Category: News

An Ode to Reusable Cups, Mugs and Bottles

A favourite cup becomes more than just a way to drink. It can become a part of the furniture, a part of what makes a home or workplace comfortable and welcoming.

Some people love to decorate glasses, cups and mugs they use at home. Other people enjoy long lasting metal, glass or high density plastic drinking bottles, using them for everything from travelling to sport events. I remember making ceramic mugs in art class in high school. Some companies even design their own company cups complete with logos or even a playful message or design. When I worked at EF Education First a senior Production Manager once gifted the team with a personal mug with a photo of them on it. This was one of the most memorable Christmas gifts I have ever received.

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Whatever the design, size or color of the reusable mug, cup, bottle, or glass, they have many benefits. They not only help keep us hydrated with safe, healthy and refreshing water or give us pleasure through beverages like tea and coffee, they also can provide – the more personal the better – a sense of familiarity and feeling of home.

Reusable cups and bottles also can have substantial environmental benefits. Globally, people are increasingly aware and concerned about the impact of waste and pollution on the environment. This includes yet goes beyond Styrofoam or single use plastic cups, and beyond what we see in shops or littered along a river.

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With an estimated 8 trillion pieces of plastic dumped into the world’s oceans each year and about 91% of plastic not being recycled, the impacts of single use plastic, Styrofoam and paper cups is substantial. Yet, are reusable cups, mugs and bottles any better? After all, both create waste and air, water and landfill waste. Both can sometimes be made of non-renewable or energy intensive materials. For example, a 16 Oz paper cup takes about 33 grams of wood, over 4.1 g of petroleum, 1.8 g of chemicals, 650 BTUs of energy and half a pound of greenhouse gas emissions to produce.

Reusable cups, mugs and bottles reduce environmental footprint while continuing to provide users with what they need, such as clean water – yet only if they are used for a long period of time. According to a Lifecycle Assessment by Trinity Colleague, reusing a plastic mug more than 16 times and a ceramic mug more than 25 times creates environmental savings and less waste. After meeting the environmental ‘break-even’ point, further re-using of a cup or bottle – and avoidance of single-use cups – will generate environmental benefits.

According to Ecoffee, if 2 million people chose to reuse their cup just once a week it would save 104 million cups a year from landfill.Now, that is something worth drinking to!

For more insights and inspiration, follow us on social media.

A Workplace Evolution

Many of you may still remember when offices used to be row upon row of desks, or when cubicles were popular in the 1980s and 1990s. In those days, health and safety, workplace comfort, environmental sustainability and thoughtful experience design were yet to be considered. Compared with the high quality, sustainable and human-centered designs of today, few people would want to return to those types of workplaces now.

We spend most of our adult life at work, so it makes sense to design spaces that are healthy, safe, and comfortable with low environmental footprint. These new design trends often include collaborative workspaces, or ensuring that pantry and kitchen areas are spacious, organized and fit-out to meet the needs of staff, customers, and other visitors. Whether the designs have been driven by innovating clients and designers, or demographic changes, the modern-day workplace can create value well beyond just ROI.

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Pioneering companies and designers have the led the way in the evolution of the modern day office.

For over 10 years in mainland China, Life Solutions  have been working with interior designers, architects, and project and facility managers to ensure that end users have what they need in their offices. We offer both traditional stand-alone and counter-top water filtration systems  as well as innovative, excellent quality Billi taps  for premium offices, hotels, hospitals, serviced apartments and private homes.

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We would be happy to speak with you about how we can help you to build the workplaces of tomorrow in China.

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    World Oceans Day 2020

    The wave rolls in over your feet as sand gives way, pushing sand through your toes. Couples, families and school groups play games on the beach, eat and take photographs. Some people wear shoes, some people are barefoot: everyone’s happy, relaxed. The waves roll in again and again, as they have from before we can remember. That endless sound of the ocean draws millions to its shores each year.

