quickly you’ll manage to balance at least one item on your list of improvements and betterments, not to mention the impact that water has on your system.
Using any of these water bottles means you’ll drink more water and feel that energy you need to go to the gym or complete that next project, you’ll drink better and have more time for reading that book, or, it’ll keep you hydrated and healthy so you can make it out more often to socialize with your friends. Start small and start smart, and see how quickly everything else gets easy.

Environmental Issues Solved by Going Online

Environmental issues nowadays have an ever increasing attention from all levels of the social order. Each entity in society started to voice their concern about the environmental issues, or at least consider it an important issue which is related to their life. These environmental issues involve things like global warming, species extinction, air quality, water quality, effect of these environments on our health and many more.

All of these environmental unwell-beings are caused by us human ourselves, where we are too hungry to achieve rapid development, innovation, wealth and power; we tend to forget the importance of our environment’s well-being. Manufacturing plants, vehicle emission, some household products and appliances, and as well our attitude and awareness concerning the environment all have a fair contribution towards the current environmental state.

One initiative that can be taken to help making this world a better place to live is by buying and selling online. A study conducted by Carnegie Mellon Green Design Institute stated that; E-commerce reduces the environmental impact of shopping by using about a third less energy than traditional retail. E-commerce not only uses less energy, but its carbon footprint is also a third smaller than bricks-and-mortar retail.

Other evidence, Lead researcher H. Scoot Matthews, compared the energy consumption carbon dioxide emissions required to buy small flash drive via a trip to traditional store versus buying the flash drive via online. The scientist founded that consumer driving their own car to a store is by far the largest environmental cost. A long-mile of delivery process also is among the highest energy expenditure for e-commerce. But a SMilDS.com delivery truck delivering dozens of packages along its daily route uses less energy per package. That is where e-commerce really shines.

Data centers and computer turn out to be a relatively small energy cost for e-commerce. Thus, e-commerce is not just making your life easier, but it also helps to improve our damaged environment and conserve energy. Besides, online shopping does save your money because the product is cheaper online with no overheads. Here is some suggestion; one of the cheapest e-commerce sites that you can register to: SMilDS.com

Buying Homes at the Foreclosure Auction – Be Careful – Buy Smart

Buying homes for sale at the foreclosure auction may seem glamorous to some, but without proper preparation you may end up with an expensive life lesson. With a few simple measures one can properly harvest profitable properties time and time again minimizing risk and maximizing profitability.

The first measure, and the absolute most important, is to thoroughly research the foreclosure auction process in your area. Specifically the trustees sale auction dealing with bank foreclosed properties. In my area, our trustees’ sales are held at the courthouse on Friday Mornings. Each state has different rights for the homeowner, bank and potential auction purchaser, start with a web search and research your area. It would be strongly advisable to spend an hour discussing with a knowledgeable local Real Estate Attorney or Realtor.

Once you are up to speed on your local Foreclosure Auction procedures and rules you need to begin attending your local auction as frequently as possible and tracking auction properties. You do not want your first time at the auction to be the same day you make your first purchase. You can obtain lists of properties in foreclosure from your local Realtor or through your local title company. A Realtor will be a great asset in providing comparable sales analysis and resale projections for your purchases.

Depending on your area, the information you receive may be sixty to ninety days in advance of the sale. To obtain more current auction data, research homes for sale on the trustee’s website, the trustee is usually listed on the foreclosure sale data you receive from your Realtor or Title company. A simple web search for the trustee name will yield their website, most sites are easy to navigate and you can easily drill down to your location and see homes for sale and often times, the opening bid of the auction. Pick a list of properties you want to watch, have your Realtor partner pull comparable sales and make a quick drive by of the properties. It’s important to note that most foreclosure auction processes do not allow interior inspection of the property and they are usually sold as-is.

In addition to comparable sales, there are some legal considerations to investigate when purchasing auction properties. This is where an experienced attorney or Realtor can come in handy to help minimize risk. There are some services which will provide all the data for you, but typically cost up to three percent of the purchase price for the data. A few important factors to consider:

You Must (absolute Must) purchase the primary lien on the property.

If you purchase a subordinate lien, such as a second mortgage, you risk the primary mortgage foreclosing and eliminating your position in the sale. Do your title research on this if you mess up here, you can kiss a lot of money goodbye in short order. Most subordinate liens will be removed after the purchase (here is a good topic of discussion with your Real Estate Attorney).

You Must research IRS liens.

Depending on when the lien was filed this can be a problem. It’s important to allocate time to research this. It’s different in each area and a good title company can help.

Some like to preview the properties at auction, I know I said that you typically cannot preview them, but in rare cases they are listed by a Realtor up until the auction. Have your Realtor partner schedule an appointment and take good notes, you may have an advantage over other bidders by knowing this “inside information.”

If you don’t have funding lined up, do it now. Most auctions are cash sales. They want paid when you win the auction. Some auctions will require a holding fee anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000 or more. Get your money together and have it ready. In most cases, auction purchases must be done with hard money (through an investor usually at high interest rates, this must be factored into your budget).

While you’re doing your research, make time to attend your local auction. Track what properties are for sale and what they sell for, also track the properties that do not sell. Start keeping a simple database of properties. Most experienced I investors will suggest watching a minimum of ten auctions prior to attempting your first purchase. After attending several auctions, you’ll begin to see some familiar faces. Watch their methods, track their properties, what they purchase and what they sell for and begin developing your plan.

With several auctions under your belt, money in hand and more research than you think you need, you can step up and make your purchase at the action. Once you’ve made your purchase a number of things may happen. Most areas will have you fill out the deed on the spot, others will have a small mail in process. If the home you purchased was occupied the former owner retains some rights and may have twenty days or more to get out of the home. You may have to evict them. I suggest using a Real Estate attorney for this process, as an incorrect step may result in the former owner living in your home longer than expected and free of charge.