“We have no water here and everybody knows it.” This lyrical snippet dances through my head at least a couple times a week as I read more and more on water scarcity panic attacks. Hearts of Palm is a band from Denver, and a very good one, too–they were voted the No. 1 band in Colorado, […]
This double-taker was spotted at my local drugstore. Propel declares their product is now delivered with 33% less plastic. The proud declaration is displayed on a big, colorful hunk of…. plastic. (And, it’s the kind of plastic apparatus that’s been known to choke and maim animals.) Please, Propel, give this a second thought. *Flippant footnote: Propel […]
If you were living in America during the sixties, you know what I’m talking about. Tang. That nasty-tasting, gritty-grainy pseudo-orange powdered breakfast beverage from Kraft that was a commercial flop until it swept the country after it’s endorsement by NASA. It rocketed to success with the Gemini flights in 1965, followed by many years of “spacey” advertising tie-ins, like this magazine ad (via […]
For the First Time Ever, Donuts Actually Hamper the Movement of Poo You know what a couple of greasy donuts can do to your digestive track. Just imagine what a whole plant-full could do to a sewer system. May 29, 2009: Fairfax County (Virginia) is suing Krispy Kreme doughnuts for alleged damage to its poo pipes…clogs that resulted in […]
Back we go, more than a century, to this nostalgic photo of the Italian Festa, Mott Street, New York City, May 16th, 1908. It’s fun to zoom in and study the details. And what’s that there to the right? Why, it’s our turn-of-the-century bottled water vendor, probably ready to serve up better-than-tap refreshment to festival-goers. Just like […]
Hello, people of the ADD age? HELLO! What does it take to get everyone to sit up and pay attention to the plight of our oceans and waterways? How about a guy swimming 1000 miles in the less-than-pristine Atlantic, yes ONE THOUSAND MILES- from Massachusetts to Washington DC, through all the rubbish, waste, sewage and toxic godknowswhat that’s […]
Kid Sam is a duo of two cousins, Kishore and Kieran Ryan, from the climate change bellweather of Australia (Melbourne, Victoria) so they’ve got extra cred backing this song in my mind. Rhythmic, clangy, easy to love with a tinge of folk influence… gives me a pleasant case of the head bobs. Lyrics: the earth is slowly dying […]
Here’s a refuse container that’s happy to assist you with recycling your refuse, doing it’s dirty job with a determined smile. Made me smile, too. (Spotted and photographed by Virginia Leonard, Thirsty in Suburbia intern, while visiting the St. Louis Botanical Gardents in Missouri.)
Thankfully, many great campaigns are underway to get clean water to those who desperately need it. But what about getting water to those who need it in a chic, well-designed container? Isn’t design-lifestyle snobbery one of the factors that’s spurred the rise of premium bottled waters? Perhaps a good strategy is to “fight fire with fire.” […]
Installment #3! The world’s most esoteric fruits are helping marketers de-commoditize bottled water with mysterious, value-added flavorings. Here’s Vital Lifestyle Water, a product that jacks up your IQ and memory with a gentle hint of Yumberry! Yumberry is one of the up-and-comers of the “Superfruits.” “Superfruit” is a term coined by marketers (naturally!) that refers to high-antioxident, nutritionally-rich fruits that have an appealing taste. Yumberry is actually […]