    You smile at the sun swarming your face, the clean air holding you in its embrace. Then, something hard bumps against your foot. You look down and are surprised to see a plastic drinking bottle. Its plastic wrapper has long since washed away, its clear surface becoming tarnished like an old stone. Strange, you think, there aren’t even any cafes or picnic tables near here. So, you look around more carefully and see that is not the only plastic bottle. There are hundreds in the sand at the high tide line. Some are half-way buried in sand, others wrapped in seaweed.

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    With some cities in China increasing their separation of waste and increase recycling rates, is plastic still harmful?

    With Shanghai and other cities in China stepping up their waste sorting since the summer of 2019, recycling rates are improving. China has been steadily improving its recycling rate and is efficient at recycling materials like plastic. Recycling is helpful because it extends the useful life of materials like aluminum, paperboard and plastic. It also keeps these materials from ending up in farmer’s fields, rivers and the ocean.

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    Plastic drinking bottles are useful for carrying water, tea and other drinks, yet plastic production is harmful in several ways, including in production. In addition to the fact that many single use plastics come from non-renewable fossil fuels and use energy in their manufacturing, harmful toxic chemicals are also released as air pollution and can also pollute soils and waterways. Toxic contaminants like toluene, benzene, sulfur oxides, nitrous oxides, methanol and volatile organic compounds are found in plastic production’s toxic ‘cocktail’.

    After being used, plastic drinking bottles have been found in many rivers and oceans around the world. In the UK, according to WWF, 500,000 tons of micro-plastics have been found in the ocean each year. These ‘plastic pieces injure, suffocate and often kill marine animals, including endangered sea turtles and monk seals.’ So, a drink in single-use plastic bottle may taste sweet, yet plastic pollution might leave a bitter taste in your mouth.

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    World Oceans Day connects and encourages people to protect and restore the ocean. The aim is to protect 30% of the world’s land and oceans by 2030. Here at Life Solutions, we help people to avoid the damaging effects of single use plastic drinking bottles by using long-lasting clean drinking water systems and re-usable cups and bottles.

    This way, we can enjoy the sweetness of life – such as enjoying a refreshing, hydrating glass of water on a hot day – and leave the ocean for future generations to enjoy and care for.

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    This World Ocean’s day, join us in protecting the precious ocean. Contact us to chat and find out more.

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      IWBI Member, Billi

      Even before the COVID-19 virus had hit the world, Billi had signed up to become a member of the International WELL Building Institute to help transform buildings and workplaces to become healthier and more desirable places. A manufacturer and designer of premium clean drinking water systems for businesses and residents, Billi has developed a strong reputation in places like Australia, New Zealand and the UK for excellent services, reliable products with elegant designs.

      The International WELL Building Institute is leading the global WELL movement to transform buildings and communities into places that help people thrive. WELL is a cutting edge global rating system that is focused exclusively on the ways that buildings and communities, and everything in them, can improve our comfort, drive better choices, and generally enhance our health and wellness. Given that Water forms one of the pillars of the WELL rating framework, it is a natural progression that Billi, as a leader in clean drinking water solutions, would become a Cornerstone Member of IWBI.

      For more about this important news, click here.

      Tony Armstrong, Senior Vice President of IWBI Asia, acknowledged the importance of Billi’s membership with IWBI. “IWBI convenes, celebrates and collaborates with companies and organizations such as Billi to foster meaningful changes in our buildings and communities. IWBI appreciates valuable market solutions Billi and other IWBI members provide for projects.”

      With over 10 years of experience across the greater China market and experience in offering Billi taps to customers, Life Solutions is proud to be a national distributor of best-in-class Billi clean drinking water systems for our corporate, hospitality and residential clients. As our products helps clients to become healthier and more productive, we applaud Billi for becoming an IWBI member. We have commercial property experience with providing clean water products and services to help a key account client achieve WELL certification for a ground-breaking Shanghai project.

