The other day I was shopping for a new water bottle, and one in particular caught my eye. It was called a bobble, and it had an activated carbon filter built into it. The box said it filters water as you drink it. Each filter is good for about 300 bottles of water. I decided to investigate it on the Internet when I got home.
Before we get into the specifics, it’s important to note that any kind of water bottle, self-filtering or otherwise, is far superior to bottled water. Here’s why: According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conversation, single-serve bottled water is the fastest growing beverage choice on the market right now, which seems silly, since we can get the same thing out of our faucets at home. We spend $10 per gallon on bottled water, while tap water costs less than one cent a gallon. Also, we’re hurting the environment in addition to our wallets. Only 10 percent of these water bottles are recycled, leaving the other 90 percent (30 million bottles per day) to rot in landfills or on the side of the road.
Bottled water is part of a booming industry. However, buying bottled water isn’t
necessary with reusable, self-filtering water bottles hitting the market.
Water-filtration systems are everywhere. Personally, I use the PUR water filtration system on my kitchen sink at home. On its website, PUR claims that this is “an easy way to remove 99 percent of lead and microbial cysts from your tap water.” This is definitely a good thing. According to a report published by a college in Wisconsin, lead can damage the brain, kidneys, nervous system, red blood cells, and the reproductive system. Microbial cysts can cause diarrhea, nauseas, and stomach cramps. But what happens when you’re out and about and away from your sink?
That’s where water bottles like the bobble come into play. They give you the convenience of taking water on-the-go, while giving you the peace of mind that comes with drinking filtered water. In addition, it is BPA-free. Bobbles come in many different colors and sizes. The largest bobble (34 ounces) costs $12.95, and each replacement filter costs about $7. So, next time you’re parched, reach for a bobble instead of bottled water. Your wallet–and the environment–will thank you in the long run.