Sigg Water Bottle Controversy

This is a really interesting article -- they assert that SIGG secretly swapped it's BPA-containing lining for a new one. Check it out.

Water Bottles Re-Revisited

Well--as you know from my previous reviews that out of all the nonplastic water bottles I tested, my kids liked the Thermos versions the best. 

Well today my daughter complained her was leaking and I found a bunch of cracks along the bottom. The outside is plastic and doesn't seem to have held up that well. She's now going to be using the Klean Kanteen bottle with the new nonsqueaky sports cap. It's stainless steel inside and out and nothing can hurt that thing!

Here's my previous water bottle post.

Suffolk County Bans BPA Plastics

Bisphenol A (BPA) —a chemical found in the linings of cans and in many plastic products, including sports bottles, food-storage containers and baby bottles—has potential links to a wide range of health effects. BPA has been linked to a variety of diseases including an increased risk of diseases or disorders of the brain, reproductive, and immune systems; recent studies have linked BPA exposure to problems with liver function testing, an increased risk of diabetes and heart disease, and interruptions in chemotherapy treatment; and BPA exposure has long been linked to hormonal disturbances. A study by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has shown that 93% of Americans excrete some BPA in their urine. New studies also show that BPA seems to stay in the body longer than previously believed. 

According to a press release from Consumers Union, New York's Suffolk County Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee passed legislation to protect babies and toddlers from ingesting BPA from beverage containers. BPA is found in the hard plastics used to make baby bottles and “sippy” cups, as well as in epoxy resins of many beverage containers. The decision makes it the first jurisdiction in the nation to ban BPA!

Consumers Union has repeatedly called on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban the use of BPA in infant and children's products and food and beverage containers. The FDA already has enough scientific data to support such a ban but they continue to allow the products to remain on the market while they do further research. Several states, such as Oregon, Washington and California, and cities, such as Chicago are also considering the ban. In 2008, the Canadian government banned BPA use in baby bottles.

In August 2008, the FDA said BPA was safe for humans. But the agency only considered studies that had been financed by the plastics industry. At a recent Science Board Hearing, FDA tacitly acknowledged the serious health concerns regarding BPA, but the agency continues to defend their position that no public health safeguards should be implemented at this time.

CU was one of the first organizations to test and report on consumer products with BPA, and warned consumers about the potential risks almost a decade ago. Since CU's first study, more than a hundred studies have been published showing a wide range of adverse effects in animals at low doses of BPA, doses that approximate current levels circulating in the human population. CU recently tested "BPA-free" claims on bottles and has also published advice on how consumers can reduce their exposure to BPA. For more information, please visit the food section of http://www.greenerchoices.org.

Non-plastic water bottle review--REVISITED

Well, it's been about a year since I received and reviewed a selection of non-plastic water bottles from  Sigg, Klean Kanteen,  and Thermos. Now that we've been using them for a year, I have a lot more insight into what we like and don't like about them--what worked and what didn't. I also have a new nonplastic water bottle to tell you about. For those who didn't read my first review, you can refer to it here. You'll also find the Web sites and product information for each bottle.

Klean Kanteen

The two silver stainless steel bottles in the left of the photo are from Klean Kanteen. The tall bottle we usually use with the sports top lid. However, since all of their lids are interchangeable (a nice feature) it is pictured with the flat screw in lid. The smaller bottle has the toddler sippy cup lid. Okay so --- here's the deal. I really liked the small bottle because it's perfect to fit in my kids lunch boxes, however, it hasn't worked out so well. The problem is the covers. The screw top lid is too hard for my kids to get off and the wide mouth of the bottle makes spills inevitable, especially if used in the car. I started putting the sports top lid on the bottle which unlike other sports top bottles I've tried this cover has not leaked (YAY!) however, my daughter kept coming home upset because it squeaked when she drank from it. For someone who hates to stand out, making this noise in the cafeteria was mortifying to her. She actually likes the sippy cup lid (even though she's to old for it) but of course would never bring it to school that way. She keeps it next to her bed, however, for water during the night and it's easy to use and doesn't spill so works great. My husband has been very happy with the taller bottle with the sports top which he takes biking (the squeaking doesn't bother him!)

Sigg

The tall purple bottle is from Sigg. It's aluminum and very light. It does however dent really easily though the manufacturer assures me that this does not affect anything. I don't really care for the Sigg bottles. They're too big to easily drink from or to fit in a cup holder or bag but my husband LOVES these. They are his favorite. He loves how light they are for hiking or carrying around and he loves how big they are because he likes to have a lot of water around whether hiking or on the road for work. I wasn't given any medium size bottles to test, maybe I would have liked them fine.

Thermos

The bottle on the far right is from Thermos and this is my absolute favorite of the bottles. It holds just the right amount of water for a hike or the gym. The thermos insulation keeps my water cold even in the car all day and the pop top is so easy to use. My kids use the smaller thermos bottles (not pictured here but check out the link to see them). They are also easy to use and I love that their water stays cold all day at school (one of my daughter's backpack is right in the sun at school all day and she used to complain of warm water). The only thing I'm not so thrilled with is that the kids ones have a plastic straw to drink from. They like it and it works fine, but it needs to be replaced periodically. I much prefer the pop top and spout of my larger bottle.

New on the scene - - Sesen Glass Water Bottle

The bottle is glass and is dishwasher friendly. It fits in a car cup holder and also comes with a carrying bag (made of recycled water bottles). It even comes with an ice pack (filled with water) to keep your water cold in the bag. The stopper is very--and I mean very--tight. There is no way this thing is leaking. 

My experience: I love drinking out of glass and always feel that my water stays the freshest in glass so I really like this bottle. The bottle is really strong so unlike the bad luck I've had using recycled juice bottles, this bottle is much more durable. It's not for kids though and not for bike riding, but for the car and the gym where I mostly carry water, it works just fine. For more information and videos, check out the Sesen Web site.

Grassfed beef and plastic water bottles

Check out the latest issue of Hopedance Magazine to see my article about grassfed beef and Hearst Ranch in San Simeon, CA. Also my article on plastic water bottles - what's wrong with them and what are the alternatives.

Check out these articles and more here.

non-plastic water bottle reviews

For The Whole Family column for VegFamily this month, I tested and reviewed several non-plastic water bottles for kids and adults. Check it out at: http://www.vegfamily.com/whole-family/plastic-water-bottle-safety.htm