Wednesday, June 24, 2020

It's Water-Wise Wednesdays with Frannie the Fish! {Activities Library}

Frannie is always looking for new fun things to do in the summer. Luckily, the Groundwater Foundation has the Activities Library, a searchable database that features over 70 activities for any kind of setting. From wet-and-wild outdoor games to crosswords and coloring sheets, you can fill your long summer days with fun groundwater education!

You can search for activities by:
  • Age
  • Duration
  • Key topic (i.e. - irrigation, water quality, climate/weather, etc.)
  • Category (i.e.-outdoor, messy, arts and crafts, etc.)


You can also search for activities directly by name, such as "Growing with Groundwater." Results display an image of the activity, the activity name, a description and a link to a how-to video (if available), and a link to additional details and to download the instructions.




Check out this awesome tool and let us know what you think on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!

Wednesday, June 10, 2020

It's Water-Wise Wednesdays with Frannie the Fish! {#throwback: Top 5 Reasons to Use a Reusable Water Bottle}

It's getting hot, hot, HOT outside, so it's time to bring back one of Frannie's favorite blog topics.
 
Reusable water bottles are better for the environment, our health, and our wallets than purchasing bottled water! There are even high-tech water bottles that can connect to your phone, sending you reminders when to drink and rewarding your healthy habits with fun badges and games.

Without further ado, here are Frannie's top 5 reasons to use a reusable water bottle.

1. It's healthier to use bottles that are free from chemicals like bisphenol A, often referred to as BPA. BPA is an industrial chemical that can have possible negative health effects on your brain.  Plastics marked with recycle codes 3 and 7 may be made with BPA. Almost all reusable water bottles are BPA-free.

2. Getting water from the tap is cheaper than buying bottled water.  Bottled water can cost up to 500 times more than tap water!

3. It saves water! Making new plastic bottles takes a LOT of water.  In fact, it takes more water to produce one plastic bottle than the water put into the bottle for drinking!

4. It's better for the environment.  Using reusable water bottles is better for the environment because it reduces your carbon footprint.  Producing new, disposable water bottles uses many fossil fuels and releases toxins into the air during production, not to mention the diesel used to transport cases of bottles to a store near you.

5. They're EASY and FUN to use! Smart water bottles are water bottles that can connect to your phone via Bluetooth. There are many brands to choose from that do things like keep track of the exact amount of water you've had, connect to a fitness watch, and even play music through an attached speaker! 

Frannie also wants to share a couple of life hacks for turning tap water into "Oh, snap!" water. 

Prepare your water bottle the night before by filling it 1/4 to 1/3 of the way full and then leave it in the freezer overnight. The ice will help keep your water cool longer and you won't waste time or water running the tap, waiting for it to get cold.

She also likes to add fruits or veggies to her water for that extra special something. One of Frannie’s favorite summer drinks is cold water with a pinch of salt and a hefty squeeze of lemon juice.  It’s a healthy, refreshing drink that tastes great and will naturally replenish your electrolytes!

Where do you take your water bottle? Share with us by email or by tagging us on FacebookTwitter, and Instagram!