Summer time brings warmer weather and the need to make sure that you are staying hydrated. Of course, if you have been awake the last few years you know that disposable water bottles are convenient but not the best environmental choice.
So what are your other options?
Steel and aluminum bottles can have thin expoxy resin over the metal which can leach BPA into the water. And, reusable water bottles can still have BPA in them.
What’s BPA? It is bisphenol A.
Yeah, that helped you a lot didn’t it…
BPA is used in polycarbonate plastics that are used for things like water bottles. BPA isn’t good for your body. Here’s what the FDA has to say “Studies employing standardized toxicity tests have thus far supported the safety of current low levels of human exposure to BPA. However, on the basis of results from recent studies using novel approaches to test for subtle effects, both the National Toxicology Program at the National Institutes of Health and FDA have some concern about the potential effects of BPA on the brain, behavior, and prostate gland in fetuses, infants, and young children. In cooperation with the National Toxicology Program, FDA’s National Center for Toxicological Research is carrying out in-depth studies to answer key questions and clarify uncertainties about the risks of BPA.”
The solution I found is to use Nalgene bottles which are made in the USA. The bottles are made from polycarbonate and are pretty, don’t absorb odors and are extremely rugged. This is a huge problem for me because there are just so many pretty, pretty colors. I have a 32-ounce wide mouth emerald green, 32-ounce wide mouth deep amethyst, and four 16-ounce small mouth cobalt blues.
I love my Nalgenes!
I know I’m gushing (no pun intended) but I so love this product mainly because I have a pack with a ton (yes, the English kind) of weight with all the gear I lug out to write about hikes. I always take my Nalgene and NEVER have to worry about everything getting wet because the lid seals tight.
With the wide mouth Nalgenes, I can easily fill it with ice cubes, water, a flavor packet (Hawaiian Punch—yes, I’m six), and screw the lid on tight, shake the BettleJuice out of it and I’m ready to roll.
Speaking of which…gotta go finish a hike.