EarthTalk® – From the Editors of E – The Environmental Magazine
Dear EarthTalk: It’s finally time for me to retire my trusty old Nalgene and upgrade my reusable water bottle. Are any brands or models particularly greener than others? — Cyndi Bland, Tempe, AZ
Plastic water bottles were once ubiquitous on college campuses and beyond where people wanted to stay hydrated without buying wasteful single-use plastic water bottles. But today we have many more options for going green when it comes to water bottles. When evidence started coming out that Bisphenol A (BPA) and other chemical additives in even reusable plastic water bottles could be harmful to human health, consumers started looking for other, safer materials. These days it’s hard to find a reusable water bottle made out of plastic as glass and metal versions have become the more popular choices.
[Psst here’s How to recycle plastic bottles]
Reusable Water Bottles Made of Glass
Glass is readily available and easy to recycle. Contigo’s Purity glass water bottle is wrapped in a silicone sleeve to make it easier to handle and pad it in case it takes a tumble. Soma Bottles are likewise made from glass and wrapped in rubber for protection and a better grip. The Zing Anything Citrus Zinger glass water bottle comes with a built-in juicer so that you can infuse your water with fruit essences.
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Reusable Water Bottles Made of Stainless Steel
Stainless steel is another popular water bottle choice among eco-conscious consumers, given its ruggedness and insulation as well as how easy it is to recycle. S’well’s bottles come in a variety of designs but all share a base made out of recyclable stainless steel. Mira’s stainless steel bottles have similar but more basic designs — but for half the price. Klean Kanteen also sells a variety of sleek stainless-steel based bottles with cool modern styling.
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Water Boxes?
In those situations where you don’t have your own reusable water bottle handy, it would be nice to know that you could buy water in a disposable container that neither comes from petroleum nor requires lots of transport and energy to recycle. Boxed Water Is Better and Just Water think they have the solution: paper cartons (like for milk) derived from sustainably harvested timber. These paper cartons are better than their plastic counterparts in many ways. For starters they can be shipped empty and flat and are so light that their transportation carbon footprint is much less than glass or plastic. But they have proven difficult to recycle (let alone compost) given that they include not only paper but also aluminum foil (to shield the contents from light and oxygen which could contaminate the water) and plastic inlays for strength.
Biodegradable Water Containers
Another improvement on the single-use plastic water bottle is one made from biodegradable plant-based material, like the algae-derived prototype developed by Ari Jónsson, a student at the Iceland Academy of the Arts. Jónsson’s bottle is derived from red algae powder and water to form a gelatin-like substance that can be shaped into the form of a bottle after a process of heating, molding, cooling and then filling with water. The bottle keeps its shape as long as it has water in it; when it’s empty, it loses its rigidity and begins to decompose — you can bury it or throw it in your compost bin. While the concept is far from mainstream, and probably never will be (EcoAnouk note: it was used), it nevertheless proves that single-use bottles don’t have to be such a burden on the environment.
EarthTalk® is produced by Roddy Scheer & Doug Moss and is a registered trademark of the nonprofit EarthTalk. To donate, visit www.earthtalk.org. Send questions to: question@earthtalk.org.
Update added: More of the Best Reusable Water Bottle Brands
>> PADI X Ocean Bottle
Each sustainable, well designed bottle removes 1000 plastic bottles from the ocean.
>> SUPER SPARROW
All their products are reusable, odourless, safe and BPA free, leak and dust proof.
>> CONTIGO AUTOSEAL™ – Luxe Licorice
With autodial technology and vacuum insulation to keep drinks hot for 5 hours and cold for 12 hours.
>> Chilly’s
Their mission is to accelerate the adoption and everyday use of reusable products. They offer bottles, food pots, coffee cups and accessories.
>> S’well Jason Woodside
Vivid contrasting patterns and shapes characterize the S’well x Jason Woodside collection.
>> Hydro Flask
From product innovation to color leadership – simplicity drives all.
To date, they’ve supported more than 92 non-profits and donated over $1.5 million+ and counting!
>> Corkcicle
They believe in creating products that enhance personal style while reducing personal impact on the planet. This gorgeous design above is a result of their partnership with Rifle Paper Co.
Corkcicle has partnered with charity: water; every product helps bring clean water to people in need.
Paper water bottle brands include Paper Water Bottle, Just Water, Ecologic, Cove (yet to be launched). But better, always, to buy reusable bottles than paper ones that you have to dispose of when they get…soggy? (Hehe, reusable water bottles shaped like disposable ones may be more useful:P).
The most interesting, though, is Choose, which makes biodegradable bottles that are 100% natural, sustainable and vegan-friendly.
I hope you found this post on good water bottle brands useful. If you have any other suggestions, please do let us know in the comments!
If you liked this post, please share it with your friends. Thank you!<3
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