Making Hydration a Habit and a CamelBak #DitchDisposable Giveaway! {CLOSED}

This Giveaway has closed.  Check our most recent posts for other great giveaways.

During March through May you might have seen our tweets and facebook updates on the #DitchDisposable campaign.  This was sponsored by Camelbak - a leading supplier of hydration products. 

The first step was taking the Ditch Disposable pledge.  During the official pledge period of March 17th - April 17th, we, along with many others, committed to stop using disposable water bottles, and to start carrying and refilling our Camelbak bottles each and every day.  (While the official period has passed, you can still take the pledge and commit to reusable water bottles.)

There are so many reasons to give up disposable bottles.  These are two screen captures from Camelbak.  The complete infographic can be seen here. 

from: http://greatist.com/health/why-you-should-never-buy-disposable-water-bottles-again

from: http://greatist.com/health/why-you-should-never-buy-disposable-water-bottles-again

This is in addition to the health and environmental impact of bottled water, which are far greater! 

So obviously this is a cause we feel strongly about.  We were very lucky to have been chosen as #DitchDisposable Ambassadors.  DisneyGroom was the Mentor - his job was to encourage me (the Partner) to honor my commitment. 

Camelbak sent us each a kit to get us started.  Here are both of our kits.

We each received the following:
1 Relay Filtration Pitcher
1 Groove Bottle
1 eddy Bottle
1 Chute Bottle
1 tube of Elixir electrolyte beverage tablets


Camelbak really gave us the tools we needed to succeed with this pledge!  Now that the period is over, we would like to share our answers to the campaign's follow-up questions.


DisneyGroom (Mentor)

How did you encourage your partner to Ditch Disposable? 
-  I have always been in the habit of having a reusable bottle with me.  The Ditch Disposable Ambassador Program seemed like a great opportunity to hopefully spark a new habit in my wife and others.

What did you do or what did you tell your partner that was the most influential reason to Ditch Disposable?
- I took time each morning to fill her CamelBak bottles for her.  I also reminded her that she dislikes the water at her office and bringing water from home was the best way to keep hydrated. 

What was the most inspirational or rewarding thing your partner shared with you about the experience? 
-She is actually drinking water!  She is drinking fluids throughout the day.  It is said a habit can be formed in 21 days.  Well, it took a bit longer for her, but the new habit was formed.  She fills up her bottles in the morning, and on weekends, she even reminds me to fill up mine before we head out to the beach or our trail runs.

Our puppy, Magnus, wants a drink!

DisneyBride (Partner): 

What was the greatest benefit you experienced during the challenge?

-I don't think I can pick just one. The most visible benefit was to my wallet.  I calculated that I saved between $15-18 per week.  Multiply that by 52 weeks in a year and you get... a scary number that I don't want to think about.  But now will be money in my pocket!

-A less visible, but perhaps greater benefit was that I reached for water instead of iced tea and other sugary drinks.

What was the toughest challenge to ditching disposable bottles?
-For me, it was when everyone around me is drinking soda.  I felt pretty boring with my water.  Then I remembered Camelbak sent me their "Elixir".  They are sugar-free effervescent electrolyte tablets.  So I get some fizz and color to make my water a little more exciting.

How were you able to successfully kick disposable bottles for 30 day?

-My mentor would have two bottles full and ready for me every morning.  I'd grab my lunch and my two Camelbaks before I headed out the door for work.  When I got to  my office in the morning I placed both bottles on my desk. 

By having water right in front of me all day, I did not have the desire to go buy other drinks.  On weekends, I carried a Camelbak bottle with me at all times. 

What did your mentor do or say that encouraged you the most?

- It was by example.  He carried his Camelbak Chute EVERYWHERE.  He took it to work, the gym, running errands.  If he could do it, then I surely could.

Okay... I admit it. Sometimes I made him carry my bottle too!

Also, as I mentioned above, DG would have two water bottles filled for me every morning to take to work.  To be adequately hydrated throughout my workday, I had to drink one bottle by lunch time, and the second bottle in the afternoon before 5pm.  I couldn't cheat, because DG would see my bottles when I came home in the evening. 

Drinking enough water was something I have struggled with for years.   Everyone knows the recommended minimum is 8 x 8:  eight glasses, each glass being at least eight ounces of water, per day (64 ounces).  But what about when you run or bike, or play tennis?

I used the hydration calculator on the Camelbak website to determine how much water I actually need.  It asks you a few questions and provides you with the amount you need.  So now, I try not to drop below that number when I go workout.



Proper hydration and using reusable bottles are good habits for the two-legged AND four-legged members of this family.  Here is our puppy, Magnus, taking a drink on the trail.  We carry a bottle just for him along with a collapsible bowl.   He drinks an entire 'Chute' (1 Liter) during a two hour hike.


The Giveaway

So you saw earlier that Camelbak sent us several goodies as part of this campaign.   There were a few items that we set aside for the purpose of a future giveaway.  And now, we want to share the #DitchDisposable love and give away some our swag. 

Our fridge at home has an 'in door' water dispenser with a built-in filter.  All our family members and friends have similar fridges at home. So we will never use the Relay pitchers Camelbak sent us.  I have to say - they look REALLY great though!  I remember using other pitchers and you had to wait several minutes for the water to drain through the filter.  This filter works at 'the speed of your faucet'.  So you get your water right away.  We also received two Groove filter bottles.  I opened one and used it before I realized it had a filter on it.  But the other one is still new in the package.

So, we are giving away THREE Camelbak items. Yes, that means THREE winners!


1 Groove Insulated Bottle - has built in filtration. Retail: $25.00 (amethyst)

1 Relay filtration pitcher (blue) Retail: $36.99
1 Relay filtration pitcher (black) Retail: 36.99

Also, Camelbak is hosting a pretty cool contest to win all kinds of great swag.  They have launched a new Ditch Disposable video contest called “Make a Reel Difference." All you budding film makers, you can submit an original video and enter to win. Check it out here: http://bit.ly/1obzApN  


Thanks for checking out the post and good luck with the giveaway!

Run Happy,
DisneyBride


Terms of the Giveaway

1) No Purchase Necessary.

2) Giveaway begins Wednesday June 11, 2014 and ends Tuesday June 17, 2014 at midnight. Winner will be announced on the Facebook page and this blog post.  He or she will be notified Wednesday June 18, 2014.

3) Must be 18 years or older to enter. Must be a U.S. resident. 

4) Three (3) winners will be selected. The winner will receive either a Camelbak Relay pitcher or a Groove water bottle, at our discretion. Retail Value: $25.00 or $36.99

5) Sign in through Rafflecopter below to enter. With your first entry, the app will capture your e-mail or facebook name. This is so we can reach you if you win, in accordance with sweepstakes terms. Your contact info will ONLY be used to contact you if you win.

6) There are additional opportunities for multiple entries.

7) The winner will be chosen at random using the rafflecopter app below. Odds of winning are determined by the number of eligible entries received.

8) In the event winner does not respond to contact attempts via e-mail or facebook name provided within a one week period, another winner will be selected at random.

9) Void where prohibited.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Disclosure of Material Connection: No financial compensation was received. We each received products from Camelbak as part of the #DitchDisposable promotion. Regardless, we only recommend products or services we believe will be good for our readers. All opinions stated on this blog are our own. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”