Review & Giveaway: EcoUsable's Ech2o - The World's Only Stainless Steel Filtered Water Bottle

Thank you Marc Wollman (Vice President of ecousable) for this AWESOME giveaway!
Thank you everybody for all your shouts, this giveaway is now close.

Finally! The giveaways are starting!! I appreciate all the help I can get from you guys in spreading the news about the giveaways when they are posted. My time on the internet is limited and I will do my best to post the giveaways in good time.


Muchas gracias for all your help!

So, I am in love...

Seriously, I'm in love with the World's Only Stainless Steel Filtered Water Bottle.

Great filtered water, so eco-friendly, comfortable to hold, great colors and pays for itself within a few uses... How can I not love it?!

Of course, not every product is perfect and can have a flaw or two. The filter makes drinking through the straw a little hard and sometime it feels like you are trying to pull it out. Another thing is not to screw the lid too tight or you will have a struggle trying to open it... BUT, to me, they are minor things compared to being able to drink healthy, clean water wherever we go! And I've found two things to help with getting the water to flow easier... don't fill the bottle too full and tipping the bottle up will help the water to flow out better. So there, problems solved!

We bought one through Amazon.com back in June 2009 when we visited the States because I wasn't too excited about drinking chlorinated tap water or bottled water while we traveled for two weeks... Why? because drinking tap water tastes gross & is really not healthy for you. Bottled water is wasteful, expensive, not 100% reliable & the plastic chemicals often leach into the water... does that sound yummy and refreshing to you? I didn't think so.

Here's a great example of how awful tap water really is: When we were visiting our home church in Des Moines, IA... we stayed with some great friends in West Des Moines. The water in that area is known to have strong chlorinated tap water and a taste that is just disgusting (ask anybody who lives there!). Anyway, we were getting ready to leave the house and I was checking the water bottle to see if it needed to be filled up. As soon as I took off the top... I got a HUGE whiff of chlorine and was gagging from the strong smell. It almost felt like I was back in my high school's indoor swimming pool, I could not believe how bad it was!! I had Jon (my sweet hubby) smell it to see if I was just imagining it, but I wasn't... he withdrew with a disgusted look on his face and I had to laugh because he looked so comical. It really did a great job of filtering out chlorine and other nasty stuff because the water tasted so refreshing during the entire time we traveled. We've traveled with our bottles in most of the USA, Costa Rica & Honduras using the tap water with no ill effects! I even filled it with snow water up in the mountain of Washington and it tasted like clean snow.


My hubby was (and still is!) so glad that I convinced him that we needed to get this bottle for our travels... well... that's what we wives are to do :o) LOL!!

Now, there are several other reasons why I love this brilliant filtered water bottle:

• The container is made of high-quality 304 food-grade, non-leaching and recyclable stainless steel. I learned that stainless steel requires less energy to produce than aluminum and doesn't need a lining.
• The Ionic-Absorption Micro-Filtration System is 100% BPA-free.
• The 25 oz Ech2o water bottle filters up to 100 gallons of water and supposed to last about a year. Replacement filters are sold separately and made in the USA.
• You are saving, up to 757 half liters worth of bottled water, money!!
• While you drink, the filter instantly removes up to 99.99 percent of pollutants (Tested by independent state and EPA approved labs to EPS/ANSI protocols and NSF Standards 42 & 53): Aesthetics: unpleasant taste, odor, clarity, chlorine, sand, sediment and Radon 222. Biological: Pathogens such as cryptosporidium, giardia & other cysts and spores. Chemicals: toxic chemicals, detergents, pesticides and other harmful industrial and agricultural wastes. Dissolved Solids: heavy metals such as aluminum, asbestos, copper, lead, mercury and others.
• You can drink water from the tap, pool, rivers, streams and lakes (everything except salt water). I haven't tried anything beyond the tap water, but it does great for us in Costa Rica!
• Great for emergencies and survival.
• Safer than plastic bottles.
• Available in a variety of colors, designs, sizes and accessories. Their bottles range from $12.49 - $39.99... which is really inexpensive compared to spending money on one-time-use bottled water.

