Thirsty For Change?
In follow up to our previous article on bisphenol-A I wanted to draw some attention to some more solutions to this chemical and others. Take a look below at some more health-friendly drinking bottles.
But first let’s recap what bottles to avoid. Nalgene and other hard plastic bottles (polycarbonates) have been the lead culprits when it comes to the proliferation of bisphenol-A but they are not the only plastics causing troubles. Do your best to avoid the following:
ADVERTISEMENT
#3 Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC); can release di-2-ehtylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), an endocrine disruptor and carcinogen.
#6 Polystyrene (PS); can release styrene, an endocrine disruptor and carcinogen.
#7 Polycarbonate; can release the infamous bisphenol-A.
What to look for in a health friendly bottle:
#2 High Density Polyethylene, #4 Low Density Polyethylene, and #5 Polypropylene plastics; these have been shown to yield next to no chemicals and not react to heat in the same way as the chemicals listed above.
Glass; probably not the most convenient in light of its obvious breaking potential but it is completely un-reactive (think high school chemistry beakers).
Stainless Steel or Lined Metals; check out Sigg and Klean Kanteen below.
Klean Kanteen - Established in 2004 Klean Kanteen makes their bottles out of #304 stainless steel. This is the same material used in kitchens, dairy farms, and breweries the world over due to its inert properties. Checking into their green factor I think they may fall into the category of greenwashing; they offered a lot about why they think plastic bottles are bad for the environment but I didn’t see to much about why Stainless Steel bottles (produced in China and shipped to America) are good for the planet. Brush up on greenwashing visit Klean Kanteen and let us know your opinion.
Camelbak — Known for their hydration bladders Camelbak has been a household name amongst outdoor enthusiast and endurance athletes alike. Only recently have they branched out to include common drinking bottles in their line of products. These bottles are definitely the most technically savvy as they are outfit with leak free bite valves. There was no information on their relationship with the planet that I was able to find online.
Also for you hiking, outdoors, endurance athletes I contacted Camelbak to check on the chemical makeup of their bladders. Camelbak’s bladders are BPA free and are made from polyurethane.
Sigg — Sigg, a Swiss company, takes beverage consumption to another level. They provide style, personalization, and the quality and craftsmanship that the Swiss are known for in one excellent drinking apparatus. On top of their great product they also are a member of 1% for the planet. Sigg also has started their “Thirsty for Change” campaign where they are donating all proceeds from a specific water bottle to Children’s Safe Drinking Water.
Not enough? Sigg bottles are made of aluminum; this sounds scary but then consider that they are lined with a proprietary inner liner that has been tested in the U.S. and Europe to insure that no leaching occurs from the liner or the aluminum bottle.
Nalgene? ”
Come on folks they are classic, they’re phasing out their BPA bottles and I think they’re still a rocking company. They’ve also developed a stainless steel line of bottles.