Home water purification systems may be more cost-effective long-term and cut down on the disposal of large quantities of plastic water bottles. There are two types of purification systems:  whole house systems (these treat all water entering a household and are typically more expensive) and point-of-use systems (which treat water at the point of use — like a shower head or kitchen sink faucet).  Many people choose the point-of-use systems as they are less costly.  These include:  Personal water bottles that have a built in filter.  Great for on the go people who might not always have access to purified water. Pitchers that have a built in filter and purify water as it drains through the filter. Faucet purifiers that attach directly to the kitchen sink.  However, many times specialty faucets are not compatible with these.  Refrigerator/freezer purifiers.  These are usually built into your appliance and allow you to have purified water and ice cubes that are frozen from purified water as well. If you decide to use or consume tap water or you have access to a purified water dispenser, you may want to consider purchasing a reusable water bottle to be more environmentally friendly. Using a reusable water bottle can help cut down on the amount of trash and plastic bottles discarded. Although tap water or city water may not have the appeal that some bottled waters have, it's a healthy and low-cost alternative to bottled waters. Most tap water is completely okay to drink. If you're worried about it, just purchase a filtered pitcher that sits in your refrigerator so that you have an extra level of filtration.  Tap water is tested more frequently and for more bacteria and chemicals than bottled water.  In addition, it's required to go through a disinfection process prior to consumption.  Up to 1/4th of bottled waters are actually just bottled tap water (this is why it's important to read and understand the labels and marketing terminology).

Summary: Purchase a home water purification system. Purchase BPA-free reusable water bottles. Drink tap water.


You can also toast just one slice of bread. In this case, choose a slot, and slide it in. The direction you orient the slice in the toaster doesn't matter, but most people like to insert it bottom-first. You can toast many things other than bread but stick to toasting bread slices until you are more comfortable using the appliance. Use the adjustment knob on the front of the appliance to choose how dark you want the toast to be. On most toasters, the dial runs from 1 to 5, with 1 being the lightest, and 5 being the darkest.  Consider setting the dial somewhere in the middle: 2 or 3. This way, if the toast is not dark enough, you can always toast it again. Some toasters have other settings, such as light, medium, or dark. Other toasts have options for waffles, toast, and bagels. In this case, choose the setting that best matches whatever it is that you're toasting. Wait for the food to toast. Keep your nose peeled to smell for burning! The toasting process should not take longer than a minute or two, depending on how dark you want the toast.  Even though the toaster is timed and will pop the bread out on its own, you should never leave it unattended.  If the bread starts to burn, you'll have to pop it manually. To pop the toaster manually, hold the top corner of the toaster down while you lift the lever up. You should only do this if things start to burn, however. When the lever pops back up, it means that the toasting cycle is done. The toaster may "ding." Take the toast out using your fingers or a set of wooden tongs. Then, put your favorite spread onto your toast before consuming! Never use anything metal to take the toast out, or you may electrocute yourself.

Summary: Slide one slice of bread into each toaster slot. Set the toasting level. Lower the lever to start the toasting cycle. Remove the food.


The subject line of your email should be clear and to the point.  The subject line should let the recipient know the purpose of the email.  Instead of saying "Need to talk," try saying "discussion of X topic.  The subject should be between six and eight words.  If the email is being sent for a job application, include your name and the position you are applying for.  If you were sending an email to a coworker, you would include the name of the project that the email is discussing. If you use your personal email address for business purposes, your email address should communicate your name (i.e. mary.smith@ or MichaelJones@).  Email addresses such as hotmama@, cutiepie@, or mustlovedogs@ are not appropriate for business emails.  If you work for a company, you should always use your work email address. Your email should always begin with a professional salutation.  "Hey" or "What's up" is not appropriate.  "Hi" or "Hello" are preferable. If you are including the name of the recipient in your salutation, do not use a shortened version of their name (i.e. use "William" instead of "Will"). If someone has a gender neutral name, like Chris Smith, and you do not know whether the person is a Mr./Mrs./Etc., it is best to write "Dear Chris Smith." You should use formal English when writing business emails. Avoid slang and colloquialisms in your email.  Abbreviations, emoticons, and text message language (e.g. Lol)  should not be used.  Your email should be concise. Not only is the reader a busy person, but he or she may be reading your email on a mobile device. A short, to-the-point email is much easier to read and respond to than a lengthy, confusing one. Try not to address more than one topic in an email.  Emails are brief forms of communication.  If you cannot address the topic in a brief manner, you may need to pick the phone and call the person. In addition to using clear and concise language, you should read the email out loud to make sure that your email comes across as you intended it to.  You do not want to sound harsh or abrupt. Remember that your email must speak for itself. You are not there to convey the tone and intent for the reader.  Emails do not come with body language and facial expressions.  Also, humor does not translate well over email. It is important that you end an email just like you would end any other conversation. You should end your email by saying "Thanks," "Thank You," or "Sincerely" followed by your name.  Your emails should also include a signature. Your signature lets the reader know how to contact you. It should include your name, company, address, phone, your email address, and a website link if you have one. You should read your email multiple times before you send it.  Do not rely on spellcheck.  People will notice grammatical errors and misspelled or missing words.  Proofreading is particularly important when you are introducing yourself for the first time through email.  You want to make a good impression and not be judged by your email mistakes.  When you are proofreading you should ask yourself: "Am I being clear and concise?" "Did I include any unnecessary information?" "Is there anything I can take out?"  You should also verify that you are sending the email to the correct recipient.  It can be very embarrassing to send an email to the wrong person.
Summary: Label your emails with a professional subject line. Have a professional email address. Use a formal salutation. Use professional language. Be aware of your tone. End the email properly. Proofread before you send.