Last week Sharon bought me a water bottle. More than just a simple gift though, there’s a story behind this particular water bottle. You see unlike me, Sharon actually pays attention to the news when they talk about health scares. To me it seems like there’s a new study released every day telling me that the things I am enjoying right now are going to kill me, so I tend to tune the news out. It was over one of these “health scares” that we had a disagreement, many months ago. Sharon had been reading about plastic bottles, and how they can leech dangerous chemicals. My gut reaction was that her concerns were probably exaggerated, and I told her so at the time.
Of course, it turns out she was right (she usually is). Most of the problem centres around a compound known as Bisphenol A, or BPA. In the last year, many governments have issued reports questioning the safety of the compound, including Canada. Perhaps more importantly, the private sector has jumped on the anti-BPA bandwagon, with manufacturers like Nalgene issuing statements about the chemical and launching new BPA-free products. I’m not sure there is any conclusive evidence one way or the other, but it doesn’t matter – consumers don’t want products that contain BPA.
As a result, we went shopping for a new metal water bottle for Sharon (though there are some safe plastic ones – see this article for an overview). She eventually settled on a 18oz bottle made by klean kanteen. From their about page:
Klean Kanteens are made from #304 stainless steel, the material of choice in the food processing, dairy, and brewery industries. Stainless steel is easy to clean, durable, inert, sanitary, toxin-free, and non-leaching. Klean Kanteens are the stainless steel alternative to plastics. Plastics in landfills and oceans are one of the most alarming of today’s environmental stories.
I don’t think she chose it for the brand at the time, but rather because it seemed durable, affordable, and was surprisingly light (the 18oz bottle weighs 6oz). Another plus was the relatively large mouth on the bottle, making it easy to fit ice cubes inside.
Her purchase ended up being a good one! She takes her water bottle everywhere, and it does its job very well. And because it’s made of metal instead of plastic, water stays cold forever! Just another reason to ditch your plastic bottle.
I’ve never carried a water bottle around before, but I’ve gotten used to Sharon having hers. Like most people, I don’t drink enough water. If I have a water bottle handy though, I drink more.
Which brings us back to last week and the gift. I guess Sharon decided she’d had enough of me continually commenting on how great her water bottle was and drinking all her water, so she got me my very own! I have been taking my shiny new green, 27oz klean kanteen with me for the last few days and it rocks. I fill it up with water and ice cubes in the morning, and the water stays pretty cold throughout the day. Sometimes I fill it up again. I’m definitely drinking more water than I used to (and presumably ingesting less chemicals than I might have with a plastic bottle). Thanks Sharon!
If you’re in the market for a new water bottle, I’d definitely recommend klean kanteen.
MasterMaq's Blog 
I recently stopped buying bottled water and switched to filtered tap water but still use a plastic bottle.
I’ve been looking at other bottles – wow all this talk just about a bottle, anyway – but for me the issue is loosing the convenience of knowing how full it is at a glance… perhaps a tough metal/glass bottle is available…?
Heh yeah, lots of talk just about a bottle!
I never thought about being able to see how full it is at a glance. Guess it’s not an issue for me, but might be if you’re used to being able to do so. Maybe there’s something available for you! I haven’t seen anything yet though.
If you ask me, this BPA thing is just way out of hand. If you see the doses/kg the scientists used on the rats, you can see it’s HUGE. People don’t get this kind of exposure. I agree it’s better to err on the side of caution with baby bottles since their brains and bodies are still developing. But still, I’m not throwing my Nalgene bottle away anytime soon. Granted, I only use it when I go camping…
I like how only some things cause controversy. I think the acrylamide thing in food should be a bigger story, but everyone is more concerned with trans-fats. Acrylamide forms in baked and fried foods and it’s a proven carcinogen. I don’t hear a kerfuffle about that.
Also, good for you for getting a stainless steel bottle. Aluminum has been linked to Alzheimer’s Disease, but again, I’m sceptical. Sharon doesn’t need another health concern to worry about from her water bottle.
Andrea, the issue with BPA is that it’s an endocrine disruptor. It mimics hormones. We don’t have huge doses of hormones running through our bodies. It only takes a small amount to effect changes in us.
It’s been known that BPA is an endocrine disruptor since the 30s! Yet, it’s still in use.
The reality is that most of these chemicals are not sufficiently tested nor are they independently tested (read: no financial or political connections). We don’t know what the cumulative effects of the toxic soup we ingest are, nor do the “authorities.”
Would make sense to make companies prove the safety of a chemical rather than use us as guinea pigs. Keeping unnecessary chemicals out of our food supply will keep us healthier with the side benefit being lower health care costs.