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      The COVID-19 virus situation has highlighted the importance of safety and health in the workplace. We at Life Solutions would be happy to provide clients with safe, delicious drinking water and services that can help them to achieve their WELL certification in China.

      Contact us on 400 820 1213 or email us at enquiries@lifesolutions.cn for more info.

      Biocote protects against Infectious Bacteria

      Health and hygiene have come into focus globally as COVID-19 has brought our lives to a standstill. The situation has highlighted the negative impact that viruses and diseases can have on people, businesses and economic trade. A healthy, safe workplace, hotel room or public space can not only provide assurance and trust to employees and customers, it also demonstrates global Best Practice.

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      Exposure to viruses and bacteria can often make people sick. Infectious bacteria can be found in water, and some of these can cause severe illnesses. This kind of bacteria can also grow on the surface areas like counter tops or even on the exteriors of kitchen equipment, possibly spreading to people when we touch these surfaces regularly.

      Thankfully, we can stay safe and enjoy fresh healthy drinking water. The UTS Slimtap UV rays kill any potentially harmful bacteria in the water, while allowing users to easily access purified drinking water. This ensures that any bacteria-borne infections are stopped at sourced, and the drinking water can be enjoyed without worry.

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      What makes the UTS Slimtap unique is that it has built-in antimicrobial protection. Proven to reduce microbes by 99.5% within 2 hours, the Slimtap features Waterlogic’s Biocote, patented technology that kills bacteria on the surface of the tap. This is particularly useful for public spaces or kitchen and pantry areas with high density use. The Biocote technology means that it has been proven to be effective against bacteria and antibiotic resistant bacteria as Campylobacter, E Coli, Legionella Pneumophilia, Listeria Monocytogenes and Staphylocooccus Aureus; mold and fungi, as well as the Influenza A H1N1 virus. The Slimtap and other BioCote technologies are regularly tested for effectiveness against microbes using methods and standards like ISO 22196 (2011), ASTM E2149-13a and ASTM G21.

      Ideal for hotel rooms, offices, hospitals, clinics, restaurants and canteens, the Slimtap offers safe water at an affordable price. Life Solutions is excited to announce that the UTS Slimtap with its unique Biocote technology is now available in China. Contact us for more information.

      For any inquiries about plastic-free, sustainable clean drinking water systems, feel free to contact us here:

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        Celebrating Earth Day 2020

        What is estimated to have an average value of 33 trillion US dollars each year? What is something we cannot live without? If you guessed the global economy, you were off. If you guessed, the economic value of water, you were close.

        The earth provides all that is needed for life to exist and thrive. It is the basis of our global economy. In 1997, the economic value of 17 ecosystem services in nature were estimated by top analysts to be between 16-54 trillion US dollars per year. Businesses harvest this wealth by turning the earth’s raw natural materials – minerals, food, fibre, chemicals – into the many things that make up our lives: from cars, food and mobile phones to office buildings, bowls and cups. Strong, global economic growth has meant improvements in quality of life. It’s also meant pollution, ecosystem degradation and species loss.

        The 2005 Millennium Ecosystem Assessment found that 60% of 24 ecosystem services were ‘being degraded or used unsustainably.’ Our economic system has helped nations to become wealthy, yet has not taken into account the environmental costs or impacts of things like habitat disruption, water pollution or species loss.

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        “Humans have been degrading and depleting ecosystems for centuries, even millennia. Yet the process has accelerated in the past fifty years [….] The resulting loss of ecosystem services often has significant social and economic costs [….] The global marine fishing industry, landing a catch just under $100 billion per year, is at risk of collapse in the next forty years. Also at risk are an estimated 35 million jobs, mainly in small-scale and artisanal fisheries, and the health of more than a billion people in the developing world, who depend on fish as their main or only source of animal protein.” By measuring ecosystem services – and increases or decreases of life-supporting value, humans are better able to manage and reduce our environmental impact.

