I stay pretty active these days! Between juggling my career, family and work-out routine, I couldn't get by one day without having a full plastic water bottle to keep me hydrated. I also am very conscious of the environment, so I tend to re-use my water bottles. I hate to think that my need to stay hydrated with my plastic water bottles could contribute to our overflowing landfills! I have been buying water in bulk and re-using the plastic water bottle. I had no idea that re-using my water bottles would be such a bad and potentially hazardous idea! I discovered this recently while I was riding my bike with a good friend of mine and she took a look at my 'recycled' water bottle and told me that recently there was an FDA warning about re-using plastic water bottles and it was totally unsafe. She had suggested I switch over to metal water bottles instead.

After a little research I had discovered that metal water bottles are overall better for the environment and my wallet. Rather than buy my water in bulk, I could just use filtered water and refill my metal water bottle, as often as I need to! It is just as convenient, if not more so! My family is very excited about my switch to metal water bottles! I bought one for my husband, my two active teenage boys and of course one for myself! My husband and I both appreciate the money we save on buying our water in bulk! We'll definitely be sticking with the metal water bottles and so should you!

The three major manufacturers of metal water bottles are:

Klean Kanteen (Klean Canteen):

Klean Kanteen metal water bottle products had humble beginnings in Chico, California. They consider themselves a family-oriented company, based out of Northern Cali. They had their first prototype built in 2004, spreading the word every chance at every opportunity, from music festivals to carnivals. Klean Kanteen’s faith in their product, which was both environmentally and financially sound, motivated them to do everything they could to share in that excitement! Throughout their five years of company growth, they have continued in their research to ensure that they have the best metal water bottle product out there. Klean Kanteen ensures that their product respects environmental need and labor laws alike. (Information from Klean Kanteen Metal Water Bottle website)

SIGG:

SIGG Metal Water Bottles has a long history dating back to 1908, in Zurich, Switzerland! When SIGG First started, the company was started by Ferdinand Sigg and Xavier Kung. Both men were huge innovators, during their time. They firmly believed that aluminum was the wave of the future. By the late ‘50s, SIGG was manufacturing many useful items, like frying pans, saucepans and bottles.

SIGG is often-called “The Original Swiss Bottle” because of its long history of high quality. The metal water bottle is considered to be one of the toughest in the market, and has received rave reviews from Backpacker magazine in 2006. (Information from SIGG Metal Water Bottle website)

Nalgene:

Nalgene originated in the late '40s back in New York. The company's original name was Nalge Company and a chemist named Emanuel Goldberg developed the first plastic pipette holder. Mr. Goldberg spent many years growing and developing his team so that they could create the "Nalgene line of state-of-the-art polyethylene laboratory equipment: centrifuge bottles, filter units, storage tanks." Through some chance and long work and research, they eventually developed into the world famous Nalgene metal water bottles. But it wasn't until Nalgene's president, Marsh Hyman's son was a boy scout to when the company found their niche. During one of his son's boy scout camping trips, the Nalgene metal water bottles became the highlight to the trip. Mr. Hyman's son and his fellow boy scouts were able to use get great use in the outdoors and history was made!