When I was growing up, our family never thought twice about drinking the water that came out of our faucet. I remember complaining about the taste of the water at my grandmother's house, but what other choice did we have? Now that I have kids of my own, I never give them water straight out of the faucet. Ever.

No, I don't live in a place with untreated water. You probably don't either. I'm just fearful of the many possible contaminates that have sneaked into our water supply from agricultural chemicals, industrial dumping, or even from the old pipes running through our city and into our house. I worry about too much lead, chlorine, and fluoride negatively impacting my kids, and other nasty things, like Giardia and similar parasites. My kids bring home plenty of stomach bugs from school, I don't need more coming from our drinking water. One stat I recently read said that drinking water has over 2,000 known contaminants. In fact, several types of cancer, including colon, bladder and rectal, have been linked to the presence of toxic materials in drinking water. That's scary!

When I was pregnant for the first time, I read that lead in tap water could lead to birth defects. That's when our family began filtering our water.

We've done it all: installed filters on our sinks, used pitches with built-in filters and now use Brita water bottles that also have the filters built right in for when we are on the go. Water filters are made to take out the things that municipal water treatment plants (and even bottled water companies—more on that in a minute) don't.

I have a few friends who can't be bothered with filtering their water, so they drink bottled water. AH! It's no secret that plastic water bottles have a detrimental effect on the environment. Besides the millions of tons of plastic being produced and then taking up space in our landfills, the amount of energy spent on transporting bottled water is eating away at our dwindling fossil fuels.

But even if these friends can't be bothered to worry about the environment at this point in their lives, do they realize that most of the bottled water out there is not regulated any more than regular tap water? A report published recently by the Environmental Working Group showed that of more than 150 different bottled waters sold in the U.S., only three reveal where their water comes from, how it's purified and what chemicals are still in the water when it is put on our grocery store shelves. And another report revealed that about 50% of bottle water is simply tap water—no better than what you'd get from turning on your own faucet. Still another study found that the FDA is less stringent in regulating bottled water than the EPA is on protections for tap water. The dreamy picture of a beautiful mountain stream on many bottles of water may be just that, a dream!

My one last argument for friends still drinking bottled water (and then I'll stop!): Filtering your water is so much less expensive than buying overpriced bottled water.

For me there is no question. And when it comes down to it, I think filtered water simply tastes better. It doesn't have the slight chlorine taste and odor that you sometime notice when drinking water straight out of the tap or the plastic flat taste that comes from a water bottle. And the Brita filter water bottles even make that water at my grandmother's house (that's now my parents' house) taste a millions times better!

Long ago, our ancestors knelt by beautiful streams and collected crystal clean water for cooking, cleaning, and drinking. What's changed and what has lead us to this place where people shun regular tap water, shutter at the thought of drinking bottled water, and crave only filtered water? (At least that's how it is in my house!)

Well, most people will say that we only have ourselves to blame. The dumping of garbage, untreated sewage and industrial waste has brought us to this point. And while our water treatment plants can take care of many of these pollutants, they can't do it all. Contaminants such as arsenic, chloroform, E. coli, lead, nitrate and nitrite can be found in tap water. So, we consumers must take matters into our own hands.

In recent years, many of us turned to bottled water, but even that seems to be becoming passé. Not only does bottled water waste have a negative effect on the environment, it has been revealed that bottled water is less regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency than our tap water. Therefore, there has been a recent surge in popularity of filtering our own water at home.

In my house we started with just a pitcher filter that we kept in our fridge. Not only does this provide tastier water (in my and my husband's opinion) than right out of the tap, but it's also colder, which is a plus with the kids. Only problem was we always seemed to be refilling it.

We then added a faucet-mounted filtration system. I'm a fan of these because it makes it simple to filter not only the water we drink but also the water we cook with. There are other options too: countertop dispensers and under-sink filters, and we've even begun considering a whole-house filter. I've also come to love Brita's reusable filtering water bottles, because I'm often refilling my water bottle at work and at the gym—and filling up the kids' at school and day care.

