water+containers

=__Water Containers__=

__** Canteens   **__
Information: Canteens can be made of tin-plated steel, stainless steel, aluminium, or plastics. However, the most popular material used today is plastic; most commonly polyethylene or polycarbonate. These plastics are heavy duty and very durable, making them impact resistant and ideal for activities such as hiking, camping, and other outdoor activities. The thick plastic allows the canteen to insulate the hot or cold liquid inside. These types of canteens are commonly found in the army and are soldiers’ main type of water container. A traditional canteen holds one quart of liquid, approximately 0.95 liters, but two quart canteens can also be found. The prices of these canteens range from $3.00 - $8.00 making them relatively inexpensive. These types of canteens do not have specific manufacturers, but can be easily purchased online or in any military-like store.

Pros: Cons: (Cody Pixley)
 * Tough & Durable
 * Inexpensive
 * Reusable
 * Holds a large amount of water for a portable container
 * Polyethylene plastic said to be safest plastic for containing water
 * Insulates the hot/cold beverage well
 * May be larger than what users are looking for or are used to for a water container
 * Polycarbonate plastic canteens contain the hormone disruptor bisphenol-A (BPA), which can leach out when the canteen ages, is heated, or exposed to acidic solutions. (It is possible for BPA to cause reproductive damage or birth defects)

**__ Plastic Water Containers __**
When in a store, looking for plastic water bottles to buy, you tend to either buy the cheapest ones you find or buy the brand that you have always bought. This could possibly be DANGEROUS to you. Some types of plastics carry chemicals that can be harmful to the body. Those chemicals can leach from the bottle into your water. There are three main types of plastics that you want to steer clear of. The types of plastic are, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Polystyrene (PS), and Polycarbonate. These three plastics are common and all can be harmful, so when you are at a store and want to buy a plastic water container, you should look out for those and look for these, they are much better plastics. The healthier plastics are, Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET or PETE), High Density Polyethylene, Low Density Polyethylene, and Polypropylene. Pros:
 * Polyvinyl Chloride - This type of plastic commonly contains di-2-ehtylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), which is an endocrine disruptor and human carcinogen, which is anything that can cause cancer, meaning that this type of plastic has a chance to increase the risk of getting cancer.
 * Polystyrene-This type of plastic has the chemical styrene, and it may leach this chemical into your water. This chemical also is an endocrine disruptor and can cause cancer in humans.
 * Polycarbonate- Unfortunately, this is a very commonly found plastic in water containers. It is used in most baby bottles, five gallon jugs and many reusable sports bottles. This plastic contains a hormone disruptor, Bisphenol-A, which can leach out as a bottle ages, is exposed to heat, or if a bottle is exposed to any acidic solutions. This means that when you heat up your baby’s milk in a bottle that contains this plastic, you are putting the baby at risk.
 * Polyethylene Terephthalate- This is the most common and most easily recycled kind of plastic for bottled water and soft drinks. It has also been considered the safest kind of plastic water container. However, in 2003, and Italian study found that the amount of DEHP in bottled spring water increased after 9 months of storage in a bottle with this kind of plastic. So all that means is that if you are looking for bottles of water that you will be storing in you basement in case of emergency, don’t use this kind of plastic.
 * High Density Polyethylene- This plastic is the high density version of the plastic polyethylene. It is harder and stronger. It is lighter than water and can be moulded, machined, and joined together using welding.
 * Low Density Polyethylene- This plastic is the low density version of the plastic polyethylene. It has less hardness, stiffness and strength compared to the High Density Polyethylene. It is semi-see-through. This plastic is used for packaging. Used in foils, trays, plastic bags, protective coating on paper, textiles and other plastics.
 * Polypropylene- This plastic is a thermoplastic polymer. It is used in a wide variety of applications, including packaging, textiles, laboratory equipment, automotive components, and plastic water containers.
 * Inexpensive, the cost of a plastic water container is between $1.00(ex. poland springs bottle) to $24.99(ex. Sigg Rise plastic water bottle)
 * Reusable
 * Recyclable
 * Good for on the go (if you need a water bottle for a sport, you can buy plastic water bottles that are already filled in bulk and just grab one for that day)

Cons: (Brad)
 * Can cause cancer
 * Source of a lot of litter
 * Can leach chemicals into water

**__ Nalgene Bottles __**
Nalgene bottles are made of polycarbonate which is a type of plastic that is clear, lightweight, heat resistant, and shatter resistant – a significant safety advantage. This unique combination of attributes makes polycarbonate a great material for a wide variety of applications, many of them involving direct contact with foods and beverages. In addition to baby bottles, common examples include reusable sports water bottles (e.g., Nalgene® and other brands), containers for storing and microwaving food, and tableware, such as plates and cups. These are some upsides of the Nalgene, and everywhere ive looked they all seem to be within the 10-20 dollar range. Which is quite cheap considering the durability and usefullness of the actual bottle.

