Saturday, February 27, 2016

Kicking the water bottle habit...

I see way too many people, myself included, who drink too much bottled water.  Recently, we found out about a proposed water bottling plant coming to the area.  Which is going to devastate the local environment.  Plastic bottles are awful for the environment.   They are not recycled often enough.  So this is a post about how to lessen your use of bottled water.  First, buy a reusable bottle or cup.  I bought a great glass one (with a silicone 'jacket') at Costco.  I've also bought ceramic 'coffee cups' there that again, have the silicone lids and hand grip.  You can buy nalgene water bottles, or aluminium if you want something lighter.  Fill them up at home, and take them with you.
A few of the various water bottles I own.  You can find them in a lot of spaces.

But! But I don't like the taste of my water!  I like the kiwi-watermelon flavor!  I like raspberry-cherry!  It is so easy to make flavored water at home!  And you can come up with some amazing flavors.  Steep an herbal tea and add a cup to a pitcher of water...  I buy frozen fruit in the winter, and freeze fruit in summer, almost any fruit, except bananas, will work...  Think outside the box, cukes, herbs, extracts, rose water, vanilla (I love vanilla and lemon)...  If you are making a fruit salad, add a slice or two to your water pitcher.   
The pitcher here has tap water and frozen cherries and raspberries.  Fresh also work.  

And the benefit to making your own flavored water is that you control the sweetening, the flavoring.  I personally hate the artificial sweeteners out there, and most commercial products are too sweet.  What are some of your fave water additions?