News came out of California that San Francisco is going to attempt to move forward to ban plastic water bottles. Leave it to California to be the first to implement such a daring yet crucial initiative. It takes 54 million barrels of oil to make one year’s consumption of plastic water bottles. Contrary to popular belief, plastic water bottles are NOT recycled – seventy-five percent of plastic water bottles end up on beaches, rivers, and landfills.
In addition to environmental impact of plastic water bottles, take note that plastic water bottles are detrimental to your health. The plastic used in these bottles is loaded with chemicals including BPA and PCBs. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry says: “Animals that ate food containing large amounts of PCBs over short periods of time had mild liver damage and some died. Animals that ate smaller amounts of PCBs in food over several weeks or months developed various kinds of health effects, including anemia; acne-like skin conditions; and liver, stomach, and thyroid gland injuries.” BPA can cause a variety of human health problems, including a risk of cancers, reduced fertility, birth defects and diabetes. How does that water taste now?
Many folks drink bottled water because they think that bottled water is superior to tap water or that it comes from some mystical source. Not true. Hate to break it to you, but bottled water is tap water with a fancy schmancy name. It is not any better than the water coming out of your tap. It’s an all-around rip off.
Once upon a time, not too long ago, we subsisted without bottled water. In fact, not too long ago, Cosmo Kramer on the popular TV show, Seinfeld, considered bottled water as one of his “get rich quick” schemes, and Jerry Seinfeld thought he was crazy – no one would pay for water! Not too long ago, I used to use bottled water. As with everything, when you first try to do without something as vital as bottled water, it seems impossible, but I assure you, it can be done.
First and foremost – you need to find a water bottle that you like. I tried a few different ones before I found Liberty Bottle from Liberty Bottleworks. This company has many pluses going for it. I prefer this bottle for many reasons, not just because of this company’s many altruistic endeavors. Many of the other bottles I tried were made of plastic (evil! evil!), were difficult to get open quickly, made water taste funny, were cheaply made, or were difficult to get clean. Liberty Bottle solved all these problems. It is a very robust water bottle, made of metal with a lining (no funny tastes!), easy to open and close (it doesn’t screw), and easy to clean. When I had to use an old metal water bottle for a bit while I waited for my 2nd Liberty Bottle to come in, I yearned for my Liberty Bottle. I didn’t realize how genius the design the bottle was until I had to do without.
If Liberty Bottle’s design isn’t enough to entice you to make the move to ditch the plastic, then maybe simply supporting them will. Liberty Bottle is the ONLY metal bottle on the market made in the USA. It is also the ONLY bottle to be made from recycled materials. Concerned about what to do when you’re done with your Liberty Bottle? It is also 100% recyclable. But I assure you, I have put my Liberty Bottle through the test (horseback riding, rock climbing, spelunking, cliff diving – it still looks good as new). It hasn’t chipped, flaked, dented, or shown any sorts of age in the time that I’ve had it. The bottles also come in fun colors – but even better, they also come in a bunch of beautiful art designed by starving artists.
I never used to be a big water drinker. Once upon a time I used to be a big soda drinker! I used to drink several cans a day. What helped me make the transition to water is making water more exciting than soda. Having a snazzy water bottle that is fun to drink out of, that makes me feel good about supporting green and US jobs helped. Having water that tasted AMAZING helped even more. This was accomplished by getting a ZeroWater dispenser. Between this and my LibertyBottle, which friends have joked is surgically attached to my body, I now drink more than the suggested 8 glasses of water a day. And I feel great!
adventurer poet 