Reusable Bottles, Goodbye Plastics

I'm sure more people these days are using reusable bottles instead of plastic ones than five years ago. The truth about BPA (bisphenol-A), the introduction of stainless steel bottles, and the realization that bottled water isn't that special (most comes from tap) has changed how society looks at refreshment. This is one achievement I believe we should all be proud of. Yet, there is always room for improvement.

I personally have three Camelbak bottles (2 were given to me for free) and one stainless steel bottle. In the past year, I can only recount several instances where I used plastic water bottles (and were for sure recycled). An impressive streak, if I'm not too bold to say. I hope everyone has a similar story and on a daily basis refuses plastic in favor of reusability.

The following are several trusted brands of reusable water bottles I suggest you to check out and possibly purchase:

• http://www.camelbak.com/
• http://mysigg.com/
• http://www.nalgene-outdoor.com/
• http://www.kleankanteen.com/

And of course, if you just visit your local store there's bound to be reusable bottles on sale and perhaps for a cheaper price than these national brands. But as a precaution, do check to make sure that it does not contain BPA or other harmful chemical. Most bottles are labeled "eco-friendly," "BPA free," and "no harmful chemicals."

If you're having difficulty convincing yourself to buy one, look at these facts from Earth911.org:

• Americans buy an estimated 29.8 billion plastic water bottles every year.
• Nearly 8 out of every 10 bottles will end up in a landfill.
• Less than 1 percent of all plastics is recycled. Therefore, almost all plastics are incinerated or end up in a landfill.

Also, bottled water these days tend to cost around $3 per dozen, or $.25 a bottle. Reusable bottles have a price range from around $8 up to $20. It's safe to say the average person drinks at least 2 bottled waters a day, which adds up to over 700 bottles a year, or around $200 a year. That's a lot of money for something that you can get out of your tap/fridge/filter at home, which you already pay/paid for. If an average reusable bottle bought around $12 were used in place of those 2 bottles, you would recoup the cost in roughly a month. So, here's the math again:

So according to the numbers, common sense, and a good sense of responsibility, you can infer that buying a reusable bottle to replace the plastic ones you periodically buy is the right choice.