Summer Goal: DIY Flavored Water with the Brita Monterey Pitcher

I recently visited the New York Aquarium and was struck by the exhibit on ocean trash. I have seen the plastic trash first hand while traveling in Asia, but the statistics and sheer volume of plastic that is harming the environment really woke me up and made me want to do my part to help. About 2,000 plastic water bottles are used every second in the US alone! One way to help? Make your own filtered water a with a Brita and put it in your own bottle.

So, my challenge this summer: cut way down on single use plastic bottles. I just bought a Brita water filter for this very reason. Filtering my own water and having cold water available at all times in my refrigerator will help me produce less waste and live a more pro-planet lifestyle.

I got my Brita at Target and was happy to find the stylish Monterey Pitcher with Longlast Filter. The classic pitcher shape and green color is pretty enough to find a place at my summer table. The filter reduces 99% of lead plus mercury, chlorine and more. And, it also filters out odors so your water tastes better. The filter lasts 6 months and has a nifty light to show you when it needed to be changed.

So, the goal for the summer is to keep the pitcher filled and cold. When I come home from a run, I will have a a cold drink waiting for me. Another thing I am going to do is flavor my water, I like to add mint and lemon to the pitcher and fill it up with water. And, one of my favorite drinks to make is this Watermelon water with mint and basil:

Minty Watermelon Juice Recipe:

Cut the watermelon in half

Scoop out the flesh and put in blender

Add a handful each of fresh basil and mint and a squeeze of lime

Add a cup of filtered water (more or less to taste)

Blend until smooth

(Make sure you buy a seedless watermelon so that you don't have to have to pick out the seeds before blending!).

This post is sponsored by Brita but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.