With the turtles in mind, many of us have ditched our Poland Springs and put our reusable water bottles to work. What first was a means to save the environment soon became an accessory- a statement of fashion, even.
The water bottle that first took the world by storm was the Hydro Flask. Sporting various colors and sizes, as well as boasting sustainability and temperature control, Hydro Flasks were in backpack side-pockets across the country. It began as a bottle associated with what were named “VSCO girls”, a style that consisted of seashell necklaces, and of course, the Hydro Flask. However, as years went by, it garnered a much simpler reputation: a simple bottle that kept your drink cold.
Within the past few years, however, Hydro Flasks have begun to gather dust on Target shelves. Into the hands of students and adults is the Stanley Cup: a robust metal mug with a straw. The Stanley Cup was different from the Hydro Flask in that it was “cuter”. Additionally, adorning a large handle, the Stanley Cup is meant to be held at all times during movement. Water bottle pockets have become less necessary, and this drove the Stanley Cup to be even more of a fashion statement than a Hydro Flask.
In recent months, however, a new competitor has risen to the forefront: the Owala bottle. With two ways to drink: a straw and chug hole (but the chug hole goes mostly untouched), the Owala seems to have taken over the Stanley Cup and Hydro Flask by the handful. With their unique color combinations, it’s easy to spot an Owala Bottle from down the hallway. I myself have owned an Owala bottle for over a year. I love it mostly because it’s super easy to drink out of the straw, unlike other bottles that have rubber around the mouth piece that make it difficult to sip. However, this doesn’t mean the Stanley Cup is out of the game just yet, as many still swear by the pot-like mugs.
The obsession with our society for reusable water bottles is ironic, however. At first, they were meant to replace the single use plastic bottle in an effort to lower plastic use and pollution. However, we’ve seen the water bottle craze contribute to our society’s problem with overconsumption and over consumerism. People have become obsessed with water bottles, purchasing 5, 10, 15 Stanley Cups in all different colors- matching them with outfits and having one for each day of the week. The point of a replacement for single-use plastic water bottles is blunted when people are purchasing unnecessary amounts of bottles, as production of Stanley Cups and other reusable bottles also utilize Earth’s resources and contribute to pollution.
So, while you may be tempted to purchase the new Stanley Cup or Owala color, take a moment to remember why we ditched those plastic bottles in the first place.