Another guest column by Patterson Brand’s own Jen Haralson:
I took a walk in the sunshine today & relished its dose of vitamin D. My ipod shuffle was pumping out just the right mix, & the temperature gave me faith that Spring will soon be here. I decided to take a detour, and stop by the small pond in the park. I smiled to see 2 mallard couples as they came to greet me. (the male mallard’s gorgeous head feathers had me in awe…such vibrant colours only to be found in nature) I then frowned as I glanced at the shoreline to see something I wish I hadn’t – a scrunched up, dirty plastic water bottle. Not so nice. I took a sip from my stainless bottle I had brought along, and wondered if the foreign object laying there insulted the ducks in their otherwise natural environment. If it didn’t insult them; it did me.
We’ve all been there, as we’ve had to run into a store for convenience sake to pick up a bottle of water, although it is a fact that really up to 40% of bottled water you buy in a store can be tap water. It is also a fact that such plastic bottles are intended for single use only. Therefore, they get thrown into the garbage, (hopefully into your recycling bin!) or unfortunately, the ‘Litter Bugs’ of the world decide to throw them elsewhere. We are lucky enough to live in a county where we have some of the cleanest tap water, so why aren’t more of us filling up a reusable water bottle with what we already have?
Stainless steel water bottles are the best way to go. They are healthier for you to sip from(plastics are bad!), and they also are helping to cut down on landfill clutter. They’re great to take on a walk, to work, to the beach, keep one in the car…pretty much it is the best accessory for anyone & everyone to travel with to keep hydrated. These types of bottles are also great for kids to take to school. (no juice boxes going to landfills) This is a great practice to start at an early age, as the upcoming generation will need to be much more conscious than the ones passed.
I love the retro feel of this stainless steel bottle. (12 oz)
This 20 oz bottle has more of a sporty feel, and is available in a few other colours as well:
This 16 oz bottle is sporty too, and is insulated to keep beverages hot or cold. I sort of dig the non-slip rubber hand grip, too