Waiakea water is a premium bottled water company, the first to produce Hawaiian volcanic water. Waiakea has by doing more than simply selling bottled water. Since it was founded in 2012, the company has been using the Triple Bottom Line approach to business, in which it sets its objectives and evaluates its performance in the financial, social and economic spheres.
The founder and CEO of Waiakea, Ryan Emmons, was born in California and grew up there, as well as spending a significant amount of his time in Hawaii. There, he learned to value a healthy, active lifestyle and developed a strong appreciation for the environment. In an email to Medical Daily, Mr. Emmons explained that in addition to his physical closeness to the pristine source of rich water throughout his childhood, his work with charitable organizations in Africa led to the conceptualization of Waiakea Hawaiian Volcanic Water. He was inspired to share with others the same pure and healthy water that he and his family have enjoyed for years.
Waiakea prides itself on being a lifestyle brand that is committed to improving the lives of its customers and community in various ways. To achieve this, the long-term goals and the short- to medium-term objectives at the heart of Waiakea are geared toward not only making profits but also making people’s lives more meaningful and making the planet more habitable.
The company’s philosophy is fueled by the awareness that as the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry in general and the bottled water and beverage industry in particular become increasingly expansive, they have profound positive and negative effects on the people’s lifestyles as well as the environment.
The main positive effect of bottled water is that it provides easy access to clean water. The primary negative effect is that unrecyclable bottles holding the water cause significant damage to the environment. Waiakea realizes this and has continually worked hard to offer innovative solutions. It is for this reason that Waiakea was recognized by Cision PRWeb as the beverage that received the most awards in North America in 2015.
Waiakea gets its water from a source located southwest of the quiet Hawaiian town of Hilo. The company’s customers are confident in the purity of the source for many reasons, not least being the fact that it is 2,400 miles away from the nearest industries and is surrounded by the vast ocean.
Hawaiian Volcanic Water and the Benefits of Alkaline Water
Waiakea describes its water as Hawaiian volcanic water. This is because the water goes through a special filtration process in which it passes through thousands of feet of the porous volcanic rock of the Mauna Loa volcano. In addition to naturally enriching the water with electrolytes (e.g., chloride, magnesium, potassium, and sodium) and minerals, the process also results in the water becoming naturally alkaline, which most people would prefer to artificial alkaline water.
It is important to know the pH level of drinking water as it has an impact on the pH level of cells and tissue in the body. A pH level refers to the level of acidity or alkalinity of a substance, with a pH level of zero being completely acidic, a pH level of 14 being totally alkaline, and a pH level of 7 being neutral. A healthy human body maintains a neutral pH of approximately 7.4. At this pH level, the multiplying of fungus, bacteria, virus and sick cells is prevented.
Many bottled water brands are acidic. Tap water, on the other hand, typically has a pH level of between 7 and 8. Alkaline bottled water, such as that offered by Waiakea (which has a pH level of 8.8), is known to be an antioxidant useful for eliminating potentially harmful free radicals from the human body.
Compared to tap water and bottled spring water, Waiakea drinking water is distinguishable both in taste and texture. According to Emmons, this is as a result of the natural pH level of the water, which gives it what he describes as an aftertaste with a “hint of sweet”. Present in the water are various minerals, including silica, sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium, all of which are known to offer health benefits.
Emerging research has demonstrated that alkaline water offers considerable health benefits. It is useful in alleviating a number of conditions. For example, a study published in The Annals of Otology, Rhinology, and Laryngology in 2012 found that the intake of alkaline water with a pH level of 8.8 is more useful than regular bottled water in alleviating acid reflux symptoms when approved by a physician as part of a treatment. The reason regular bottled water was not effective is that human pepsin only reacts when acid is present, due to hydrogen ions.
Alkaline water produced by an artesian well contains naturally occurring bicarbonate that inactivates pepsin permanently in vitro. When pepsin comes into contact with an acid, it is activated and leads to esophageal damage and reflux diseases. Alkaline is highly useful because it facilitates neutralization of the stomach acid associated with acid reflux.
Doing Its Part in Alleviating the World Water Crisis
As it is, the world is facing a severe water crisis. From water rationing in Rome to Harvey-battered Houston to droughts in Somalia, one need not be an expert climatologist to realize that the planet is in trouble.
Climate change is ongoing, with arid areas becoming increasingly drier and precipitation becoming more extreme and unpredictable. Moreover, as the global population and global income continue to increase, the global demand for water rises because of the demand for water-intensive products such as fossil fuels and food, especially meat. To make the situation worse, groundwater resources are becoming increasingly depleted and the condition of water infrastructure is poor. All this is further exacerbated by wastage of large amounts of water.
Among the top priorities of Waiakea is making a meaningful positive contribution to the condition of the planet and improvement of the quality of life of its inhabitants amid the global water crisis. The company is fully aware that too many people all over the world are unable to access clean water. To help these people, Waiakea donates through the Pump Aid of 650 liters of clean water to those in Africa and elsewhere who face severe water shortage. This is done for each and every liter of Waiakea water that is purchased.
Read our previous article on Waiakea water here!
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