This post is dedicated to my new favorite material:

Stainless Steel.

You see, so many things are made of plastic. And in case you haven't caught on yet, plastic sucks. It sucks for the environment, and it sucks for your health.


1. Water Bottles

Option #1: Disposable plastic water bottle.

Oh, where to begin?
If you're reading this, you're probably a friend of mine, and as such, you probably already know why you shouldn't be relying primarily on bottled water. And I say this as I live in Israel, where tap water is far worse quality than it is in the States, and many buildings have very old pipes, which, no doubt, leach all manner of organ-frying compounds into our morning coffee. But despite all of these mitigating factors, there is still absolutely no reason to be relying on bottled water.

We could talk about the political issues, about how privatization of water leaves corporations in control of our water supply (scary) and, on the most basic level, that water is a human right and as such really shouldn't be used for profit. We could talk about the fact that we don't recycle most of our water bottles, and that even if we do, the total energy cost is not necessarily saving us that much. We could talk about how, most of the time, it's just bottled tap water anyway. We could talk about how bottled water costs something like A THOUSAND TIMES what water costs from your tap, by volume. Here's some stuff from the National Resource Defense Council, and some from the Sierra Club. But you probably don't even need me to say it.

But how about this: when all is said and done, one bottle of water takes about seven bottles of water to produce. So sayeth Pablo. Check his math here.

And, of course, there is that pesky issue of phthalates. According to www.phthalates.org, they're all about "Performance. Convenience. Fun." Hmm. Yeah, I think synthetic estrogens that can severely disrupt hormone balances in the body are super fun! Let's take it from the Environmental Working Group:

Health Effects related to Phthalates: Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Endocrine system, Reproduction and fertility, Birth or developmental effects, Persistent and bioaccumulative, Brain and nervous system, Immune system (including sensitization and allergies)

Convinced not to drink bottled water at all costs? Don't sleep easy yet. Phthalates are in everything. They've just been banned from many children's products--like toys--by the US, but they're expecially common in cosmetic products. Do you have the ovaries to see if your favorite bronzer is phthalate-free? Check it here: www.cosmeticsdatabase.com



Option #2: Nalgene or similar #7 or other hard plastic reusable bottle.

So you've probably heard of BPA and if you can't remember what it stands for, you at least know it's bad for you and it comes from water bottles. I'm of the mind that that short description is sufficient, but if you're interested, here's what BPA does, according to the Environmental Working Group:

Although its long-time use in consumer products has come with assurances of its safety from industry, studies conducted over the past 20 years now show it to be not only a ubiquitous pollutant in the human body - it contaminates nearly 93% of the population - but also a potent developmental toxin at very low doses.

In September 2008 the National Toxicology Program of NIH determined that BPA may pose risks to human development, raising concerns for early puberty, prostate effects, breast cancer, and behavioral impacts from early-life exposures. Pregnant women, infants and young children are most vulnerable to the harmful effects of BPA, although a recent study linked BPA exposures to risk of heart disease, diabetes, and liver toxicity.

Yep. It's in us all. Or at least, all of us except the 7% who managed not to attend a single event in the last ten years where they gave out free logo Nalgene bottles. (And if you are one of those people, you've got to tell me your secret.) Alright, alright, lets not blame Nalgene-- they did promise to stop using it, after all--and who can really hold them accountable for putting a crude oil-derived synthetic estrogen compound in 93% of us, anyhow? Their bottles are just so darn trendy.

But you get my point. Throw out the #7 bottles, or try to recycle them if you can. Do it now. Srsly.

But what about #2 and #5 plastics, you ask? In my opinion, they're both #7s waiting to happen. It took consumers this long to get BPA-ridden bottles [mostly] off the market, and there were naysayers shouting that we were all stupid hippie granola health freaks all along the way. The truth is that we don't even know what hormone-altering chemicals are leeching out of the stuff in our homes, but considering what we've found out so far, I'd rather not be licking something that's made of petrochemicals. I think that's a reasonable stand to take.

Option #3: Aluminum bottle.

