Saturday, March 27, 2010

Staying Hydrated + BPA = Confusion.


I was catching up on my blog reading this morning and came across some interesting video's on one of my friend's blogs. It is The Story of Bottled Water. What it boils down to is that the Soft drink companies told us Tap Water wasn't good, drink bottled water and like good little drones we have taken their advertising as Truth. Very few of those bottles actually get recycled and those that don't get dumped in landfills or sent to India to pollute there, instead of being recycled.



What is more amazing is that in taste tests most tap water beats bottled for taste.



I found it all very interesting. I have been hauling my own water to school for a while now. I used to use a Sigg aluminum bottle(and a few look alike's), but then there were all those news reports of Sigg bottles having trace amounts of BPA and I stopped. Boo Me.



I have since learned that SIGG bottles made prior to August, 2008 still test at "no detectable levels" of BPA. AND SIGG bottles made since August, 2008 have a new lining that does not contain any BPA and does not use BPA in its manufacturing processes.



So now I feel that I can carry my Sigg bottles. However, the knock offs from China I'll not be using as they do give off minute traces of BPA.



It is now Spring, and I'd like to have an insulated cup that would keep my water cool. I have a very nice one from a local coffee place, Highland Coffee, but now I wonder about BPA in the plastic from it and straws...do they contain BPA. A little research on the web and I have found that the cup is a ThermoServe and they say those are BPA free. Whew!



What about the straws? I usually use a disposable plastic straw, because my cup didn't come with a straw. Hum...another search.


Here is what I found out, most current straws are made from either #2 or #5 plastic and that concern about chemical exposure is low. That is the good news.

The bad news is that although these straws are recyclable, most are not recycled. The sheer number of straws from MickyD's alone starts to look like those bottle mountains in India from the first video that started this post. Who thinks about recycling straws?



What to do. I'm using safe bottles (Sigg and some Stainless steel) and my Highland Coffee cup is safe too, but I need a straw to drink from it as the screw on lid has a straw hole in the middle.

Evidently a few companies have thought about the straw problem. I have found steel straws by RSVP (4 to a pack for about $9.), Hardened Glass Straws by Glass Dharma, Pyrex glass straws by Glass Paradise, both are dishwasher safe. Strangely I also found paper straws in many sizes from Aardvark(if you want to buy 400) and Bamboo straws which have to be boiled in vinegar and water to clean. Both the paper and the bamboo would biodegrade easily. I even remember paper straws from when I was a little kid. They collapsed easily, I wonder about Aardvark, but not enough to buy 400 straws.

I called my local Amazing Green Planet store and they have a set of 4 stainless steel straws for under $12. and I wouldn't have to pay shipping. So I may go that route to drinking cool, clean, safe water while on the go. Although those cobalt blue glass straws from Glass Paradise are calling to me.

Viki

1 comment:

Margo Dill said...

Thanks for this interesting info about WATER. I think there's recently been an entire book written and published about WATER. We reviewed it recently on WOW! Women On Writing's blog. Thanks for finding my blog recently, so that I could find yours. :)
Margo
http://margodill.com/blog/