Reasearch Thursdays | Activated Charcoal Water FIlter

    I do research, so you don't have to! That's what my new series, Research Thursdays, is all about. I have been there, seeing something online but not being sure if it's being portrayed truthfully, or wanting a solution to a problem, but don't know what the right thing for it is. I am hoping to solve these problems for you guys with this series. Every other Thursday, I will release a new post in the Research Thursdays series.
    So here is my first one. I talked about switching from bottled water to reusable bottles and drinking tap water in an earlier post. The reason a lot of people do not drink the tap water is the taste and sometimes the impurities that are said to be in the water. I did some research and have a good option for people wanting to improve the quality of their water - an Activated Charcoal Water Filter.

Now you may think how is putting charcoal in my drink going to improve it, doesn't it just make it dirtier? 

    And the answer is in the name - ACTIVATED charcoal. Just regular old charcoal won't do much for the purity of the water. It needs an activating reaction, usually chemically. This process opens a ton of pores in the charcoal on an atomic level. That is what gives it the purifying properties.

What exactly does it do to the water?

    The activated charcoal water filters, as I have already mentioned purify the water. That is a very broad term. The activated charcoal attracts and traps other organic impurities (chlorine). It is important to remember that it does NOT remove microorganisms, so if that is what you are looking for in a water filter, activated charcoal is not for you.
    It improves the taste of the water while adding essential salts like magnesium, iron, and calcium. Basically, the rule with this filter is to know what needs removing from your tap water. If you live in an area with highly contaminated water, or you wish to take water from a lake and make it drinkable, this is not for you. The activated charcoal water filter is best at making your bad tasting regulated tap water drinkable.

Tell me more!

    So if you are still interested, here are some things to know about how to use the filter. 

• The lifetime of one filter is about 4-6 months, after which the filter is fully compostable.
• Each filter needs to be "reactivated" every 3-4 weeks.
• Reactivation means boiling the filter for 10-15 minutes. This gets rid of all the impurities that have been collected in the pores.
• You get the best result by having the water sit with the filter for hours.
• Activated charcoal also gets rid of odors, so when you're done with a filter, boil it through and put it in your fridge.

I want it now, where can I get it.

    Many companies sell these filters. There are also some on sale on Amazon. I will have all the links listed right here:

Kishu Charcoal Water Filter:

• US - Get it here
• Europe - Get it here

If you have a zero waste shop near where you live, chances are they also sell these filters. Buy local, if you can, especially right now that a lot of small businesses will be struggling.

If you are from the US, Package Free Shop also carries them, and they have free shipping on orders over $25. Check it out here!

As always, stay safe, and have a beautiful day!