The setting: Las Vegas. The event: the featherweight bottle boxing championship of the world. The reigning champ, the ever popular, convenient Plastic Water Bottle, versus the durable stainless steel Klean Kanteen Reusable Water Bottle. (Think Rocky Balboa vs Apollo Creed) During the training sessions, the Reusable Water Bottle is nimble and strong as a bull showing his financial, environmental, and health strengths. With arms of steel and durability, it can go the distance.
The Plastic Water Bottle, on the other hand, is heavily petroleum based, chemically bloated, and solely relying on its convenience as its attractiveness factor.
As the bell rings, the two bottles run out out of their corners. The excited crowd starts screaming “plastic, plastic, plastic” as they pump their plastic bottles in the air.
The Uppercut: The Wallet Comparison
Round #1 begins. The Plastic Water Bottle tries to take his best shot at the Reusable Water Bottle with the “green costs too much” argument. The Reusable Water Bottle weaves and blocks the punch. He counters with a shot to the Plastic Water Bottle’s side debunking the following argument:
#1: Bottled water in bulk must be cheaper than a reusable water bottle.
The Reusable Water Bottle whips out his calculator in the middle of the round and breaks down the numbers as follows:
1. A 24 count of 1/2 liter bottles costs $3.00 without tax. The Reusable Water Bottle is quite thrifty and found the best price at a local store. (This price may vary from state to state.) So, each bottle costs .13 cents (before sales tax.)
2. A 1/2 liter bottle is equal to 16.907 fluid ounces.
2. A typical Klean Kanteen 18 ounce stainless steel (18/8) reusable bottle of costs $18.95 (without sales tax and/or shipping charges). It carries a lifetime warranty for material defects. So, you won’t be replacing this man of steel too soon.
3. In 2012, the average American drank 30.8 gallons of water a year. A gallon equals 3. 785 liters. (That’s roughly 233 1/2 liter bottles per year.)
4. Instead of calculating to the ounce, the Reusable Water Bottle compares the two bottles as the same amount. 233 bottles times .13 cents = $30.29 (The Reusable Water Bottle actually beat him at 146 bottles with throwing in the 1 extra ounce per bottle.)
5. The average American recoups his cost of purchasing a reusable water bottle in this scenario in about 8 months. (233 divided by 12 months=19.42 bottles per month. 19.42 times 7.52 months=146 water bottles. )
So, who is your daddy, says the Reusable Usable Water Bottle.
Bam. The plastic bottle wobbles.
#2 The convenient on the run single water bottle purchase argument:
The Reusable Water Bottle has stuns the crowd. Why would anyone spend that type of money? But they still shake their plastic water bottles in defiance since they love the convenience.
Plastic Water Bottle takes its best shot. Blocked again. The Reusable Water Bottle lands an upper cut to the Plastic Water Bottle’s cap with the following argument:
1. The average cost of a single 1/2 liter water bottle was $1.21. (2011)
2. Simply buying 16 single plastic water bottles from the store would cost more than a reusable water bottle.
Plastic Water Bottle goes down for the count since buying a reusable water bottle is the cheapest option. The crowd goes crazy! Can the Plastic Water Bottle get up again, as the ref starts the count?
“Plastic, Plastic, Plastic,” the crowd yells.
Environmental Cost: The Jab to the Ribs
Well, maybe the wallet argument didn’t persuade the entire crowd. So the Plastic Water Bottle unbelievably beats the ref’s 30 second count.
The bell rings and the two bottles come out of their corners. The Reusable Water Bottle provides a swift blow to the Plastic Water Bottle’s weak petroleum based-body made from dwindling oil reserves.
As they continue to fight the following is revealed:
1. In 2012, the U.S. overall bottled water consumption totaled 9.67 billion gallons. Roughly 50 million barrels of oil or 13% of the US oil imports from Saudi Arabia were used in order to manufacture the bottles along with the energy used to refrigerate and transport the water.
2. A 2007 Canadian report indicated that the manufacturing of each 20.3 gram plastic water bottle emit 96g of greenhouse gases, which is almost four times the weight of the bottle. This number didn’t include greenhouse gas emission from transporting, water treatment, or bottling the water.
3. A 2009 study revealed that the energy associated with bottled water is 2000 times greater than the energy cost to produce tap water.
4. In 2010, 29.1% of PET (including the caps, labels glue resin, and other contaminants) were recycled with the balance headed for the landfills.
POW! A jab to the ribs and the Plastic Water Bottle looks dazed. Most of the crowd changes it tune when they realize the staggering environmental costs. They start chanting for the Klean Kanteen durable underdog.
“Steel man,” they scream.
Health Costs: The Final Blow
The Reusable Water Bottle is neither winded nor hurt. How could it be? It is made of durable, long lasting 18/10 food grade stainless steel inside and out. It is one tough cookie. So tough that it can even handle ice down his belly through its wide mouth without flinching.