        Though some may associate global Earth Day with hippies and early 1970s North America, the day has come to represent a globally-inclusive movement for environmental sustainability. Earth Day includes all sectors in a country – public, private, not-for-profit and civil society. The aim is to show the world that people care about the earth and to support positive change for people and planet. 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, and there will be events across the world, including in China.

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        With a mission of inspiring China’ transition to safe and healthy drinking water through outstanding customer service and environmentally responsible solutions, Life Solutions is proud to support Earth Day. Our long-lasting, energy efficient clean drinking water products provide essential hydration for customers. They also avoid the use of polluting single-use plastic.

        Finally, we are proud of our social impact partners Green Initiatives and Collective Responsibility. These organisations are creating awareness and understanding of the environmental, economic and social challenges that people in Asia are facing. They also offer programs and services in the greater China region that create sustainability, quality of life and business benefits.

        The value of a life – and of all life – is far beyond economic value. The costs of inaction and of consumption of highly polluting products far out-weight the benefits of more sustainable habits and products. We all call earth home. On this Earth Day, let’s do what we can to make a positive difference.

        We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors. We borrow it from our children.

        – Native American proverb

        For any inquiries about plastic-free, sustainable clean drinking water systems, feel free to contact us here:

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          How Reverse Osmosis can
          reduce exposure to viruses

          With the Coronavirus having caused deaths and severe sickness in China and abroad, many people are taking precautions to protect themselves from getting sick.

          Millions of people in China are now wearing face masks and respirators, washing their hands thoroughly, sanitizing kitchen surfaces and consuming safer food and drink.  “China finds itself performing a precarious balancing act with two important but divergent tasks,” said Dr. Stephen Woellenstein, German Chamber of Commerce in North China, “keeping firm with virus prevention measures while fighting for a return to economic normalcy.”

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          Businesses across China’s major cities are courageously going back to work in order to lead from the front and serve their customers through these challenging circumstances. Many companies are making changes to their operations in order to manage risks while still creating value. According to Personnel Today, businesses are taking different strategies to keep business afloat, including having staff work from home, performing in-office temperature checks, communicating more with staff, allowing employees to take annual leave early and using teleconferencing instead of face-to-face meetings.

          Many people here in China are wearing face masks to reduce the risks of infection or spreading of the virus. In addition, hand washing with soap for at least 20 seconds after using the bathroom or before consuming food can reduce the risks of contracting viruses.

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          These are good ways to reduce the risk of virus transmission through contact. However, the World Health Organization notes that virus pathogens can also be found in water. Though boiling water to a range between 80 to 100 degrees Celsius can successfully deal with bacteria and some common germs, it doesn’t address heavy metals and harmful viruses. Thankfully, there are more effective ways that reduce exposure to viruses.

          Reverse Osmosis systems remove bacteria and chemical contaminants like lead, chromium, chloride and copper, and also can remove some viruses like Rotavirus, Norovirus and Hepatitis B. Reverse Osmosis has been known to be so effective at removing contaminants that is often used to treat hospital waste water, as noted in the International Journal of Chemical Sciences and Applications. As a result, responsible managers wanting to protect their staff and clients from viruses found in kitchen and office pantry areas can reliably use RO filtration systems to reduce the risk of illness, improving health by staying hydrated with clean, pure water, while also encouraging peace of mind during these uncertain, challenging times.

          Life Solutions technicians testing RO-filters and preparing systems for installation

          Life Solutions uses Reverse Osmosis filtration in all of our clean drinking water systems, because we know how effective it is in removing contamination and leaving our customers with clean, safe drinking water. Life Solutions was founded on the basis that businesses and residential customers deserve reliable, safe and healthy drinking water at all times. Our 5 stage RO system stops pollution, bacteria and many viruses from making its way into the one thing that humans cannot live without – clean and healthy drinking water.

