Bottled water is the easiest thing to drop
Single-use plastic bottles are stored for months, shipped warm, and squeezed in the hand. Research has repeatedly found higher particle counts in bottled water than in tap water in the same regions. Switching to filtered tap water in a stainless steel bottle removes the container from the equation and saves money at the same time.
Filtering helps — but check what you're filtering into
A carbon block or reverse-osmosis filter reduces particulates. It does less good if the filtered water then sits in a plastic jug in the fridge door for three days. Glass or stainless carafes finish the job.
Kettles, jugs and bottles
- Plastic-interior kettles combine heat and water — the worst pairing. Choose stainless or glass.
- Filter jugs are often entirely plastic; a stainless or glass alternative is a permanent fix.
- Reusable plastic bottles scratch. Steel doesn't degrade the same way.
The step most people miss: ice
You can filter your water carefully and then drop three cubes into the glass that were frozen in a flexed, cracked plastic tray. Ice is water you drink undiluted, and the tray it comes from is the last plastic surface it touches. A stainless steel ice tray removes that final contact point.