My mother recently came to visit and she thinks we are on overkill now, with the pitcher in the fridge, the device on our faucet and the filtering bottles. "How do you even know if your water needs to be filtered?" Good question. And we do know! My husband was an environmental science major in college so he's into this stuff. He checked out the Consumer Confidence Report for our city. (You should receive this report or some sort of drinking water quality report every year from your water company. If you don't, contact your water supplier or check out your local government website for more information. You can have well water tested.) Yes, the water coming out of our faucets is generally good, but our city, like most cities in the US, has had a few water-quality violations, and our water does have some contaminants.

Plus, we have to take into account the fact that perhaps there are impurities in our water that come from the pipes in our home. We live in an old house, so I'm just guessing there are some old lead pipes somewhere in our plumbing system. Thankfully, filtration systems can reduce the lead, chlorine and other chemicals in our water.

For me it comes down to, better safe than sorry. We drink a lot of water in our house, and I want my little ones to be as safe as possible. Sure, filtering all of our water takes a little extra effort, and a little extra money, but it is more than worth it!

For a long time now experts have been saying we should all drink eight glasses of water a day. But is that really necessary?

I have some friends who walk around with a water bottle practically attached to their lips, sipping on it constantly. On the other hand, I know other people who seem to survive on a few cups of coffee in the morning, a Diet Coke at lunch, and a cup of decaf after dinner. What gives?

Well, I decided to conduct my own mini-experiment. I asked friends from the above described groups how they feel on an average day. Overwhelmingly, those with the permanently attached water bottles talked about feeling great or terrific far more than the others, who typically said they felt fine or okay or tired.

Okay, not at all a scientific study, but I believe my random poll was pretty conclusive. Staying hydrated greatly affects our overall well-being. It makes sense, seeing as our bodies are made up of about 60% water. I know on days when I don't make an effort to drink more water I feel sleepier, I often get a mild headache, the skin on my hands looks drier and older, and when I try to exercise, it's hard!

My soccer coach in high school always told us, "If you wait till your thirsty to drink, you've waited too long." I've found time and time again that he was right. I now repeat this same mantra to my children, like a broken record. "Have some water," I'm constantly reminding my kids. "But I'm not thirsty," my daughter balks. "Drink some anyway," I command.

I'm also trying to lead by example. I want to become one of those folks always carrying a water bottle around. I love the Brita filtered water bottles, they make my life so much easier for two very easy reasons: First, they don't leak. Second, I don't have to remember to fill them up every morning with the water from my Brita pitcher at home. I can fill them with water from anywhere (the fountain at work or the water dispenser at my local coffee shop) and be confident that I'm still drinking good, filtered water. And my kids now have the soft squeeze bottle versions too, so they can fill them up when they are out and about as well.

Fussy kids are not fun to be around. And I can attest to the fact that my kids are crankier when they are sleep deprived or water deprived. One recent study found that children who are properly hydrated are more alert, can concentrate for longer periods of time and perform better athletically. And just a 2% drop in hydration levels can cause a 20% drop in physical, mental and cognitive activities. So in our home, early bedtimes and always having water on hand is key.

While there are no clear findings on exactly how much water kids really need in a day, a recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition indicated that children should probably consume somewhere between about five and eight cups a day. Yes, some may be okay with less, and kids who are very active may need more. And when it is hot out, or if your kid is fighting a cold or sick in any way, they may even require more fluids.

You probably know the good rule of thumb, check your children's (and your own) urine. If it's clear, or a pale yellow, they're probably well hydrated. If it is darker, grab some water and encourage them to drink up!

"Going green" seems like a difficult task, especially for a busy mom. But the even small steps can make a big difference. Take a look:

Instead Of...	...Do This	Savings:
Letting the water run when brushing your teeth…	…only turn on the water to wet and then rinse your toothbrush.	Just 3 minutes of running your bathroom faucet wastes about a gallon of water.
Ignoring the FREE air at your local gas station…	…keep your car tires properly inflated.	If your tires are under-inflated you may be spending an extra $300-$500 in gas every year (not to mention the 1.5 extra tons of greenhouse gas you're emitting).
Letting heat escape from your home…	…be sure walls and ceilings are well insulated. Caulk cracks, and seal windows and ducts.	On average you can save about 25% on your monthly heating or cooling bills.
Just turning off your appliances…	…unplug appliances when going away for 2 days or more.	You'd be surprised at how much power is used when some item are plugged in (and off!). Your cable box uses more electricity (even when TV is not on) than running your dryer.
Buying a bottle of water every time your thirsty…	...refill a Brita Filtering Bottle (hard sided, soft squeeze or kid's soft squeeze bottle)	Just one filter replaces 300 plastic bottles, and saves you over $45 every month
Sticking with your old light-bulbs…	…switch to Energy Start lighting.	You'll use 75% less energy and the new bulbs will last 10 to 50 times longer.
Ignoring a leaky toilet or dripping faucet…	…fix all leaks promptly.	A leaky toilet alone can waste 20 gallons of water per day.
Running your dishwasher every night…	…only run full dishwasher loads.	This can save hundreds of pounds of carbon dioxide and save you $$.
Using the plastic bags at the grocery store…	…bring in your own canvas bags	Americans use about 1 billion shopping bags a year, creating 300,000 tons of waste in landfills.
Turning your washing machine dial to warm or hot…	…wash clothes in cold water whenever you can.	More than 80% of the energy your washing machine uses goes to heating up the water.
Buying small containers of yogurt, cereal, nuts, coffee, even detergent…	…buy all sorts of products in bulk.	Purchasing food and other products in bulk saves money, uses less packaging and uses less energy for shipping.
Paying little attention to the labels in the clothes you buy…	…avoid buying clothes that say "Dry Clean Only."	Not only will this save you loads of cash, but it also cuts down on the use of toxic chemicals.
Purchasing inexpensive appliances and furniture to meet short-terms needs…	…when looking for a new big-ticket item, like furniture or appliances, go with the highest quality product you can afford.	Durable, well-made, items will save you money in the long run, as they last longer than cheap items.
Buying cleaning supplies made of unknown (not good for the environment) chemicals…	…use your own all-natural cleaning supplies, such as baking soda, vinegar, club soda, lemon, hydrogen peroxide, cornstarch, and more.	Not only will you be helping the environment, but you'll be saving on one of the highest home expenditures: cleaning supplies.
Buying a new power tool for your latest at home fix-it project…	…ask a friend or neighbor if you can borrow their power drill, chain saw, or the like.	A recent study showed that the average power tool, purchased by a homeowner, is only used for about a half hour, ever.
Buying your produce at a grocery store chain…	…head to the local farmer's market, or better yet, grow your own.	You can save hundreds of dollars by growing your own tomatoes, greens, zucchini, strawberries and more.
Buying your next book for book club or subscribing to magazines that you never read…	…visit the library.	If you're not ready to read your next novel on an electronic screen, don't forget about your local library. You'll be helping the environment and saving yourself big $.

Water is considered one of our greatest natural resources, and indeed it is. When you consider the fact that 70% of the earth's surface is covered in water and 60 to 75% of our bodies are made of water, it seems pretty darn important. We've all undoubtedly heard that we should try to drink eight glasses of water a day. And I, for one, am blown away by what those eight glasses do in our bodies!

Of course, first and foremost, drinking water replaces the fluid that we lose throughout the day, from using the bathroom, sweating and even breathing. Inside our bodies, other amazing things are happening that need water, such as the digestion of the foods we eat, the absorption of necessary nutrients, the circulation of our blood and the maintenance of a healthy body temperature.

But probably most exciting for many of us is the fact that water can help with weight loss. One clinical trial found that if dieters drank two glasses of water right before a meal they consumed 75 to 90 fewer calories at that meal. And that really adds up. Those dieters who drank two glasses of water before all three main meals of the day, for 12 weeks, lost five more pounds than dieters who didn't drink extra water before meals.

I've started to implement this habit into my daily routine. At first it wasn't easy, but after a week, I felt noticeably different. I had more energy and was less fatigued. And this makes sense: Another study has shown that adequate water intake raises alertness. This better overall feeling kept me from nibbling on not so healthy options in the afternoons, when I typically head to the snack cabinet for a little pick-me-up. It also left me much less interested in grabbing a soda or a glass of juice or lemonade when thirsty—because I didn't get thirsty between meals. This in itself is important, as experts believe that many people confuse hunger and thirst. So when we think we need to grab a candy bar in the afternoon, it may be that a tall glass of ice water would fulfill the body's need.

