Thursday, February 18, 2010

Spin Cycle: I can't live without it!

From time to time, fashion magazines will poll celebrities about which single beauty product they would take with them if stranded on a deserted island. If they ever asked me, my answer would always be the same – sunscreen.

But polls like that always make me wonder, What product could I NOT live without? My first gut reaction would be Coca-Cola... Or would it be lip balm?

Of course, this question excludes all life-sustaining medications for chronic illnesses such as: heart conditions, diabetes, asthma, etc…

What about the creature comforts? I LOVE indoor plumbing and air conditioning as much as the next girl. But if you think about it people survived for thousands of years without those luxuries. I bet even I would eventually learn to do without.

So I ask myself, which item do I use on a daily basis that makes a difference in the grander scheme of things? The one item that stands out is my Sigg bottle. Actually, I have two of these eco-friendly aluminum water bottles. I have a 0.6 liter size for this time of year and a one liter size for summer or outdoor activities.

I take my Sigg with me and refill it at water coolers and drinking fountains. During an average day I drink at least three liters of water. If I drank bottled water all the time, I would go through 3 – 6 bottles a day. Even if I recycle all of those bottles, the energy required to recycle that much plastic would be wasteful. Think about it… that’s a minimum of 1,000 plastic bottles a year.

The Sigg bottles are also virtually indestructible. My Sweetie and each of the boys have all had their Siggs for over a year and haven’t destroyed them yet. If the day comes when we need to lay a Sigg to rest, it’s completely recyclable!

Update: When the Sigg/BPA story broke last summer I checked our Sigg bottles and we have the BPA-Free liners in ours. So I'm still ok with supporting this company.

Now it’s your turn. What’s your favorite eco-friendly product?

For more items in the Spin Cycle, visit Sprite’s Keeper.

11 comments:

Sprite's Keeper said...

My 32 oz Bud Light water bottle which we scored for a buck at Busch Gardens during the winter has been at my side ever since as a companion. I love that thing and I don't even drink beer!
Great Spin and I completely understand where you're coming from. Too much waste with the water bottles. You're linked!

Wendy N. said...

My fav Eco-friendies... My BPA-free Nalgene bottles and my stainless steel Coffee cup. Both so essential.

Krista said...

Oooh, great question! Mine are my cloth grocery shopping bags. I have great ones with wide bottoms and long handles and STRONG fabric. And they have a moose on them! :o)

Gropius said...

How cool that one of your "can't-live-withouts" is an eco-tool. What can Gropius not live without in terms of products? I have to have a pony tail holder or hair clip at all times.

Aidan Donnelley Rowley @ Ivy League Insecurities said...

What a wonderful example you are setting here by writing about your eco-friendly favorite. I too love these bottles. It took a while for Husband to convert me, but I am there (mostly). Hey, baby steps, right?

Thrilled to have found my way here via the lovely Kristen over at Motherese!

Laufa said...

Mine isn't quite an eco-tool, but water itself.

Heather said...

Thanks for stopping by and commenting.

I used to buy a case of 20 oz water bottles and just kept using them over and over again for the whole year. Then I read an article about how after a while those bottles can release chemicals. So I threw them all out and just use a glass for my water.

I like those Sigg bottles. I'm going to have to look those up.

Mama Badger said...

I'm still mad at Sig for lying about BPA. I'm boycotting until I'm over it.

However, I can't live without my Nalgene bottle. Once they went BPA free, I was all over it!

Jamie said...

Ditto MamaBadger - know what is in your products...jerks!

Hum...eco-friendly favorite product...oh, Charlie's laundry soap and my Bubble & Bee bath & body products. Natural, no chemicals. Love it.

Camille said...

I've owned three stainless steel water bottles and each of them have made my water taste funny, so finally I went on a quest to find a good (i.e. more volume than 20 oz) glass water bottle. I finally found a Voss water bottle that holds 750 mL of water, and I take it with me EVERYWHERE. I can relate.

Heidi said...

I reuse our plastic bottles for as long as possible. I have one reusable one that holds 32 oz, but I left it at a friends house 3 hours away. I can't wait to reclaim it next month. Great spin!

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