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The Perils of Being Thirsty While Being Green

by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01. 5.08
Science & Technology (water)

2008-01-05_092647-TreeHugger-bottle.jpgAlina Tugend drinks tap water, but needs a bottle to carry it around. She writes in the New York Times about the issues with various containers:

-Refilling single use PET bottles: possible leaching of antimony, more likely bacteria because they are hard to clean; (TreeHugger on Antimony)
-Poycarbonate: Bisphenol A.(TreeHugger on Bisphenol A)
-Glass (“Mom, I just sliced my finger”)
Stainless Steel (too expensive) (see TH on Klean Kanteen)
She finally asked expert Frederick vom Saal, who suggested “If I was to use plastic, I would stay with No. 2 and No. 5, No. 2 is high-density polyethylene; No. 5 is polypropylene." ::New York Times

Comments (20)

How about an aluminum bottle from SIGG?? Lined and euro safe, with hundreds of styles to choose from, seems like a no brainer.

As for stainless steel being too expensive...seeing as the bottle would very well outlast you and your grandchildren i think the lifecost would be well tolerable.

jump to top lefty514 says:

Wow, interesting, I used to have the same water bottle (from a purchase of bottled) which I would re-fill with tap ... for months!
Maybe I'll use my bike's water bottle.

vsk

jump to top vsk says:

I agree. People have weird definitions of too expensive. It's about values and priorities.

The bigger question is what is the deal with the lining in the Sigg. I tried to research that lately, but came up empty. I don't think their website even says what it is or whether they are lined.

jump to top stevejust [TypeKey Profile Page] says:

Even ignoring the multi-generational potential of the stainless bottle ... consider a 'high priced' Thermos at $25: after only 25 uses, it'll have paid for itself by foregoing the assumed $1 cost per disposable bottle.

Twenty-five uses!

So, is $25 too expensive? It'll pay for itself in a matter of months, if not weeks. And still have years (if not generations) of use left.

People should see it, instead, as an affordable status symbol ... and flaunt it.


David.

jump to top David says:

Regular water bottles are dang near indestructible. I have some that I keep refilling that are over a year old.

jump to top edgar says:

I was fortunate to buy a Sigg flask that is made from stainless. They are not making them anymore, in favour of the coated aluminum, but perhaps they could be pressured to resume the Stainless production.


jump to top Ruben says:

Seems to me that you would have to use a #7 bottle for years every single day for it to become any sort of problem in the slightest.

But I honestly couldn't tell you. I use glass whenever I'm at home.

jump to top Myles says:

A Nalgene bottle has worked for me for years, and even though it *does* require some cleaning once in a while (like anything) it has a wide-mouth which makes it super accessible. And they're nearly indestructible, too.

jump to top Jose Sierra says:

Personally, I think people need to be wary of frightening people away from utilizing re-usable containers for their water. If I was thinking about switching from drinking bottled water to re-using a container, I think this list might've scared me off.

I think some research on the relative dangers of the different types of re-usable bottles compared the the dangers of opening a new bottle of water every time you take a drink should be done. I would imagine the dangers of re-using PET or Polycarbonate bottles pales in comparison to the effects of using a new bottle every time.

jump to top Ben W. [TypeKey Profile Page] says:

We are still using a petroleum based product to carry water.

From now on I am going to carry my tap water in my pocket.

jump to top horsewhistle says:

I still vote for a Sigg bottle.
By choosing a bottle that holds a liter, I can manage to only fill it up once or twice a day. I've refilled plastic bottles- but they do require refilling much more often, and once they start to get empty, they are very easily tipped by pretty much anything. Also- with a little ingenuity, you can hook a Sigg onto nearly any bag - with a carabiner. Handy.

jump to top Luke says:

What about bottles made from corn plastic?

jump to top Corinne says:

I've reused glass juice bottles for my water for years. I've never had a single one break and for a couple of those years they took much abuse as I was running around in big trucks throughout the city.

jump to top Anonymous says:

Wasn't some company coming out with a safer, non-leaching reusable plastic bottle sometime early this year? I though I read something about it here on Treehugger, a few months ago.

jump to top Anonymous says:

I'm in agreement about the Thermos. I have a 2 litre Thermos and I think it's well worth it. Plastic is just so bad health and environment-wise that it's well worth the $25 to get something made from steel.

jump to top jade says:

"Seems to me that you would have to use a #7 bottle for years every single day for it to become any sort of problem in the slightest.

But I honestly couldn't tell you. I use glass whenever I'm at home."

You can't tell because you are not a scientist. I am not either. But it seems to me we might do well to listen to the people that are.

SIGG bottles are lined with an epoxy, and I have been told that they keep changing the formula for safety. I don't want to have to buy one every year because the one I have will make me sick and then trust the new one too.

Besides, you can cook in steel in a pinch.

jump to top Ron says:

When I was growing up on the farm we just used gallon Chlorox jugs, 2 liter pop bottles, or whatever. They were available, functional, and if you accidently dropped one and baled it up with the hay it was no big deal. My dad still has a gallon glass jug with baler twine knotted all around it. I think that whatever gets in the water before you bottle it up is the most important consideration.

jump to top Bob R J says:

When I was growing up on the farm we just used gallon Chlorox jugs, 2 liter pop bottles, or whatever. They were available, functional, and if you accidently dropped one and baled it up with the hay it was no big deal. My dad still has a gallon glass jug with baler twine knotted all around it. I think that whatever gets in the water before you bottle it up is the most important consideration.

jump to top Bob R J says:

"I think that whatever gets in the water before you bottle it up is the most important consideration."

But that is not what scientists say, and they would know. The whole point is that the case is not that simple.

That said, I'm very curious to see this bottle with the twine on it. Nothing tastes better to me than water out of glass:)

jump to top Ron says:

"I think that whatever gets in the water before you bottle it up is the most important consideration."

But that is not what scientists say, and they would know. The whole point is that the case is not that simple.

That said, I'm very curious to see this bottle with the twine on it. Nothing tastes better to me than water out of glass:)

jump to top Ron says:

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