Day Drinking
I’m great at prepping food in Pyrex and being careful to reuse plastic bags but my relationship with my gallon of water is a cycle of frustration for me. I need to drink a gallon of water a day I function at my best when at least a gallon comes from pure water that means I don’t count anything caffeinated as a part of my daily water intake. I’ve had every single water bottle on the market and have been back with my classic gallon for a while now. I know it’s bad. I went over to the house of my good friend who is tirelessly trying to save our planet to the point where I’ve seen her recycle the aluminum foil of a Reese’s wrappers when we were 16. I am in awe of the way this woman never gives up and I cannot look her or her dog in the eye again until I fix this.
If I’m being brutally honest I’d rather show up at my friend’s door with a collection of both of our lame ex-boyfriends for a hang out than with a plastic gallon on hand. Assembly that bunch would be a story worthy triumph in its own right. Companions like this pollute your life, it’s time to move on from my gallon with the same passion and zeal I have always enjoyed about reclaimed freedom.
Why do I go back to my gallon? (Three lame excuses for you to roll your eyes at)
1. Keeping track of 128oz intake is a pain if I have to bring 6+ reusable bottles with me places or keep refilling one. I never count how many times I’ve refilled it and I often do not drink enough. I don’t like drinking from the big metal ones while I drive because they rarely fit in a cup holder and I am always going somewhere. I often let the gallon ride shotgun and buckle it in.
2. Cleanliness. The human mouth is filthy more than metaphorically and I bring my water to filthy gyms so getting to recycle my gallon at the end of the day gives me the peace of mind that I don’t have to concern myself of how I am going to get rid of the germs all over it. I have a hatred for burning myself with hot water every time I clean my swell bottle and the dishwasher might not melt BPA free plastic but it does warp it. Recycling isn’t enough though because there's not always a use for some kinds of plastic so the best course of action is to reduce your need and in that your impact.
3. It’s easy. The plastic of the gallons weighs less than my monstrous metal canteens and while I prefer to always have enough water on me for the day when I am on the go these reusable bottles are incredibly cumbersome for a person already loaded more than a pack mule.
Nothing from the above is a valid reason for my sliding back into my bad plastics habit. If I can prep my meals so diligently how hard can it be to throw the clean reusable bottles in car for back up? It’s not hard. It is not expensive. I am going stop doing something that makes me feel guilty.