New Wave Enviro Water Bottles

Oh Plastic. What are we to do with you? I think you are well intended, and according to the commercials on television you have all sorts of miraculous uses. While I appreciate the fine job you do in protecting my children in the form of bike helmets and elbow pads, I think it’s time for us to switch to a better container for our drinking water. I’m not going to get into name calling and accusations, but I want to make sure that my family is as healthy as it can be and when concerns are addressed about the long term effects of chemicals that leech out of plastic and into our water, not to mention the environmental impact, well, I have to listen. Think of it as the “it’s not you – it’s me” break up. Except, it is sort of you, too.

It’s time to welcome some new water bottles into our house. We’ve been using stainless steel reusable water bottles made by New Wave Enviro Products., and have been very happy with them. I was a little unsure at first, as the bottles come with labels that recommend hand washing them with water and plain vinegar or water and baking soda. (Note: Do not wash them with vinegar AND baking soda – does anyone remember 5th grade science volcanoes?) Although I am loathe to go out of my way to do extra work around the house, it really doesn’t trouble me to take a few extra minutes to hand wash these bottles. The kids were suspicious at first that the water would taste odd coming out of metal, but after many amusing taste tests they were convinced that the water tasted just fine. We’ve been using a 12 oz bottle with a sports cap, which fits nicely into a lunch box, and the larger 20 oz bottle. My one complaint about the larger bottle is that it does not come with a sports cap; however it does come with a clip so it can attach easily to backpacks and bikes and such. The bottles also passed by our “Sharpie test”, for I am hesitant to bring anything into the house that I can’t label with our name in the hopes that it will always find it’s way home.

These bottles aren’t as extravagant or fancy as some other reusables I’ve seen, but then they’re not as expensive either. The 20 oz. bottles, which come in different tints so kids can personalize and you can organize, retail for $10.49. The 12 oz. sports bottles retail for $11.99. New Wave also makes a line of BPA free plastic bottles, and a number of other environmentally friendly products. They have a store locator on their website: www.newwaveenviro.com.

So, plastic, thanks for the memories, but I think it’s time you stuck to action figures and Frisbees.