I'll admit, they're cute. And lightweight. And they don't leach BPA (for the most part--some are made with linings that can contain BPA). But if we're relatively sure we don't want plastics in our mouth, do we really want aluminum? Let's consider.

Environmentally speaking, it's a mixed bag with aluminum. On the one hand, it's very easily recyclable, and can be recycled again and again with no breakdown in quality. Point one! But not so fast--the mining and extracting process for aluminum is pretty nasty environmentally. Take it away, Environmental Literacy Council:

The greenhouse gases resulting from primary production include perfluorocarbons (PFC), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), fluoride, sulfur dioxide (S0₂), and carbon dioxide (CO₂). Of these gases, PFC's resulting from the smelting process are the most potent. Primary aluminum production is the leading source of perfluorocarbon emissions in the United States. PAH emissions result from the manufacture of anodes for smelters and during the electrolytic process. Sulfur dioxide and sodium fluoride are emitted from smelters and electrical plants. SO₂ is one of the primary precursors of acid rain.

Hmm...
Well...
It's not plastic.
So I guess that's...better?

And the icing on the cake? There's that pesky rumor that it might just cause Alzheimer's. But once again, we don't know. Yet. So go ahead, drink from your aluminum water bottle. Rub it all over your face, why dontcha. You won't remember it later when you get Alzheimer's, anyway.



Option #4: 100% Stainless steel!

I feel I have nothing to say.

Why, you ask?

Because stainless steel's environmental record is...well...stainless. It's 100% recyclable, and these days, half of stainless steel stuff is made from recycled material, making it pretty awesome environmentally. The only possible environmental or health problem I could find with it is if you were to grind up a bunch of it and dump it in a lake, the fish would probably die. So as long as you make sure not to do that when you're done with your water bottle, you should be just fine.

Plus, no gross plastic (or tin foil) aftertaste.

Now that I've gone through all the reasons why you should ditch other materials for stainless steel, here are some more great options for stainless steel replacements for your current food and beverage carrying needs.



2. Coffee Mug

Option#1: Disposable paper, plastic, or [eek!] styrofoam cup

C'mon, people. Just...come the fuck on. Yeah. That's all I have to say about that.



Option #2: Reusable plastic coffee mug.

Seriously? After everything I just wrote about plastics, you're gonna keep filling it with boiling liquids and consuming them? Do I have to mention that heat increases the leaching of BPA?
No?
Good.



Option #3: Stainless Steel French Press Coffee Mug

I'll admit: part of the reason for this entire post is that I've been lusting after some new stainless steel pretties, like this awesome mug. Without sounding like an advertisement, I will briefly recount its features--built in french press, so you can use your own [Dean's or Larry's fair trade organic] coffee (or loose tea, for that matter) from home; switchable lid so you can use it as a regular old travel mug if you want to; super secret compartment that screws into the bottom for smuggling secrets out of Langley, or alternatively, to pack another dose of whatever you're drinking. Yes. Awesome.



3. Lunchbox.

Option #1: Takeout.

I'm willing to ignore the obvious environmental impact on this one. You can afford to eat lunch out every day? Don't even talk to me.



Option #2: Tupperware

Leakproof and convenient?
Yes.
Petrochemical-leaching plastic?
Oh boy.
The internets were falling all over themselves to disprove some scam email going around about microwaves causing plastic to leach dioxin, but now that the BPA thing has, apparently, taken hold, what say ye about what we can do to reduce our exposure, Mayo Clinic?

Not microwaving plastic food containers and not putting hot foods into them. Likewise, don't wash these types of containers in the dishwasher. Heat, detergents and scrubbing can break down bisphenol A and increase exposure. Instead opt for glass or other non-plastic cooking and serving containers.

Ahem.


Option #4: Stainless Steel Tiffin

Adorable. I have ordered one already, I just have to get it to a friend who is coming here in the near future. Also great because we don't have a microwave at work, and I can't put glass jars (my food container of choice) in the toaster oven, so I'm kinda screwed on that point. 100% atainless steel, and what's more, produced by an ethically-managed cooperative in India. Next step--fair trade certification!



Steelfully yours,
S