Food & Drink : Drink :

Water, water everywhere, but not a safe bottle to drink?

02.28.2006

Submitted by idealbite on Tue, 02/28/2006 - 6:00pm.
The Bite:
It used to be practically a requirement for the eco-conscious urbanite to lug water everywhere in a colorful hard-plastic bottle. Studies now show these and other bottles can leach potentially toxic chemicals. Choose stainless steel or glass instead.
The Benefits: 
  • Polycarbonate plastic (made by Nalgene and other companies) leaches bisphenol-A, a chemical linked to increased risk of birth defects, miscarriage and prostate cancer. Scratches in the plastic, harsh detergents and boiling liquids exacerbate the leaching.
  • With no known health hazards, HDPE (soft, opaque #2 plastic) may be a better choice.
  • Stainless steel doesn’t react or leach, so it’s good for water and other beverages. Aluminum is trickier because the metal itself may be neurotoxic so it usually has a coating.
  • Glass is non-reactive, dishwasher safe—and free if you reuse a juice bottle with a tight fitting lid. (And if you’re a klutz, there are cute covers to protect them).
Personally Speaking: 
We all have faucet-mounted Brita filters and are somewhat notorious for refilling and carrying our Biter Bottles with us everywhere. Jen even takes hers into restaurants, much to the chagrin of her dinner dates.

 

Wanna Try: 
  • Biter Bottles - our very own light, lined aluminum bottle ($20).
  • SIGG – Swiss-made, lightweight aluminum bottles in cool colors and designs.  The water-based inner coating is non-toxic and resistant to fruit acids and isotonic drinks ($20).
  • Klean Kanteen - lightweight, food-grade stainless steel, with no toxic leaching or mineral migration ($14).
  • To do away with plastic “sippy cups” for the kids, pair SIGG’s cute tot-sized bottles ($14) and grip handle add-ons ($6).
  • Nalgene HDPE – can’t live without the old camping stand-by? Same Nalgene styling, in a safer, opaque plastic ($7).
  • Water Bottle Tote - made from neoprene, which isn't exactly a top eco material, but it will last and help your glass water bottle stay intact. Plus, it comes in our favorite color ($10).
Our designer likes to reuse her glass VOSS water bottles.  Have your own favorite? Tell us at the Ideal Bite Blog.

Cocktail Fact

Americans use 4 million plastic bottles every hour — yet only one bottle out of four is recycled.  In 2002, that was 4 billion pounds.  Yeah, that’s with a B.

Bang For The Bite

If you're already staying hydrated with home-filtered water in a reusable water bottle, you rule. Switching from plastic to a more inert material is a healthier, inexpensive additional step.

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Ryan Mahler  on March 11, 2009 at 03:48 PM 1
You asked about my favorite bottle, well we are a budding eco site that sells designer glass water bottles. They are a flip top bottle with an elegant etching. Please check out our site and let us know what you think. www.livinglavidaverde.net
Minna   on March 24, 2009 at 02:39 PM 2
Not only does drinking out of a glass bottle keep chemicals out of your water and help the environment, but water also tastes great and looks beautiful in glass bottles. Love Bottle, has a line of wonderful glass water bottles all under $20 that are available online and at certain retail stores across the country. Their mission is to help the environment, spread love, improve health, create a canvas for self expression, and help get clean water to people who need it. Here's to a brighter future and a greener tomorrow :)
Minna   on March 24, 2009 at 02:40 PM 3
Not only does drinking out of a glass bottle keep chemicals out of your water and help the environment, but water also tastes great and looks beautiful in glass bottles. Love Bottle, has a line of wonderful glass water bottles all under $20 that are available online and at certain retail stores across the country. www.lovebottle.net Their mission is to help the environment, spread love, improve health, create a canvas for self expression, and help get clean water to people who need it. Here's to a brighter future and a greener tomorrow :) www.lovebottle.net
purifiers  on June 04, 2009 at 02:33 PM 4
$20 seems like a lot for a glass water bottle. I get my glass water bottles for $3 at: http://www.ambrosiawaterfilters.com/
kayden  on August 14, 2009 at 11:14 PM 5
Glass is definitely the way to drink your water!! It is time for us all to kick the plastic bottle habit and carry our own personal bottle. I have designed very beautiful Italian Blue Glass Water Bottles with Sandblasted symbols like Peace, Love, Om and others to imbue the water with positive intention. These bottles have flip-top lids so you never lose the cap!! Check them out at www.symblueology.com The blue glass also adds a healing energy as discussed in the book Zero Limits, where Dr. Len recommends we drink Solar Blue Water. Check it out and let me know what you think. Stay healthy, stay hydrated, stay happy!! Aloha!
zolt  on August 27, 2009 at 10:49 AM 6
Regarding plastic #7: Don't forget, this is the same # 7 that was pushed for years by "health" magazines as being the safest to use, which shows how even the health industry is infiltrated by the elite, and want you unhealthy and dead (of course they own everything and their front companies are everywhere). And, most importantly, don't forget to mention that bisphenol-A, according to Yale University research, also causes hormonal and neurological problems (unexplained anxiety anyone, be a good boy or girl and take your medications [which they also own]).
Alex Lobsters  on October 12, 2009 at 06:40 AM 7
Stainless steel doesn’t react or leach, so it’s good for water and other beverages. Aluminum is trickier because the metal itself may be neurotoxic so it usually has a coating. It is an evident fact. Writing term papers
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