What You'll Need
- Old plastic water bottle
- Water
- Freezer
- Cooler
Instructions
We all know that you can't reuse water bottles containing BPA because then they leech toxins into the water every time they are reused (or at least I HOPE we all know that by now). However, that doesn't mean those old bottles are no good or that you should toss them right into the recycle bin! Recycling plastic is a very energy and water intensive process, and cannot be done ad infinitum. Clearly, the best solution of what to do with plastic single use water bottles is NOT TO BUY THEM. However, even the best of us on rare occasions get stuck somewhere where bottled water is our only option. The next time this happens to you, think of it as an opportunity to save some water this summer, rather than waste it. Here's how:
Step 1: Before you do anything else, make a promise to yourself to bring your stainless steel water bottle next time so you won't need to repeat this procedure.
Step 2: Drink all of the water in your water bottle (don't waste any water just to do this!). Then take off any labeling.
Step 3: Fill the bottle up three quarters of the way with water. Then screw the top back on and duct tape it so that no water can leak out.
Step 4: Put the bottle in your freezer.
Step 5: The next time you need to fill your cooler up with ice, just take this bottle out of the freezer and stick it in your cooler. It will help keep things cool for several hours as it melts.
Step 6: Rinse and repeat! This same water bottle can be used many times. Eventually you will need to open the top and top it off with water. A few of these things however can keep you going for months at a time!
