In the world of hiking and backpacking there is what is known as the “Big Three,” referring to the three largest, heaviest, and often most expensive things you carry while trekking: the obvious backpack, your tent, and your sleeping bag. Many articles giving opinions about the best of these choices can be found on the internet or in magazines. While many products are available to purchase for hiking and backpacking, these “Big Three” are the most often discussed. I have good quality, middle of the range products for my big three, only about $350 invested in them, and together they weigh a little more than eight pounds. While I could have spent much more money to save ounces, this is considerable light for the price range. But the big three are not my purpose of writing today. I would like to inform about the next big ticket necessity for hiking, one which is not as much talked about in hiking and backpacking forums.
While the tent, sleeping bag, and backpack are important for comfort on the trail, when it comes down to survival you can make-shift a shelter to stay warm and dry from environmental surroundings. However, you can only survive on average three days without clean water. When one consumes water that has been contaminated upstream by animals or civilization, it can contain some nasty bugs that cause even nastier side-effects. Taking a risk by drinking possibly contaminated water is not worth the risk, as you may end up losing more fluids than you took in. This is why I consider my water filtration system one of the most important items in my pack.
The MSR Miniworks filter system is a single direction pump with a pump force of 10.4 pounds. When packed up it fits in a pouch measuring 7.8x 3.8 inches and we...
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...ome sort of fabric attachment to cover it so it can better manage the large particles. I use a coffee filter and rubber band to filter out tannin in areas where there are large amounts of dead plant matter in the water. Knowing that the water I am drinking while on the trail or in camp will not cause me harm allows me to enjoy the outdoors that I adore.
In conclusion, while the main focus of most advice given by seasoned campers and hikers is to focus on lighter tents, sleeping bags, and backpacks, they have missed an essential item to include in your pack. A good water filtration system that is easy to use, small to pack, and is trail reliable is well worth the investment. My $90 system will insure my safety and the safety of others with me, allowing us to enjoy the scenery without worry. The next time you meet an avid hiker, ask them about their “Big Four.”
Generally when you think of a hero, who do you envision? Most likely, you picture a strong and imposeing figure, someone capable of performing in high pressure situations, demonstrating bravery and passion to help his/her fellow man. Those who typically fit that role in society are firefighters, policemen, and soldiers. Those people deserve all the credit and recognition they receive for their courageous acts. However, what about individuals or groups who aren’t necessarily on the “frontlines” physically protecting others and saving lives, but who work extremely hard to improve the lives of others in some way? These everyday people deserve credit as well. After all, to the people they help, these volunteers or activists are heroes. An example of such a group is the Greensboro Four, a few African American college students in the early 1960s who helped change the landscape of segregation in the Jim Crow South.
Among the necessities or near-necessities were P-38 can openers, pocket knives, heat tabs… …and two or three canteens of water. Together, these items weighed between 12 and 18 pounds. They all carried steel helmets that weighed 5 pounds. On their feet they carried jungle boots—2.1 pounds. (O’Brien 2)
Now that we’ve established the advantages of using a backpack diaper bag, the next thing you need to identify is what factors to consider before you buy one. Here are some points to ponder:
It’s no mystery that having clean water is a fundamental element to living in a prosperous society and one of the few things essential for human survival. Water not only sustains our health, but is required in making everything from electronics to clothes. Clean water may seem as ordinary as putting on your shoes, but it’s a daily party of our life that’s being threatened.
High school was a good time for me with all my sports, music activities, and Student Council, but it was also very tough. I didn't have many friends. Also, I worried so much about school and "getting the grade", that I often felt very stressed. I also went through a period of a couple years when I was pretty depressed. These four teachers helped me through my difficult times mostly by just being there to listen. I also loved their classes, but I think that more than anything they influenced me because I liked them as people and knew they believed in me. I truly believe that if a student likes a teacher, feels a connection with them, and can develop a relationship, they will be much more interested in the material and will care more and do better.
