Tag Archives: outdoor activities

What’s the Best Way to Purify Water When Camping?

by FletaSWTvba Posted on August 12, 2016

If you’re going camping or backpacking, you’re going to need water. How much? Plan onaround a gallon a day for drinking, especially if you’re doing a lot of hiking or climbing, plus as much as 1/2 gallon for cooking, and another quart or so for some personal hygiene, like washing your hands and face and brushing your teeth.

If you’re not at a campsite that offers purified water, you’ll have to treat whatever the available water source is yourself. As delightful as a fresh mountain stream or lake might look, it’s never a good idea to drink the water you find in the wild without taking precautions. Rivers, streams and lakes in all likelihood contain microscopic pathogens that could cause severe diarrhea, cramps, vomiting and fever.

These pathogens could include parasites and viruses from human or animal feces, and bacteria like E.coli. They could make you sick during your trip, and hang on long after.

To stay safe, here are some ways to filter or purify your water.

Boiling

Boiling is probably the tried and true method for purifying water. However, boiling requires a heat source, which means either a camp stove or fire, and it doesn’t necessarily filter out any particles in the water. If you’re hiking along and run out of water, it’s tedious to boil and cool water on the trail. Plus, whatever fuel you use for boiling water you won’t be able to use for cooking food. Given the many alternatives there are for purifying water, boiling shouldn’t be on the top of your list. But if you do need to boil water, pour it through a coffee filter or cheese cloth to strain out mud, stones and other particles before you boil and drink it.

Chemicals

Iodine or chlorine dioxide tablets or solution will kill harmful bacteria, though again, they don’t filter gunk out of the water. The upside is that they’re inexpensive and effective. The downside is that you need to wait 30 minutes for the chemicalsto work, and iodine in particular leaves the water with a terrible taste. I trekked 150 miles through the Himalayas and past the Mt. Everest base camp drinking water I purified using only iodine tablets and never got sick once. But I’d probably try chlorine dioxide if I went again. NOTE: Iodine is not effective against Cryptosporidium; chlorine dioxide is. Also, do not use iodine tablets if you’re pregnant or have a thyroid condition.

Filters

Filters strain water through an internal element that captures protozoa and bacteria as well as fine particles. They’re not effective at isolating viruses, but that’s less a problem in North America than in developing countries. A filter may operate either by pumping, squeezing the bottle or sipping water through a filter component in a bottle, or via gravity. The GravityWorks filter won high marks from Outdoor Gear lab because it is fast, light, can filter a lot of water at one time and requires very little maintenance. The much smaller Sawyer Miniis anotherexcellent option, but is less efficient. LifeStraw offers an actual straw filter that the company says you can use to suck water directly out of its source. The company also sells the LifeStraw mission, a water bag you fill and then connect to the straw purifier to remove all contaminants.

Purifiers

Purifiers function very much like filters, though some purifiers add a chemical component to their system. The water purifier that seems to get the best reviews across the board is the MSR Guardian Purifier. Though it’s also the most expensive purifier, the MSR rates particularly highly because it doesn’t clog up the way some other filters and purifiers do. Reports Backpacker.com, if you needto clean “bottle after bottle of the world’s gunkiest water, this is your filter.”

UV Purifiers

These purifiers expose water to ultraviolet light and can tackle protozoa, bacteria and viruses. They can work as quickly as 90 seconds to purify 32 fl. oz. of water. One big downside is that they’re not as effective in dirty or murky water, so you’ll have to filter the water before you treat it with UV.

REI offers and excellent overview of various water filter options here.

Gear Finder by Backpacker reviews specific products here.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

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What’s the Best Way to Purify Water When Camping?

Posted in alo, FF, GE, LAI, LG, ONA, PUR, Radius, Uncategorized | Tagged book, camping, cryptosporidium, north, outdoor activities, protozoa, water, world | Comments Off

9 Things You’ll Miss Without Wetlands

by VelvaLMPba Posted on May 19, 2016

You probably don’t give wetlands a second thought, but you should. They’re one of the most valuable parts of our ecosystemand they’re disappearing almost faster than we can keep track.

Twenty-two states have lost at least 50 percent of their original wetlands, with the most being lost in Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Florida, South Carolina and North Carolina. A study by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service found that between 2004 and 2009, coastal wetlands declined by 80,160 acres per year.

“It’s as if we have a best friend who is seriously ill with a treatable disease, and we refuse to help him, though we watch closely, each day, as he shakes with fever, begs for water, becomes unable to walk or stand,” lamented Field and Stream.

The U.S. EPA calls wetlands the “kidneys” of the landscape. That’s because they’re so effective at removing pollution and sediment from the water that flows through them, improving water quality, attracting wildlife and creating a beautiful place to relax and enjoy nature.

But those attributes seem to be no match for the logging, draining, filling and development going on to convert wetlands to plantations, suburbs, shopping malls and factories.

During American Wetlands Month, which is celebrated in May, I wanted to highlight nine valuable benefitswe will all lose if we continue to let wetlands be destroyed.

1) Seafood – “Wetlands are essential to fish and shellfish…and the health of the nation’s multi-billion dollar commercial and recreational fishing industries,” said March Schaefer, NOAA Assistant Secretary for Conservation and Management. What’s at stake: crab, shrimp and lobster, making up nearly 80 percent of our fish and shellfish overall reports NOAA.

2) Ducks, Geese and Many Other Birds– Though wetlands comprise less than 10 percent of the nation’s land area, they support 75 percent of our migratory birds. If you enjoy watching geese migrate in spring and fall, along with other birds, you need to support wetlands.

3) Water Purification – Wetlands can absorb pollutants from surface water. They help trap sediment, too. As long as they’re not overwhelmed, wetlands act as a buffer between rivers and streams and the larger bodies of water they empty into.

4) Flood Protection – Wetlands protect coastlines after a storm by holding excess runoff after a storm, then releasing it slowly. Wetlands cannot prevent flooding, but they can lower the size of a flood surge, and by slowing its velocity. Think of a wetland as a giant sponge. It can hold much more water than other soil types, and for a longer period of time.

5)Groundwater Recharge – Underground aquifers that help provide our drinking water and nourish plants are refilled when water seeps into them through wetlands. During that process, the wetlands help filter the water, as well.

6) Frogs and Yes, Alligators – Many species of mammals, reptiles and amphibians rely on wetlands to breed, forage and nest. Wetland animals often cannot survive anywhere else. The high rate of wetlands loss has contributed to listing many animals species as threatened or endangered.

7) Photography and Art – Many beautiful photographs have been taken of wetlands and the animals and plants they support. Wetlands have inspired artists all over the world.

8) Canoeing and Kayaking – Because wetlands are usually so placid, they’re an ideal place to kayak, canoe and get uniquely close to nature. It takes very little skill to paddle a kayak in a wetland, making the sport available to everyone.

9) Places to Hunt and Birdwatch – Ironically, wetlands are ideal for birdwatching and hunting alike, though not at the same time. In fact, hunters are some of the most avid proponents of protecting wetlands because they have seen firsthand how destroying these ecosystems can threaten wildlife.

During the month of May, get out and explore wetlands near you. If you don’t know where any are, contact your state department of natural resources, or check the U.S. Fish & Wildlife website here.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

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9 Things You’ll Miss Without Wetlands