We know buying water in plastic bottles is bad for the environment. We should run our tap water through our own filtered water pitcher and then fill our own water bottle. What kind of water bottle? Sometimes the answer is in an old design.
From an Aug 4, 2007 TreeHugger.com posting titled The Perfect Road-Trip, Water Bottle - A 62 Year Old Design. :
Almost seventy years after it's manufacture, there's not a spot of rust anywhere, the canvas is completely intact. And, a decade of kid- and teen-abuse barely shows. The Bakelite cover, the only fossil fuel-based component, is free of cracks and wear. Not a single component contains Bis Phenol-A.
It's not sexy, or pretty. But it works perfectly, and is likely to remain functional for a century. There's no reason that more attractive versions, in a variety of shapes, can't be made. Stainless steel would be fine for the bottle as long as the top is equally rugged. What are we waiting for?
I noticed at the Phoenix Earth Food Co-op store that they sell a stainless steel 20 oz water bottle that comes in red, blue, and green for, I think, around $9.00. It's made by a company called New Wave Enviro.
According to the side of the box for one of these bottles, I thought a canvas cover or something like that was also available, but I don't see that accessory on the company's Web site.
Amazon.com sells the bottle for $8.79. If you're crazy interested, then you may as well get one at the co-op. I may try one. I'm always filling plastic water bottles, not the good kind of plastic, and taking one or two with me when I'm out and about birding or whatever.
The bottled water bottles from the store or the vending machine are more comfortable to use than some of those bottles that are built with the kind of plastic you're suppose to use when reusing a bottle over and over.
Another company, Klean Kanteen, offers stainless steel water bottles in sizes from 12 oz to 40 oz. Their bottles are silver on the outside, which may be better since it appears the color coating on the New Wave Enviro bottles chips away. The Klean Kanteens also cost a lot more.
And there's the Sigg aluminum water bottle. Anyone have experience with using steel or aluminum water bottles?
They look like a pain in the ass to wash very well. The top is so narrow - few people will want the hassle of washing it out. It kind of defeats the purpose of the throw away or recyclable plastic bottle. Convenience.
posted by starling02 on Aug 06, 2007 at 05:47:07 pm #