Besides all the great things listed above... my favorite thing about this bottle is taking it with us to the airport and being able to have refreshing, filtered water after going through security. You all know how crazy expensive bottled water can be at the airports and it is vital to stay hydrated while traveling. Check out this fun video below (its a little long, but it gives you a good picture):

Of course, after having a great experience with this bottle I had to contact the company and thank them for creating this brilliant bottle. To my surprise, they replied back quickly and wanted me to review their other products along with doing a giveaway. I was more than happy to do it and found all their products excellent in quality. They are light, very durable & feel great in our hands. We are tossing out our old SIGG bottles because they use aluminum w/ a inner lining while EcoUsable are using food-grade stainless steel. I know SIGG is a high quality brand, but now that stainless steel water bottles are available... why do I want to keep the aluminum?

Their extra accessories are simple, but nice! Their Sports Tops are made from safe, non-leaching polypropylene and has a dirt-proof lid which easily flips open with a gentle pull to unlock the mouthpiece mechanism. EcoUsable also have fun bands called Water Wrapz that fit around the bottles for style and non-slip comfort.

Now, the Giveaway...

25 oz Pink Ech2o Filter Water Bottle, 16 oz Aqua EcoUsable Water Bottle, 1 Stripes Water Wrapz & 1 White Sport Drinking Cap. Yep, you read that right... 2 bottles and 2 accessories! Thanks to EcoUsable, It has been has been fantastic having filtered water on the go. We've used it everywhere in Costa Rica, Honduras and parts of the USA. It is a relief to have these bottles around! If you are not completely convinced that this filter can do the job... watch this video:

How To Enter...

Head over to EcoUsable and "join the revolution"... sign up to receive special offers and sales via email . Then come back here and leave a comment letting me know that you've "joined the revolution". That's one entry!

Extra Entries...
You must do the main entry first (above) to qualify, then post a separate comment for each extra entry. Thank you!

1. Follow my blog (1 entry)
2. Subscribe to receive my posts via email (1 entry)
3. Follow EcoUsable on Twitter (1 entry)
4. Follow EcoUsable on Facebook (1 entry)
5. Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway (1 entry)
6. Be come a fan on Just Making Noise's Facebook page (1 entry)
7. Email 4 of your friends about the giveaway (4 entries)
8. Post about this giveaway on your blog and leave me a link (2 entries)

You can have a total of 12 entries (12 separate comments). Remember, if you are already following me on Twitter &/or my friend on Facebook &/or following my blog and so on... you automatically have those extra entries! Thank you!!


The Rules...

PLEASE, every comment must have an email address. You can comment with your blog account as long as I can contact you through there! The giveaway ends on May 31st and is open to those who have US mailing addresses (hint: if you live outside of the US, but still have a US mailing address and a way to get the product to you... you are qualified!).

Now, head over to EcoUsable and start entering for this brilliant giveaway!

Disclaimer: I was given a sample pack of bottles to review from EcoUsable. This review is totally my opinion and has not been edited or reviewed by anyone. I was not compensated in any other way for this product review.

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Just Making Noise´s One Year Anniversary!

Today marks the one year anniversary of Just Making Noise! As you all know, so much has happen since the starting of my blog. I have so much to share! So, again... I ask that you get comfortable in your chairs, couches, counter stools or whatever you are sitting on at the moment.

I wish I could say that this is a happy day, but to be honest... I woke up with tears in my eyes and a heavy heart. The first thought that came to my mind was... I can´t do this!

