Water, tea, and everything in between. We are very thirsty creatures by nature (wink), and when constantly on-the-go, it is very easy to get into the habit of going through plastic water bottles faster than hair ties (honestly, how do they keep magically disappearing?!). But did you know that there are 1,500 water bottles consumed per second in the US, of which 80 percent of these water bottles end up in landfills due to lack of recycling?
Plastic water bottles are made from recyclable polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics that photodegrade (rather than biodegrade), which means that they break down into smaller fragments as time goes on. These fragments can then pollute our oceans and soils while sickening animals who eat them. According to the Ocean Conservatory, there are about 46,000 pieces of plastic floating around per every square mile of the ocean. Imagine if all these plastic fragments were instead on the road blocking your commute to work — our sealife is expected to avoid these obstacles daily due to our laziness and consumption.
Look, we’re not plastic-shaming you by any means. We know that so many of you do recycle! But sadly, even recycling isn’t enough because of the unsustainable way in which plastic water bottles are manufactured. The Earth Policy did the math — it takes ~ 50 million barrels of oil every year for the entire water bottle manufacturing process. That’s a crazy amount (dare I say waste?) of resources to produce a good that has so many alternatives. Oh, and did we forget to mention that plastic water bottles cost 2,000x as much as tap water? Yeah, you heard right.
So, save your money, help the environment, and opt for a more chic alternative to plastic— a travel mug that’s easy to clean and reuse. Don’t worry, we got you covered. Here are some travel bottles that will perfectly complement your style and on-the-go lifestyle.
Live Vessel
Live Vessel is an eco-friendly and fair-trade company that also gives back to organizations such as The Honey Bee Conservancy, The Ocean Clean Up, and Life Water, underscoring their mission of sustainability. Founder William Robinson has an art background, which definitely reflects in the beautiful design of these travel mugs. Live Vessel partners with Acera artisans to handcraft each tumbler. Even better, the tumbler’s patented tourmaline anion technology is supposed to improve both the quality and taste of the beverage. The technology works through the process of the Brazilian gemstone, white tourmaline, releasing infrared rays and negative ions that help with purifying and increasing the alkalinity.
Memobottle
Founded in Melbourne by co-founders who saw the negative effects that single-use plastic leaves on the environment, memobottle is born from the principle that “human convenience is often the catalyst for environmental harm.” This is why memobottle completely changed the water bottle form factor and crafted a flat, reusable water bottle designed to fit in spaces that other water bottles often couldn’t.
With environmentalism at the core of their mission, memobottle also gives back. In partnership with water.org, they have “provided 2,247,992 days of clean drinking water to people in need.” They also are leading the #onebottlemovement to end our “throwaway culture” of single-use water bottles and instead, inspire a more reusable community.
You can purchase memobottles in sizes “A5, A6, A7,” which resemble paper sizes, so that you can easily slip your memobottle into your briefcase or tote just as you would a paper document.
Soma
Simple, elegant, affordable, sleek — all words that can be used to describe the classic Soma water bottle. Created from the brand that added a chic simplicity to water filter pitchers, the Soma water bottle is made from shatter-resistant glass with an easy-to-grip sleeve that fits in most cup holders and spaces.
The Soma brand is committed to sustainability and to the principle that clean water should be available to all. With every Soma filter purchased, they donate to charity water projects.
Corkcicle
The company was founded in 2010, designing an “in-bottle” wine chiller to solve the problem of keeping wine chilled without the hassle of an ice bucket. Now, Corkcicle has expanded to all sorts of canteens, tumblers, and barware, all of which have received awards for their impeccable product design. Even better, 5 percent of Corkcicle sales go towards the non-profit organization charity: water.org, which helps provide clean water to those without access.
These water bottles are designed to look like a cocktail shaker. Due to its proprietary triple insulation, these canteens can keep drinks cold for up to 25 hours and hot for up to 12 hours, without condensating on the outside, which is perfect if you’re thinking of bringing it to the beach or simply keeping it at your desk.
Hidrate Spark Smart Water Bottle
For those of us who are always forgetting to drink water and perpetually dehydrated (ahem me), Hidrate Spark smart water bottles are the answer to all of our problems. It automatically tracks your water intake through a sensor inside the bottle, syncing via Bluetooth to either Android or iOS devices. The bottle even goes so far as to glow when you need to drink more, and the app sends reminders to drink more to ensure you’re staying hydrated while you’re busy.
Black + Blum
Founded by two industrial designers by training, Black+Blum is deeply rooted in its beautiful yet functional designs. Their water bottle line has an active Japanese binchotan charcoal filter within the bottle, which purifies and improves the taste of normal tap water. More specifically, binchotan has the ability to “soften water, add good minerals and absorb unwanted tastes and odours, such as chlorine.”
The bottle itself is carefully crafted to an ergonomic form resembling a lightbulb that both looks chic and is proven to be the most comfortable and natural to hold.
Glacce
For those of you who are into the whole crystal healing movement, this travel mug is for you. Founded by two best friends, Glacce specializes in infusing crystal energy into specialty water bottles. Glacce is founded on the idea that each crystal has its own frequencies that can “help with certain ailments and enhance desired qualities one’s life.” In their products, Glacce combines the scientific and spiritual properties of crystals to help its customers embrace both the beauty and positive energy that crystals bring for a more joyful life.
As for beauty — the bottles themselves look like a piece of art, and even if you are wary about the benefits of crystals, these Glacce bottles are undeniably luxurious and pretty. You can choose a bottle based on the healing properties you seek from a particular crystal.
—
Featured Image via Gracce
