Credit: iStockphoto
- Advertisement -
If you're reading this you are probably well aware of the widespread ecological damage created by single use disposable plastic water bottles.
Not only are they energy intensive to produce, using finite resources and releasing toxic chemicals as a result, but they are also a significant contributor to landfill waste - and all this for a single use way to carry a resource that is readily available on tap.
Anyway, this article is not to convince you about the issues related to buying bottled water, but to give my experience on water bottles versus water bottles.
Being a huge advocate of not buying disposable plastic bottles, for many years I have always relied on either a glass or reusing an existing plastic bottle to quench my thirst. This was until I got my first reusable metal bottle. One of the staff members at Todae convinced me that we should be stocking metal bottles, and I thought that it was the perfect opportunity to acquire one for myself to test it's merits.
Little did I realise the benefits of having a full time permanent bottle to carry water in until I was fortunate enough to own one, and it changed my life in the following simple ways:
- I always have a bottle around that is solid and strong, which means I drink more water than before
- I was making a clear statement as well as educating others that I wasn't using a disposable bottle (even though I would reuse plastic bottles over and over - it still looked like a just bought it)
- I stopped using so many glasses for drinking which meant less washing up and less space taken up in the dishwasher, meaning less energy and water used
- I could travel around with my metal bottle and not have to worry about toxins leaching into the water from the plastic when it was in the sun
- And best of all, it enabled me to drink water throughout the night without having to sit up (the bottle I have only releases water with suction, unless you take the cap off)
So there are bottles and then there are bottles - and I hope this has given you some insight into the benefits of a permanent water bottle. Since then, I have given several bottles as gifts which have all been very warmly received, and have opened the recipients eyes to a whole new realm of possibilities when it comes to drinking water.
Comments
I'm really hoping you're not using those aluminium bottles that i see touted around the shops (similar to the one in your photo). A single aluminium can uses obscene amounts of energy to produce- those bottles would use twenty times as much. I'm not convinced that a stainless steel version would be a whole lot better.
I like to reuse the disposable bottles. Sure, there's the problems you describe but, in terms of energy consumption, they're (literally) a hundred times better. An added bonus is that I can see how clean the water is- in a constantly reused metal bottle, I can never be sure. If you're using one, please remember to sterilise it regularly- they handle boiling water quite well.
I also have a metal thermal water bottle, and I frequently use it because it keeps my water cold for a longer time. I was never aware that indeed it can be a greener alternative to drinking glasses as it requires less washing. Now that I am aware of this added benefit, I will be using it more often.