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The mounds of single-use water bottles is ever-growing-in the landfills, in the ocean, and spilling out on the side of the roads. I know that they are not the best choice to meet my need to hydrate and I’ve seen the studies that say that the water inside a single-use bottle is the same quality as the water coming out of the tap. It is just so darn convenient to grab a cold single-use bottle of water out of the refrigerator on my way out the door.
I decided to challenge myself. How can I create the same kind of convenience that keeps me tied to the plastic bottle while using a sustainable solution?
My first challenge is to find a container that I can “grab and go”. In my research, I think I found the perfect container, a glass jar. Glass jars are easy to grab, can be easily cleaned, and can last for generations. I can purchase glass jars with lids and fill up my refrigerator with water from my tap filtered through the water filter on my kitchen sink. I’ve found some great Simply Straws mugs with handles and custom lids that make it easy to grab one of my glass straws, pop it in the mug- and go.
I’ve timed it. It took me way less than two minutes to fill up my jars and put them on a shelf in the refrigerator. It takes less than five seconds to pop the jar into the dishwasher when I get home. Since I’ve always brought my water bottles from the car into the house to put them into recycling, the change was just to bring the mug into the house and put it in the dishwasher instead.
There are other bonuses to carrying a glass mug with me where ever I go. I always have a container to refill at work where the company has just installed a water purification system in the break room. I don’t have to carry multiple bottles of water with me- I can just pop into the break room and fill up. If I’m out on errands, I always have a refillable mug to take through the coffee drive-up or into a restaurant.
I’ve since invested in a glass carafe for work so I can fill it up and just refill my mug quickly right at my desk. I am going to get another one for use at home. A carafe takes less space and to have it sitting right there on the shelf full of cool water is also very handy. The extra, extra bonus is that goal to live a healthier lifestyle is in reach because I’m drinking plenty of water instead of reaching for snacks.
I’m always on the lookout for even more solutions to elevate my sustainable lifestyle and to be an example of what is possible. Not only do I save the planet, my budget is benefiting greatly from the savings of buying products I can use and re-use for years to come.
What sustainable solutions have you found to replace single-use water bottles?
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