Living in Honduras as strip away most of the comforts that I´ve grown up with and it has been hard. There are days where I wish I had a Trader´s Joe or health food store just around the corner and my friends close by, but I don´t. Thankfully, I was given the opportunity to check my email and blog without the girls so I can focus, get some things done and get caught up (Thanks to my wonderful family). Of course, I wanted to see what people had to say about my last post and one caught my eye:

Thanks so much for letting us in on your life and giving us specific ways in which to pray for you and your family. I feel I have found a kindred spirit in you and your blog. Today alone I made 2 of your recipes (Rise-n -Shine Smoothie & Kefir Sourdough Pizza) - both were delish! Will be praying for you and your family as you make this transition to Honduras.
Here's a section of Scripture that has encouraged me as of late: Phil 4:11-13 "Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any & every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance & need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. "

Thank YOU Child of Grace and each one of you who left my blog with prayers, scriptures and encouragement. It warmed my heart knowing that you all care and are praying for my family. Now I feel so much better! Of course, I have my Lord Jesus and know I could not do anything with Him.

Now, I have many little things to share with you all:

Tabitha Update

Your prayers for Tabi were heard and she is about 95% healed. THANK YOU!! Her skin is returning to normal and we are so grateful that we chose not to go the medical route. The natural route DOES WORK... just need to be patience to allow the body to heal and straighten itself out. So often we want the problem(s) to be gone right now and I am guilty of that, but I am so glad God used Tabi´s skin issue to teach me a new level of patience. Please don´t think I´ve got it all together... I don´t, I still have so much to learn about patience and letting God be in control. Please keep praying for me and healing for Tabitha, thank you!

Real Food Media

I´m sure most of you have noticed the new ads I have around my blog. I am thrilled to say that I´ve joined an awesome group called Real Food Media, started by Ann Marie of Cheeseslave. Looking forward to many adventures with these gals!

Giveaways

Yes, I have many giveaways coming up and hope to get them out SOON! Thank you for your patience! Also, it would be much appreciated if some of you or all of you can help me by sharing, tweeting, facebooking and blogging the giveaways when they come out. As many of you know, my time is limited on the internet and challenging. Again, any help is most appreciated!!

Now, I my time is up and I must head home. Blessings and hugs to all of you!!

Mare

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There´s No Place Like Honduras

Hello everyone, I’m still here! At least for now… so get comfortable in your chairs and barstools because I have so much to share, but will try to keep it short & sweet :o)

I’m at the internet café and will be there when I can till we figure out if it is possible to have internet in our place, but hopefully we will have internet in our place soon. We found a source for internet through friends that is very affordable, which is a God-thing because everything that we’ve found has been way too expensive. We are pretty much in the middle of no-where Honduras. Well, not exactly no-where… because we are where God wants us to be and we want to stay in touch with you all!

We’ve been in our new home for over two weeks now and it has been a hard adventure, yet good for all of us. God has been teaching me to be content with what we have right now… such as cold showers, outhouse for a bathroom, ticks that we daily pick off of our bodies, ants everywhere, the small drafty house that 6 of us are sharing and a small kitchen that is hard to work in. Yeah, it hasn’t been easy, but God is faithfully reminding me daily why we are here in the midst of all those things. He has also been showing me that I need to get back into fully trust in Him and let Him be in control… let Him be the God He IS! I’ve been so busy trying to fix things and cure things and control things… basically trying to do His job. I know most of you understand because we’ve all been there and done that. He’s the one who will take care of the things I can’t fix, cure or control if I would just let Him.

Wow. He makes it so easy, but I make it so difficult.

Like I said… in the midst of everything God has been so good to show me His awesome faithfulness by providing for our daily needs such as fresh milk, cheese & eggs from a Christian family in town, fresh tortillas just across the road, a sweet gal who has chickens she can sell us when we are ready, neighbors who are helpful and a beautiful place to call home sweet home. We are blessed to be here and part of that blessing is painful to receive because it requires us to sacrifice our comforts and lives to Him daily.

