Family Health Articles - Green Planet
Leverage Your Beverage
Reasons to choose your bottle containers wisely—and a few good options
By Jennifer Sehnert
Whether you’re packing school lunches, providing refreshments for soccer games or gathering snacks for a car trip, you’re probably including beverages. And if you’re choosing to carry those drinks in reusable bottles, you’re minimizing both cost and waste. Cheers to you for keeping Mother Earth in mind!
Yet not all beverage bottles are created equal. Because of safety concerns about many plastics, environmental groups generally recommend stainless steel and glass containers over those made from plastic. To determine if the plastic bottles you and your family drink from are suspect, look for the number on the bottom. This number reveals the type of plastic used to make that container. Here are two common types to watch out for:
#1 (also called PET or PETE) is most commonly used for clear plastic bottles. These are believed to be safe for one-time use but not for refilling.
#7 is a hard plastic often used for multiuse bottles. While sturdy, it’s made with polycarbonate resin, which leaches a chemical called bisphenol-A (BPA) into the liquid it contains. BPA, which mimics estrogen and disrupts normal hormone function, may impair reproductive organs and could lead to miscarriages and developmental abnormalities, among other difficulties.
Fortunately, safer (and in some cases more attractive) options exist, including these Kiwi picks.
Bottles made from #5 plastic: This type of plastic is sometimes used for refillable kids’ drink bottles. Unlike #1 and #7, it hasn’t been found to leach harmful chemicals into its contents, according to The Green Guide.
Glass bottles: Use a soft cover to protect glass bottles from breaking. BuiltNY bottle totes are made from soft Neoprene—wetsuit material—and are available in various sizes ($8.99 to $14.99).
Sigg™ bottles: They’re lightweight, portable, recyclable and available in many designs. The company asserts that its solvent-free liner is resistant to fruit acids and isotonic drinks ($15.95 to $19.95, www.sigg.com).
Thermos‚ FUNtainer™ Beverage Bottle: This has an unbreakable, stainless-steel interior and exterior and stands up to daily wear. Its hygienic, push-button lid with pop-up straw makes it a good bet for young ones ($12.99 to $17.50, www.thermos.com).
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