According to Wikipedia, Americans buy about 28 billion water bottles a year. 28 BILLION WATER BOTTLES! Does that number freak anybody else out just a little? What's also alarming is that 80 percent of bottles end up in landfills. It all seems like such a waste (literally) when there's an easy, cost-effective, and eco-friendly alternative available - refillable/reusable water bottles. These days, when living "green" and being "eco-friendly" are all the rage, there is certainly no shortage of refillable water bottles on the market to choose from.
There are a lot of things to consider when selecting a reusable water bottle. Do you want plastic, aluminum, stainless steel or even glass? If you choose plastic, is it BPA-(Bisphenol A)free? Do you prefer a biter valve or a straw or neither? Is the bottle spill-proof? Does it fit in a cup holder? Is it dishwasher-safe? How much does it cost?
This week I'm going to take a look at a few of the adult water bottles on the market. In a couple weeks, I'll be tackling water bottles for kids.
Despite that it's made of plastic, my personal favorite water bottle is the Camelbak BPA-free Better Bottle with a bite valve. My husband, our two kids and I each have one of these bottles (each a different color) and they go with us just about everywhere - out to eat, on walks, anytime we go anywhere in the car, to parties, etc. Seriously, ask my friends, I have it with me everywhere I go. I heart my Camelbak.
Everyone has their thoughts on what makes a water bottle right for them. Melissa at Nature Deva recently wrote about her Quest for the "Perfect" Water Bottle and put together a list of criteria the "perfect" water bottle should meet:
- BPA-free
- Double-walled stainless steel
- Straw top
- Cover for straw
- Non-leaking
- Attractive
- Fit in my car’s cup holder
- Hold more than 2 cups of water
- Reasonably Priced
Melissa was recently able to find a bottle that met everything on her list and has declared the (drum roll please) Intak Steel Hydration Bottle by Thermos to be the "perfect" water bottle.
Tiffany at Nature Moms Blog is also a big fan of Thermos and their the Intak Water Bottle. Tiffany says, "I have always had a favorite water bottle and his name is Mr. Klean Kanteen. But step aside Klean because you may have been replaced. Okay maybe not replaced, but you will now have to share your coveted position in my cupboard. Make room for the sleek and ingenious Intak by Thermos."
In her post Reusable Bottles: BPA-Free for Everyone, Tiffany reviews bottles by Thermos, Klean Kanteen, SIGG, Camelbak and Nalgene.
Over at Eat Play Love in her post Plastic Water Bottle Alternatives, Denise explains what the different types of plastic are and which to avoid, how to wash your plastic water bottles, and reveals her favorite water bottle - hint, it's not plastic at all.
Jessica who writes at Shine lists 5 eco-friendly water bottles to reuse, rehydrate, refill. Making the grade are a $22 aluminum Sigg bottle, a $20 Sigg flask, the $10 Camelbak Better Bottle, a $30 Klean Kanteen, and a free (or nearly free depending on where you get it) glass jar with a lid.
Another stainless steel bottle not previously mentioned is the Think Sport water bottle, reviewed over at The Soft Landing.
If you haven't taken the plunge into using a refillable water bottle yet due to concern about the safety of your tap water, check out the post Green Resolution: Info about Tap Water from the OC Family.
A recent study by the Environmental Working Group found a surprising array of chemical contaminants in every brand of bottled water they tested. Unlike tap water, where consumers are provided with test results every year, the bottled water industry does not disclose the results of any contaminant testing. In addition, there is increasing evidence of adverse health effects tied to Bisphenol A, or BPA, a widely used chemical in the manufacturing of plastic polycarbonate bottles, including water bottles.
There you have it. Lots of different water bottles with lots of different options. So tell me, what's your favorite or if you're still buying disposable water bottles, are you considering switching to a reusable?
Related posts:
- The Good Human: How to choose a safe reusable water bottle
- We Can Be Green: Sigg Water Bottle Review
- Gardenaut: BPA-Free Water Bottle Showdown
Contributing editor Amy Gates blogs about green living, attachment parenting, activism and photography at Crunchy Domestic Goddess.