Please keep us in your prayers as we continue to get settled, unpack and repack (yeah, it is a very small house) adjust to living in Honduras. The adjustment is going well, but it has been hard at times because Honduras is a very poor country and very much a third world country… its almost like I am back in Africa. Honduras is the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere & Costa Rica is the richest and most advanced Central American country. See the difference? Even though they are both third world countries, from a worldly perspective, Costa Rica has a lot to offer while Honduras struggles to get by. For example, just over 5 months ago… there was no electricity in our area and most of our neighbors still live without it. They’ve lived for years without electricity and don’t see the need for it… that’s great for them, but I can’t imagine trying to wash all Tabi’s diapers & our clothes by hand or cook all our food by fire. I don’t think I’ll get rid of my washing machine any time soon (LOL!), but I do want to learn to use the traditional Honduran wood-burning stove to make tortillas and papusas.

Even though I haven’t been here long, I have not found a farmer’s market and miss my Fridays at the Feria in San Ramon. I am starting to get discouraged. Please pray that I will find one close by! It’s the dry season right now and there is not much around. That has been one of the hardest adjustments for me because I love fresh fruits for our smoothies and fresh veggies to make my ferments & salads. I do not like buying them from the supermarket because they always taste like cleaning products (seriously!). I know many of you understand how important it is to find sources of fresh fruits and veggies locally. I am not looking for certified organic produces… just fresh, chemical-free goodness directly from a farmer! I am planning to start a small, raised-bed garden at the end of May… that is the time when everybody plants their corn and beans for the raining season. We’ll see how that goes.

So, continue to keep us in your prayers! We need them and appreciate them so much. There are two specific things:

First, please pray for my baby, Tabitha… we took her to the doctor to get a diagnosis of an itching, dry & scaly rash that developed since Costa Rica… thankfully she has been very happy and goofy despite her discomfort. The doctor believes she has Atopic Dermatitis and recommends the usual steroids that are commonly given. We’ve chosen not to go that route and are giving her homeopathy, oatmeal baths with cocoa butter and rubbing her down with lots of shea butter, coconut oil and aloe vera. But most important of all we´ve been praying for healing over her. Her skin has improve a lot since we visited the doctor on Friday, praise God! We’ve been trying to get her to take her fermented cod liver oil and high vitamin butter oil, but she refuses them… I know they will help her skin so much! I’ve tried to sneak them into her with Aquacate del Chocolate, smoothies and bananas with lots of honey. We have a cinnamon flavor and garlic flavor… she loved the latter one with mashed potatoes the other day. Any more ideas how I can “sneak” them into her? The cinnamon is pretty overpowering and she doesn’t like it much.

Second, please pray for our tick situation. Honestly, I’ve never seen so many ticks before in my life. The ticks here come in all sizes… the smallest I’ve ever seen is as small as a black dot!! You know they are there when you start to itch and see redness surrounding them. They are truly little demons. Thankfully, it hasn’t been too bad the last several days… we are hoping they are starting to die off because we’ve been keeping the cows off the property. We’ve been taking garlic tabs and rubbing ourselves with essential oils… that seems to help hold them off a bit. But we need to figure out how to get rid of them completely and keep them away for good… any ideas?? We don’t want to use chemicals, but that seems to be the only “good” option right now. Please join us as we pray in faith that God will simply sweep the little demons away so we wouldn’t have to do that.

Before I close… I want to let you all know that this month marks the 1-year anniversary of Just Making Noise! Wow! I really can’t believe how much has happened this past year and how much the blog has grown since the first post. I have several great giveaways that I have been planning for several months now, but that was before Honduras happened. I originally planned to do a whole month of giveaways to celebrate, but that’s not exactly happening. So, I will do my best to do them when I can over the next few weeks. Like I said before… I have several great giveaways, but there are some awesome ones that I will most likely save for last, so make sure you come by regularly to check them out, enter and let your friends know about it too!!

Thank you for your support, prayers, encouraging emails and comments! I am sorry that I can’t respond to all of your comments and emails, but please know that I do read every single one of them and they do mean a lot to me. I will keep you all updated as much as possible and will keep posting recipes when I can. Looking forward to celebrating with you all and keep checking back for the giveaways!

Hugs,

Mare

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