To further boost my belief that water is the weight-loss wonder drug, another interesting study found that being just 1% dehydrated can cause a significant drop in our metabolism. This means our body will burn fat and calories more slowly and decrease our ability to lose weight.

It's startling, but true, that if we replace just one soda we currently drink each day with a glass of water we can make a huge dent in our waistline. Doing so will save almost 55,000 calories in a year. That's equal to a 15-pound weight-loss.

Water further aids in weight-loss by energizing the cells in muscles. So when it comes to exercising, well-hydrated muscles can work better and for longer. That means more calorie burn!

I think there's no question that upping our intake of water can do wonders for our waist-line, but if anyone out there needs yet another reason to drink more H2O? How bout this one: Water can also make us appear younger! That's right. I know just by looking at my hands when I'm dehydrated. This is especially true after a long overseas airline flight. My hands appear drier, more cracked and just plain old older. The same goes with the skin on my face, especially around my eyes. But after I started my new habit of drinking two glasses of water before every meal, not only did I feel better, but my hands looked smoother and years younger, and my eyes were not puffy or sunken. And I know it wasn't just me and my own wishful thinking. I went to one of my book club meetings three weeks into my "water diet" and everyone commented on how terrific I looked. I was sold.

I'll stop now, as I feel like I'm starting to sound like an infomercial! But seriously, start drinking more water. It's guaranteed to make a difference, in your waistline, your energy level and even your age (well, kinda!).

It's shocking to realize how much sugar is in the beverages our kids consume. A chart of different drinks with piles of sugar cubes below them, that recently went viral on Facebook, made it very clear. The average 12 oz bottle of soda contains 11 teaspoons of sugar and a 12 oz glass of lemonade, something my seven-year-old always wants to order, has 10 teaspoons of sugar. Other hydrating beverages, that have "healthy-sounding" names, typically have a minimum of five teaspoons of sugar. Perhaps not surprisingly, the one reduced-fat chocolate milk featured in the chart contains over 10 teaspoons of sugar. Only water was able to stand in the spotlight with having no sugar!

At my house, which used to contain endless bottles of apple juice and lemonade, the pickings are now slim. Sure, I've heard the complaints from my kids, and still hear the complaints from their friends when they are visiting. But our options are now: orange juice (cut with water) for breakfast and milk or water for lunch and dinner. Between meals and at bedtime: it's water.

To keep things a little interesting, we've tried to jazz up plain old water. First of all, we always keep a Brita pitcher in the fridge. The kids think very cold water is more appealing than room temp water, and I agree, especially in warm weather. We all have insulated glasses, and in the summer, they are constantly being refilled with water and big cubes of ice.

For when our family is on the go (this includes when my two-year-old twin boys are running the loop between our living room, kitchen, hallway and my office), each of us has a Brita filter water bottle. The little ones have the soft squeeze bottles for kids (a different color for each of them) and my husband and I have the hard sided bottles. The kids love them. And the water, without a doubt, tastes better than the water out of any of the other travel bottles we own.

While my kids are now used to drinking water all the time, their friends are not. So to keep them from groaning too much when they are over at our house, I keep cool, colorful, bendy straws on hand. This minimizes the complaints as they suck down their tall ice waters.

Our family also splurged for a seltzer maker. For a special treat, like family movie night, we'll splash a shot of lemonade into everyone's "bubbly water" glass. The twins love to say "Bubbly Water Party, please Momma!" The seltzer water really helped convert my husband into a water drinker too. He's given up his addiction to bottle ice teas.

In the summer time, it's easy to further jazz up water by adding mint leaves, cucumbers, lemon and lime slices, or even some watermelon. We also keep frozen strawberries and raspberries in the freezer—when added to water, especially seltzer water, even finicky kids think they are drinking a real treat!

For little kids, consider purchasing some of the fancy ice trays that come in creative shapes. Pour some 100% purple grape juice into the trays. Kids don't give the fact they are drinking water a second thought when looking at the purple Legos, princess wands, or letters of the alphabet floating around in their glass! And above all else, drink more water yourself! It's a fact that children (for better or for worse) emulate their elders. If they see healthy and happy parents refilling their water bottles and drinking pure filtered water throughout the day, they will do the same!