          At this current time in China, we understand that it is not just the water that needs to be safe, yet also the equipment that our customers use. We understand that clients and business partners just want to get on with their business. That is why our trained and experienced technicians have taken precautions in order to support the team and our customers to be healthy, safe and productive. The technical support team now wear face masks, protective goggles, gloves and also disinfect their hands before installing any clean drinking water systems or replacing filters.

          As an optional value-added protection feature, many of our systems, including all of our premium Billi drinking water systems, can be coupled with UV light filters on request, which kill bacteria and viruses.

          For more information about what RO filtration is and its benefits feel free to read about it here.

          If you would like to learn more about how we can help you, please contact our friendly customer service team, toll-free, nationwide on 400-820-1213 or via email at enquiry@lifesolutionschina.cn. We are happy to help with any enquiries you might have.

          Designing for Advanced Age in China

          According to the United Nations Population Fund, by ‘2050, one in four people in Asia and the Pacific will be over 60 years old’ with the number of people over 60 years of age tripling between 2010 and 2050, reaching about 1.3 billion people. With people living longer lives, this is ‘cause for celebration, a triumph of social, economic and technology development for a region that in the not too distance past presented a very different picture of life expectancy’, says the World Economic Forum. At the same time, this has ‘profound socio-economic, cultural and political implications’ – as well as implications for how commercial and residential buildings are built and interiors designed in the Asia Pacific region.

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          The population in Asia is aging, particularly in China, where an estimated 500 million people are expected to be 60 or over by 2050, suggesting that big changes are needed in a variety of areas to meet their needs, such as in the design of senior living residences and interiors that are accessible, easy to use and support changes in health. As a result, there will be increasing demand for aged care facilities in China that are designed to meet the physical, social and health needs of retirees and elder professionals.

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          (Photo credit: Internet stock photo)

          Service oriented and progressive design firms in China are already starting to meet the needs of this 60+ age group. Global design firm ThomsonAdsett has created the Shuangqiao Golden Homes development near the 4th Ring Road outside Beijing. This features 350 independent senior living apartments and also access to amenities and a 60-bed geriatric hospital. Another experienced develop in Seniors Living, Lendlease have been developing a Senior Living development in Qingpu Shanghai, with over 850 apartments and associated high quality services, which will see residents move in from 2021.

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          Interior designers, architects and specifiers will need to pay special attention to design aspects like access, mobility and ease-of-use features, especially in kitchens, bathrooms and other areas regularly used by elderly people and their families. Here in China, with an aging population and increased risk of health impairments, decreased mobility and strength, as well as an increasing awareness of and desire to protect loved ones from the effects of pollution, designers have the opportunity to create interiors that are not only functional and easy to move around in, yet also support elderly residents to have good health and a long life.

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          (Photo credit: Internet stock photo)

          Made with reliability, ease of operation and interior design aesthetics in mind, the Australian designed and made Billi clean drinking water range aligns with best practice design – including designing for elderly and disabled people – and offers several benefits. This includes healthy, safe boiling and chilled drinking water, remote controlled functions and an easy to clean design, which can help to ensure hygienic kitchen conditions.

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          (Photo credit: Billi)

          To learn more about designing for advanced age and disability as well as supporting user health with bacteria and virus-removing water filtration, come read this article by Billi.

          AquaTech China 2019

          Life Solutions staff wanted to speak with our clients, partners and the general public about our high quality drinking water systems and offer them an opportunity to try out the pure, healthy water from our Billi taps. So, we participated in AquaTech China 2019 at Shanghai National Exhibition and Convention Centre from June 3rd to 5th 2019.

          AquaTech China is the largest trade show for drinking water, waste and process water technology in Asia. It provides a good exchange platform for worldwide water technology and water management industries, offering solutions to water risks and challenges. In 2019, more than 3,400 exhibitors from over 23 countries attracted 99,000+ professionals from 100 countries.

