Why Is Hydration Important?
There are many modern-day health concerns, but hydration has been an essential part of human life from the beginning. People without clean, healthy drinking water don’t stand a chance. The average human can’t last more than three days without hydration.
Even before dehydration becomes a fatal concern, it affects how we feel and how our bodies function. The least concerning but still miserable symptoms of dehydration begin with thirst and headaches, but this can escalate into problems that require immediate medical attention.
These reasons make hydration—easy access to clean drinking water—so important. This is true for individuals and large groups. Discovering what’s best for hydration and what the future of hydration looks like is an important part of organizing events and being responsible for the health and well-being of event attendees.
Here’s what you need to know.
Logistics of Hydrating Large Crowds
Hydrating large crowds is more challenging than hydrating a single person or family. There’s a lot more to consider, and you have less control over whether or not the hydration options you choose will be used.
You can’t force thousands of people at an event to drink water, even if you do everything you can to provide access to plain water during the event. As an event organizer, you still need to do all you can to ensure good hydration during the event.
Doing so can mean more than offering soft drinks, fruit juice, energy drinks, sugary drinks, or coconut water. Easy access to plain water can be key to staying hydrated at any outdoor event.
The good news is that you have several options for providing people with access to clean drinking water. The challenging thing is that many age-old options are no longer best for hydration.
In the Past: Bottled Water
For decades, the go-to option for hydrating large crowds was offering for sale or handing out bottled water. This method likely reached its peak in the 1990s and 2000s. But then people began to assess what was happening.
Sure, plastic bottles were a convenient and usually affordable way to stay hydrated when out and about. But where were all of the bottles going once they were empty? These single-use plastic bottles were tossed into the trash once they were empty, which meant they eventually ended up in a landfill.
And when you consider large events attended by thousands or tens of thousands of people, all of whom might drink and dispose of one or more bottles during the event, multiplied over many different events and many different years, you suddenly look at billions and billions of discarded single-use plastic bottles.
People began to wonder, “Is there a better way?
Future of Hydration Is Eco-Friendly
The future of hydration is better for the environment. People can stay hydrated, even on the hottest days, without generating pounds of plastic waste.
Reusable Bottles
A reusable water bottle is one of the best tools for reducing plastic waste. These bottles are typically made of metal, although some are more durable multiple-use plastic or glass. Bottles come in various sizes and designs and are usually very affordable.
If you are an event organizer, you can approach using reusable bottles at your event in several ways.
The first is to invite/allow people to bring their bottles from home. This isn’t fail-safe because not everyone will have a bottle or choose to bring one. Some might even assume that if they forgo a reusable bottle at home, single-use plastic bottles of water will be an alternative, so make sure you inform people whether or not this will be the case.
It’s also a good idea to encourage people to bring a water bottle not made from glass to avoid breakage.
You could also sell reusable bottles at your event. This would be an alternative for those who choose not to bring their own bottles when you don’t want to offer plastic bottles of water. Everyone can access reusable bottles if they are willing to bring one from home for free or purchase one upon arrival.
You might still get a few people who opt not to drink, but this is a pretty good option to ensure most of the people at your event stay hydrated. The final option for using reusable bottles for hydration at an event that offers the greatest chance of everyone drinking enough water is to provide free reusable bottles for all attendees.
This can be a significant expense for event organizers, but it’s also a great opportunity to promote your organization and/or find a sponsor that wants to promote their business.
Everyone has a bottle available; all they need to do is ensure it stays full and sip it throughout the event. This is a great option because people like free items and are more likely to use their new bottle just because it’s novel and they see those around them doing so.
Hydration Stations
As an event organizer, you should recognize that hydrating event attendees don’t end with providing empty reusable water bottles. For this solution to work, attendees must be able to fill their bottles with clean water.
Hydration stations are a great option for this. This is especially true if your event isn’t at a location with water fountains and/or running water. Many hydration stations are mobile and allow you to create a “water refilling area” anywhere at your event.
If you’re interested in learning more about hydration stations and their role in the future of hydration, we can help. We offer hydration stations for rental and sale in a variety of sizes and design options. If you’d like to know more or you’re ready to get started, book a quick call.