Today is World Water Day. It’s a United Nations-organized, internationally-observed day to appreciate water and learn more about water issues. Single-use disposable plastic water bottles are not welcome on this day — actually on any day in our opinion, but even moreso today.
We all need water
We are mostly water. It accounts for 50% to 70% of body weight for an adult man and 40% to 60% of body weight for an adult woman. Dehydration in excess of just 2% of one’s total body mass has negative effects on morale and willingness to work, and compromises physical performance. You need water regularly if you want to be the best you.
The environment and your body do not need single use plastic water bottles
Discarded plastic water bottles are an enormous waste and environmental issue. In the U.S. alone over 40 billion single serving plastic water bottles are used annually and about 80% are not recycled. So they end up in a landfill, being incinerated, or as litter on land or in waterways.
And as those bottles slowly break down in the environment over years and years, they release tiny microplastic fragments which are eaten by living organisms. These include ocean plankton, which are at the base of the global food chain. Ocean plankton are literally being replaced by plastic.
Plastic water bottles leach chemicals
Most single-use water bottles are made of the plastic resin polyethylene terephthalate (PET; recycling symbol#1) which has been shown to leach the heavy metal antimony and certain phthalate endocrine disruptors. This leaching is increased when the bottles are exposed to temperature extremes and/or used repeatedly.
And using them repeatedly, breaks them down faster, creating small cracks in the plastic and increasing the risk of bacterial contamination. You might think that you’re getting rid of the bacteria by washing the bottle well and regularly, but you’re actually breaking down the bottle more with every wash. Catch 22.
So why not just skip the bottle…
How to hydrate without plastic
On this World Water Day, we’re putting the focus on the importance of hydrating regularly without resorting to a disposable plastic water bottle. One way to do that is to carry a portable reusable water bottle with you at all times.
Fill it with tap water wherever you might be. Make it a habit. It’s pretty easy these days to find a non-plastic reusable water bottle. This is what we call one of the “low-hanging fruit” in going plastic-free in your everyday life.
We can help you out with some high quality options we love.
One of the easiest zero cost options around is a simple mason jar…
Transform your mason jar with Ecojarz
Don’t feel like unscrewing the lid from the jar each time you want a cool gulp of water or a warm swig of coffee or tea? Ecojarz offers super handy sealable Pop-Top and Drink Top drinking jar lids you can screw on to standard mason jars.
There’s even a Pour-Over Coffee & Tea Kit – the Dose – to transform your mason jar into a portable teapot or mobile coffee brewing and drinking system all-in-one.
soulbottles
The latest addition to our line are the 100% plastic-free soulbottles – glass, ceramic swing-top cap, natural rubber gasket. They are made in Germany to exacting standards using premium Italian glass and drawing on Germany’s long-standing glass-making tradition.
They are ergonomically designed to be the optimum hand holding size and the ideal mouth opening size for comfortable drinking. The designs are cool and uplifting – there’s even one done in real gold. They are created by young artists from around the world and picked through an online vote. Designers receive a share of each sale.
A portion of each sale is donated to projects that give more people access to clean drinking water — bottles for good!
Plastic Pollution Coalition Water Bottle
Here’s another way for your water bottle to have a “good” impact beyond just being a reusable water bottle. Support a powerful organization creating waves of positive plastic-free change.
Sustainably sate your thirst and support the work of the Plastic Pollution Coalition to reduce plastic pollution and its toxic impacts. Choose a Plastic Pollution Coalition stainless steel water bottle. A portion of the sales go directly to the PPC.
Klean Kanteen
We’ve been carrying Klean Kanteen stainless steel bottles for years and years. The quality is absolutely top notch. There are a variety of sizes and styles. The Classic collection is easy to hold in a hand. The Wide line, with a larger mouth opening — makes it easier to add ice cubes and pour lots fast!
There are small sizes, including the Kid Kanteen Sport Bottle or Sippy Cup for little people. Growlers will keep your beer, kombucha, or cold-brew coffee at their original temperature and carbonation.
And there are lots of double-walled insulated options too, which will keep your water veeery cold, and your coffee or tea steaming hot for hours.
Earth-In Canteen
If you want something truly unique, very close to the Earth, and 100% plastic-free, try the elegant Earth-In Canteen. They are made of non-reactive ceramic. The raw clay comes from California and natural glazes are mixed in Berkeley. The natural cork stopper is sourced from sustainable cork oak forests in Portugal.
Need to filter the tap water in your bottle?
Most bottled water does not come from a pristine mountain spring. Bottled water manufacturers like Coke, Pepsi and Nestle would certainly like you to think that’s the case. Most bottled water is tap water that has been filtered. So why not simply use your own tap water rather than paying for tap water in plastic. And if you don’t trust the tap water where you’re filling up, filter it with a portable filter.
Our preferred filtration option is a binchotan charcoal filter, which has the same filtering ability of other carbon-based filters. The charcoal pieces are kiln-baked branches from Japanese holm oak trees. The finished charcoal pieces have fine pores that can absorb toxins when put in water. For example, chlorine, lead, mercury, cadmium and copper are removed.
You just throw a stick of the charcoal in your water bottle and in a few minutes is it filtered. Very handy for traveling.
World Water Day – the perfect opportunity for change
And change is happening! Municipalities, such as Montreal most recently, are increasingly looking at imposing restrictions on plastic bottled water.
The world needs water, and you need water, but neither of you need single-use disposable plastic water bottles. Pledge to yourself and the world today to make the shift to a non-plastic, reusable water bottle.