Gloomy New England is no place for an active pack such as mine. There, the pack's buoyant purple, teal, and navy blue colors seem lost in shadow. Helpless, I do likewise, and watch my skin turn from a healthy tan to sickly white. We can hardly wait for the upcoming vacation. I take my pack to and from school with me. Holding up to 5600 cubic inches, my pack feels comfortable on my back even with sixty pounds of gear.
There is nearly 1 billion people who do not have access to clean drinking water (Jones, MM 11/9/2016). Low income families are not likely to have access to water within the immediate area, so women and children are forced to travel long distances in order to gather water that is not clean at all (11/9/2016). Not only is the travel dangerous, but it takes away time from children to be getting an education (11/9/2016). Some possible adverse health effects from drinking contaminated water include diarrhea, dehydration, and even death (11/9/2016). Infants are much more sensitive to the bacteria in the water given their undeveloped immune system, which is why water related illnesses is one of the leading causes of deaths for infants without clean drinking water (11/9/2016). There are interventions being undergone to help improve access to safe drinking water. For example, wells are being installed closer to people’s homes to avoid the long and treacherous walk to an already contaminated water supply (11/9/2016). Not needing to travel for hours every day allows children and women the time to get educated (11/9/2016). Another, more expensive intervention, is a water filtration system (11/9/2016). The government of each country should invest money towards these interventions as an investment towards improving the quality of life, creating a more educated society, and reducing medical costs
They are easy for transportation and convenience. However, there is a more beneficial alternative for getting water when disasters happen, such as Lifestraw. Lifestraws are straws with multiple filters in them. These filters take contaminated water and make it healthy and drinkable. "The filters, made up of a halogenated resin, kill nearly 100 percent of bacteria and nearly 99 percent of the viruses that pass through LifeStraw" (Greenemeier). Lifestraws are just as portable are water bottles, but are more beneficial. These straws can filter up to 185 gallons of water in its lifetime, while water bottles do not even contain the equivalent of a liter. Therefore, Lifestraws are a better choice than water bottles when dealing with natural disasters and contaminations.
Clean water is needed for good human and animal health, but as DoSomething.org states, over 1 billion people worldwide don’t have a means of getting clean drinking water, an...
Humans are mostly made up of water, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that someone should stay hydrated. If someone does not drink the right amount of water daily their bodies can become dehydrated. I had to learn this lesson
Have you ever had to walk miles away just to get clean drinking water, or don’t even not have access to clean drinking water? People all over the world, even in North America, don’t have access to clean drinking water or have to walk very far just to drink water. The main areas where this problem is prominent is in third world countries, and this is due to the lack of money and sanitation (Millions Lack Safe Water). Due to this lack of sanitation, water borne diseases can grow and infect people who consume it. Clean water is very important for life, and within this paper I will explain why we need it, how it can affect us, and what it will take to obtain clean water.
Clean Water: “An under-appreciated liquid to Survive” Water is pure and transparent liquid that is vital for all humans, plants and animals on the planet. In the United States, people have access to clean drinking water and clean sanitation systems, not like in other parts of the world where clean, safe drinking water is getting scarce. A lot of people don’t have access to it, and many regions are suffering severe drought. Yet, when humans take it for granted, they don’t appreciate that a reliable, clean supply of water is essential to human health, economy and agricultural prosperity. Having clean and safe potable water is a right, and not a privilege.
Water mismanagement has become a crisis of governance that will impact heavily on public health and the environment, while tensions and conflicts increase over declining resources.... ... middle of paper ... ... Together I Think UV oxidation and the Life Saver Bottle should be used I say this because the Life Saver Bottle is meant for Third world countries where the water is dirtied by bacteria and viruses not chemicals.
Many people around the world need water. Around 780 million people are unable to get clean water (One Billion Affected). People who do have access to clean water in their homes, have to pay a fee. The people who struggle to live obviously do not have enough money to buy water. People who are unable to have clean water have a good chance of dying either from disease or from dehydration. At least 3.4 million people die a year from water problems such as sanitation (One Billion Affected).
A person can live about a month without food, but only about a week without water. If a human does not absorb enough water dehydration is the result.