Impressive, the crowd roars.
Let’s end this fight, says the Reusable Water Bottle. With a quick resolve, it pulls out the big guns. Yes, “plastic leaches chemicals” gun. He is toxic free, unlike his plastic counterpart.
The crowd gasps in horror.
He turns to the crowd and yells. “Tweet This. Good health is priceless. Ditch the Plastic Water Bottle.” ===> Click here. (You heard the man. Do it.)
He then lands a stinging fatal combination on the Plastic Water Bottle with the following arguments:
1. Studies have shown that phthalates, an endocrine hormone disruptor, can leach from the plastic over time. Disruption of the endocrine systems can lead to birth defects, cancer or developmental problems in children and babies. Remember, the Reusable Water Bottle is toxic free.
2. An 2007 Arizona State University study revealed that antimony leached from the plastic bottle. The levels exceeded the EPA’s limits while being stored or used at higher temperatures like in a garage in the summer or in the microwave.
3. A 2009 study revealed that plastic mineral water bottles contaminate drinking water with estrogenic chemicals.
Boom. TKO! The fight is over. Plastic fails to get up. Its single use just didn’t hold up to all the health concerns.
The crowd goes wild and chants “steel man, steel man, steel man” realizing it is a no brainer why they should ditch the weak plastic bottle. The financial, environmental and health costs are too must to bear to continue their plastic ways.
As for the Plastic Water Bottle, he landed in the nearest recycling container. And, yes, the Klean Kanteen Reusable Water Bottle got the girl. “It is a keeper,” says the girl.
Be a winner. You know what to do.
This post was sponsored by Klean Kanteen and Green Sisterhood.
karen says
You had me at Rocky vs. Apollo Creed. OMG! Hysterical but SAD. Always knew single use bottles were bad but now that you put the numbers in like this….can’t believe they are still making these bottles! I have 5 Klean Kanteen bottles in different sizes for my family of 5 – my dog has one too 🙂 – for about 6 years now and we don’t leave the house without it.
Great post Anna! Thanks for doing all the scary math! Off to share everywhere.
Anna@Green Talk says
Karen, I have to see the bottle for your dog! I hope others understand how plastic is just so damaging to us and the environment. Thanks for commenting. Anna
PS Would Rocky vs Mr T or that big scary Russian dude been more recognizable?
Mary Hunt says
I’m using my Kleen Kanteen right now as I’m sitting around the jury duty room today. First it carried my cold homemade green drink, then it became my water container, and now I have hot coffee in it. Can a plastic bottle do that?
Anna@Green Talk says
Mary Hunt, heck no! So add versatility to the mix. Plastic is so limiting in every dimension. Thanks for commenting. Anna
PS what was in your green drink?
Betsy (Eco-novice) says
This is a fun post, Anna! For me the biggest selling point is definitely the health aspect. I kind of get why people use disposable bottles — it’s just part of our disposable culture. We want to be able to use something once and then toss it without having to deal with remembering to take it home or wash it or whatever. The disposable ones are also a lot lighter. That being said, it’s really just a matter of a habit shift. All my kids have used stainless steel water bottles since 9 months. If a baby can heft SS to drink from instead of plastic, I think most kids and adults should be able to.
Anna@Green Talk says
One of the reason I included the health cost is some people will resonate with that concept better than the financial aspects. I agree. It is simply a habit shift.
Jenny B says
So hilarious! Yep, avoiding phthalates is one of my #1 goals, so I am attempting to reduce all plastic including plastic reusables. Today I put ice and water into my son’s stainless steel water bottle and 5 hours later it was STILL COLD. My daughter was carrying a plastic sippy with the same ice water put into it at the same time and it was warm after about an hour. Go stainless steel!
Anna@Green Talk says
Jenny, so which one is so much more convenient. Reusable! Anna
Betsy (Eco-novice) says
That is so true! If you store milk in a SS sippy, so much less wasted! My son was constantly forgetting to put it back in the fridge, but even after 30 min to an hour it would still be cold. NEVER had milk go bad in a SS sippy.
Anna@Green Talk says
Betsy, I would never have thought about the waste element. That’s brilliant. Anna
Michelle says
I have always preferred the taste of water from a glass. Good to know it is a healthy and green choice to use glass. We have an under the counter filter system and we refill glass bottles we purchased Kombucha in making the bottles bonus items. (Excuse my spelling)
Anna@Green Talk says
Michelle, yes glass and stainless steel is way greener than plastic. Love your reuse idea. Which under the counter filter system do you have? Does it take out fluoride? Anna
T. Caine says
Great article, Anna. There really is no comparison when it comes to drinking bottled water. Tap water in a reusable metal bottle is far and beyond the best solution, especially for the environment. Thanks for the summary with all the great stats.
Anna@Green Talk says
T. Caine, thanks for the compliment. What strikes me most is the health costs. PS love your blog! We are both LEED APs! Anna