If there is one consistent bit of feedback that I hear all the time, it’s that kids love SodaStream. It’s no wonder why. Of all the sharp, electrical and altogether dangerous appliances lurking in your kitchen, SodaStream sure stands apart. Not only is your bubble-maker fun (you can’t beat DIY bubbles and that buzz sound makes most kids giggle), but it also lends itself to fun activities that can channel your children’s creativity and teach them important lessons. Yes, I said important lessons, just bear with me.

From art or science projects to teaching math and conservation, a SodaStream machine is more educational than you might think.

Here are some ways to make your SodaStream experience informative and fun for your kids as well:

1. Recycle and ‘Rithmetic: To teach your child a lesson in the importance of conservation AND teach them math skills,…

On Saturday, July 31 SodaStream was a proud sponsor of the Fifth Annual Great Hot Dog Cookoff in Brooklyn, NY at the Kelso Brewery. The sold-out event was a celebration of hot dog delights with amateur home chefs serving their personal takes on the classic dish. The crowd enjoyed an array of unusual toppings on their dogs ranging from pepper jelly, to braised pork, to fried pickles and spicy slaws.

The day’s “top dog” which Chefs David Estorino and Adam Arce called: “Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes” featured mozzarella, basil pesto and Prosciutto di Parma and was topped with garlic and oil spaghetti, and (surprisingly!) crunchy, cheesy Goldfish crackers. I know it sounds weird but it was truly delicious!

Nothing goes better with franks than fizzy drinks. In addition to free beer from Kelso, Brooklyn’s upcoming Soda King, Anton Nocito,…

What do you call the bubbly blend that results from mixing a little bit of every soda from a fountain machine?

Depending on where you hail from, it may be called a “graveyard,” “swamp water,” “shipwreck,” or the most popular term in the States — a “suicide.”

For kids, creating a “suicide soda” has practically become a rite of passage, often associated with birthday parties at the local Chuck E. Cheese or field trip lunch breaks.

It only takes one double dog dare from an adventurous playmate and an inattentive adult, and before you know it your 8-year-old has returned with a bubbly brown mixture only a kid could handle. Just for the distinct pleasure of hearing his or her peers go, “ewwwww!”

It wasn’t until this past week’s post on the dialectal differences between “pop,” “soda” and “Coke,” that I…

As anybody who has ever made the decision to “go green” can tell you, oftentimes you are forced to confront the fact that items that were once an integral part of your day-to-day life are now verboten. No more dryer sheets, bleach, aerosols, conventional make-up or weed killer?

It seems like some things, by nature of their function, require the use of harsh chemicals. Luckily, many companies now offer green versions of traditionally toxic or wasteful products. (This begs the question- shouldn’t they already be making the product this way? But I digress.) While the end goal is to stop using these products entirely, getting the greener version is a great way to start.

Here are four products you may not think could have green incarnations, but surprisingly do:

1. Nail Polish: Nail polishes and nail polish removers are a Molotov cocktail of crazy…

As a nation we love to take sides – Leno vs. Letterman; Team Edward or Team Jacob; Yankees or Anyone but the Yankees- but perhaps one of the greatest splits we face is the debate over calling your favorite bubbly beverage soda or pop.

As a non-partisan purveyor of all things fizzy, I won’t take sides, but I did find this map that outlines the generic names people use for carbonated beverages pretty interesting.

As you can see the divide is largely regional. On the east and (much of the) west coasts it appears that most people are soda supporters while the Midwest is dominated by the pro-pop people. Those of y’all down South seem to prefer the use of the word “coke” to describe any ole’ bubbly beverage.

I’m most interested in those who responded “other.” What other names are…