Earth Day has been celebrated every year since 1970, and almost 40 years later, its purpose remains the same: promote conservation and concern for the world we live and play in. Every year, millions of people take the opportunity to pitch in — if only for a day. For those seeking to make a difference that lasts the other 364 days of the year, there’s one simple decision that can have a lasting impact. Free your water from the bondage of disposable plastic by incorporating a reusable water bottle into your daily routine.
Out of the 50 billion bottles of water being bought each year, statistics tell us that 80% end up in a landfill. Even more shocking is that we burn 17 million barrels of oil a year to process and ship them to factories, consumers, and finally to landfill and recycling centers. That’s enough to fuel 1,000,000 cars for an entire year. With one simple purchase, we can live a healthier more hydrated life while reducing the impact on our planet.
Now the only question is which bottle to choose? Here’s a few of our top choices:
Vapur
For many outdoor enthusiasts, the bulky size of steel or aluminum canisters often trump our best intentions and end up getting left at home on the shelf. Enter Vapur, a California based company on a mission to make hydration incomparably portable and convenient. Simply fill it up, drink it down, then roll it up and tuck it away. It’s the anti-ordinary bottle that’s BPA-free and American made. This year, the Vapur family of Anti-Bottles significantly expands their line-up to meet an even broader array of active lifestyles. From the award winning Vapur® MicroFilter to the new Eclipse and the Shades collection, Vapur is ready for your go-anywhere do-anything adventure.
AVEX Sport
You’ll be hard pressed to find a brand that offers access to your drink with the same ease and fluidity of AVEX – which is one of the reasons you’ll rarely if ever find an AVEX bottle sitting unused on the shelf. Full day of adventure ahead? Lengthy road trip is in your future? AVEX had you and your big thirst needs in mind when they designed the Brazos AUTOSEAL® and Wells AUTOSPOUT™ 32 oz bottles. And because icy cold water on a hot day is one of life’s simple pleasures, AVEX has introduced new stainless steel bottles with vacuum insulated construction that keeps drinks cold for over 20 hours.
The popular patented AUTOSEAL® technology ensures a pour as true as the mountain stream. Or opt for the patent-pending AUTOSPOUT™ technology to drink through a straw-based system so you can keep your head and eyes on the action ahead. Try one, and you’ll be a convert for life.
Liquid Hardware
When the mercury starts to rise, it’s easy to lose your cool. Thankfully the minds behind Liquid Hardware have introduced a stainless steel water bottle that ensure you’ll never lose your lid. This BPA free bottle made from 18/8 stainless steel gives you 27 ounces of drinking pleasure. What sets this non-insulated bottle apart is a patent-pending Quick Stick Lid™.
This magnetic top allows for one-handed freedom while sipping your beverage of choice and ensures you’ll never have to spend extra money on replacing another lid. Use the Water Bottle’s integrated handle to attach it to a pack with a carabiner, or just enjoy how easy it is to carry. Sleek and colorful, the Liquid Hardware Water Bottles transport anything from a workout’s worth of fluids to a little dose of red wine for your weekend camping trip.
Hydro Flask
If a mission statement that includes the words “Free the world from lukewarm water, produce the highest quality flasks, [and] provide excellent customer service…” doesn’t win you over, then the technical details of Hydro Flask will. Made from hygienic, easy-to-clean 18/8 stainless steel, Hydro Flask insulated bottles are highly resistant to absorbing odor, taste and bacteria.
That means your morning coffee doesn’t taste like yesterdays chicken noodle soup, and your post-workout smoothie is never tainted with an awkward aluminum taste tingle. And because everyone has different drinking preferences, Hydro Flask offers their bottles in various bottle and mouth sizes. So you can go with an 18oz bottle with a narrow mouth, a 21oz bottle with a standard mouth, or crush your thirst and drink deep from the 40oz wide mouth bottle. Bottom line: Durable, dependable and downright awesome… our team will be ordering more soon.
LifeFactory Bottles
True, people have been drinking from glass containers since 1500 BC, but those containers weren’t nearly as sophisticated nor as earth friendly as Lifefactory bottles. For those looking to avoid plastic or metal bottles, you’d be hard pressed to find a more eco-friendly, health-conscious, and versatile hydration solution than Lifefactory. These glass bottles provide an odorless, tasteless drink experience free of any known harmful chemicals including BPA, phthalates, and PVC. The result is that LifeFactory ensures that your fluids taste mountain-stream fresh from first sip to last.
Liberty Bottle Works
The only American made metal bottle in the marketplace, Liberty Bottle Works combine an ideal blend of durable functionality, sustainability, and inspiring graphics. The wine-bottle-inspired tapered neck gives you a splash-free pour, and the 1/4-turn cap is quick and leak-free. Crafted in the heart of Yakima Washington, Liberty Bottles are available in 24oz and 32 oz sizes. And if you’re wondering where they rank on the “green scale” know that the Liberty Bottle Works team spent over two years developing the processes and procedures to not only make a product from recycled and recyclable materials, but made in manner rooted in Environmental Stewardship.
Eco Vessel
If your family adventures span the gamut from mornings at the coffee shop, to bike rides along the river, and scenic hikes into the back country, the Eco Vessel range of bottles for adults and kids are right up your alley. From triple insulated bottles that keep your drinks icy cold for 36 hours, to the simple elegance of double walled glass, Eco Vessel has a bottle for every adventure.
For more globally active pursuits, consider the Aqua Vessel Insulated Bottle. More than a desk trophy that shows off your environmentally savvy side, it’s the first of its kind – a bottle that keeps your water cold and filters as you drink removing 99.9% of the most commonly found parasites in US lakes and streams. Whichever Eco Vessel bottle you choose, rest assured you’ll never have to stand for lukewarm drinks again.
PurifiCup Filter
Okay, you caught us. Technically this isn’t a bottle. But the reality is that your adventures don’t always come with easy access to a tap. Even when they do, that rusty copper piping leading to the sink might make you queasy. So whether your adventure takes you across the nation, or across a patch of wilderness, having access to safe, clean and worry-free drinking water is a big bonus. Which is why our editors love the PurifiCup. As the world’s first and only portable water purifier to adopt nano-silver technology, PurifiCup eliminates more than 600 kinds of bacteria. Think of it as your lightweight insurance policy that covers you against running out of drinkable water. It’s a mainstay in our daily rucksack, and can be used with virtually every bottle listed above. Bottom Line… Earth Day can be a provocative reminder to think about the little changes we can make to our daily routine that can add up to a big difference. Very soon April 22 will have already come and gone. Yet through one easy and economic step, you can replace the plastic water bottles and paper coffee cups in your life, and make a positive impact that lasts year round.