          Prior to this major event, we invited our valued clients, business partners and friends to attend. Our Shanghai team planned, designed and supervised the building of a 5,800 mm wide by 2,600 mm tall display, with informative videos on our Billi systems, the installation of a range of elegant Billi display and working units, and a break-away area where guests could sit down and chat with us.

           

          During the event, we introduced people to Billi’s cutting-edge energy-saving technology, a small under-bench footprint and our high quality NSF certified filtration. Our business development and customer service team were on hand to answer product related questions and explain the benefits of our services, while our engineers and technicians were also available to answer detailed technical and complex installation queries. Participants were able to taste our refreshing, clean drinking water as well as take home our product catalogues and specification sheets.

          The expo was an excellent opportunity for partners, clients and people new to premium quality clean drinking systems to try out and learn about our Billi water filtration systems, including our elegant XT and XL taps.

          If you couldn’t make it to AquaTech 2019, yet are interested in our services and drinking water solutions for offices, hotels, showrooms, residential homes or even private hospitals, follow us below. You can also contact us directly on 400 820 1213 or via email at enquiry@lifesolutionschina.cn.

          We would be happy to help you.

          Huangshan Team Building Adventure

          In June 2019, the Life Solutions team took a weekend trip to Huangshan (Yellow Mountain). Escaping the summer heat of Shanghai, we traveled to Huangshan City for a weekend of site-seeing, teambuilding, hiking, eating, discussing our business, socializing and celebrating our achievements together. Everyone from our housekeeper to senior leaders had a great time together and built positive memories that will last for as long as the ancient mountains themselves.

          Formed over 60 million years ago in Anhui province, Huangshan has been ‘held in high esteem in China’s history’ for over 1,500 years

          Not only is the mountain range vast with dramatic peaks, Huangshan also has significant cultural and historical value. Legend has it that Yellow Mountain, which used to be called Yishan (Black Mountain) was where an aging Huangdi (the Yellow Emperor) went to source a magical elixir from the mountain’s unique herbs, which made him immortal. To honour Huangdi, Yishan was renamed Huangshan, Yellow Mountain

          Huangshan also has strong environmental significance and draws thousands of tourists from around China and the world each year for its natural beauty. Environmental protection and sustainable use of life’s resources are at the core of Life Solutions’ mission and so visiting this beautiful, pristine region was an obvious choice for us. In 1982, the State Council of the People’s Republic of China named Huangshan a ‘site of scenic beauty and historic interest.’ Then, in 1990, Huangshan was named as a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) world heritage site for its scenery and its role as a habitat for rare and threatened species’ , including both plants and animals found nowhere else in the world

          After settling into our hotel, early on the second morning we set out to conquer Yellow Mountain. Carrying backpacks and water bottles and wearing raincoats we got into the gondolas in small groups and were whisked up through the rainy clouds. Half-way up, we got off the lift, regrouped then began climbing thousands of stone stairs, along with crowds of other tourists. Our journey to the top would include several of the 77 peaks that day, admiring beautiful, unique vegetation and birds. As we climbed, we felt the wind pick up strength and the rain began to fall. We held tight to the railings and massive boulders that flanked our path, thousands of feet above the valleys below. As the rain fell from the sky, filling streams, feeding plants and recharging ground water, we could see a part of the age-old water cycle happening before our eyes.

          With aching limbs, cold fingers, drenched shoes yet wide smiles, we reached the summit of the majestic Lotus Peak (Lian Hua Peak). As the wind cleared away the rain, we saw a vast sea of clouds reaching out to the horizon. Finally, in the afternoon, after hours of hiking and almost a thousand meters ascended, we, together, had reached the top. We laughed and marveled at the peaks in the distance, the valleys below reminding us of the heights we had climbed together. Getting out of the city, as a team, reinforced why we do what we do at Life Solutions and the importance that a healthy environment with clean water holds in our lives.