As for the downside though, the nalgene does have some potent effects on developing children and people in general. From the picture below you can clearly see that the bottle is clear, appears to be light, and looks sturdy. Nalgene has actually issued a statement about their products being unsafe. (Nalgene) has announced that it is transitioning to bottles made of different materials. However, Nalgene states that this is not a product recall, and it contends that the polycarbonate bottles made from BPA are safe. Nalgene and the European environmental board continue to deny any such danger in their bottles, The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has today announced its opinion on dietary exposure to the chemical bisphenol A (BPA). People are exposed to BPA in food through its use in certain plastic and other materials that are used in products such as bottles and cans. EFSA’s scientific AFC Panel[1], has concluded that the setting of a full rather than a temporary Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) is now appropriate, following an extensive review, including all available new data from the last five years. People’s dietary exposure to BPA, including that of infants and children, is estimated to be well below the new TDI. Nalgene and polycarbonate manufacturing companies like Swiss all assure that their projects are 100% safe. Pros: Cons:
 * Light weight
 * Durable
 * Reusable
 * Shatter Proof
 * Heat Resistant
 * Easily Transported
 * Cheap
 * May have some crippling effects
 * Has caused deformation in infants and developing children
 * Contains some potentially dangerous chemicals

(Pat)

__** Thermos **__
 Info: Thermos: A vacuum bottle used to keep beverages hot or cold. Thermos’s are usually made with a stainless steel exterior and a glass “vacuum flask” which keeps the temperature the same. Thermos’s are made out of a stainless steel exterior protecting a glass interior. They are mainly used to keep liquids warm or cold for extended periods of time, but can be used as normal water containers. They are slightly heavier than normal water bottles. It costs roughly $10.00 to make a Thermos. The retail value of an average thermos is between $15.00 and $50.00. A thermos is a very good safe durable water container for those who don’t mind the extra weight. Pros: Cons: (Josh)
 * High-grade steel, double-walled with vacuum insulation
 * Taste-neutral, resistant to fruit acids & isotonic drinks
 * Durable stainless steel construction will not rust, tarnish or stain
 * Top lid also functions as drinking cup
 * BPA-free
 * Leak proof screw top loosens half turn for simple pouring
 * Eco-friendly – completely reusable & 100% recyclable
 * Keeps drinks hot or cold for up to 8 hours
 * Thermos are bigger than a normal water bottle
 * Heavy
 * Good breeding ground for bacteria if not cleaned well
 * Slightly more fragile than a normal water container


 * __ Best Choices __**

__ Health __ __ Cost __ __ Practicality __ (Austin Davy)
 * A lot of health issues can be brought up with all of the blastic water containers. The average plastic water bottle can cause cancer and leaks multiple chemicals into the water, especially when reused.
 * Canteens leach BPA in them, which is can also cause cancer. Although, Polyethylene is said to be the safest plastic to contain water in.
 * Nalgene bottles can cause crippling or deformation, especially in young, developing children.
 * Thermoses are most likely the best health choice of the four. They may harbor bacteria, but if they are cleaned well they are not a health hazard like the other three types of common water containers.
 * Canteens range from $3 to $8. Canteens are most likely the cheapest choice overall, because they are reusable, and also they generally cost much less than the other two choices of reusable water bottles.
 * Average plastic water bottles can be found as cheap as $1. They come the cheapest, but because they are not great water bottles to reuse, they must be replaced often.
 * Nalgene water bottles range from about $10 to $20. They are also reusable, but are not the best choice in price range.
 * Thermoses range anywhere from about $10 to $50, so they are more likely the least favorable choice when considering cost.
 * Canteens are larger than most people like to have with them, and are not easy to store in a purse or small bag.
 * Plastic water bottles are the easiest to transport, and are the size most people like to have. Of all the choices, they fit best in a small bag or small space. They are probably the most practical of all four types of water containers.
 * Naglene bottles are far larger than most people would like to carry with them.
 * Thermoses are the least practical of the four common types of water containers. They are usually significantly heavier than the other four, and they are much bigger than a normal water bottle, making them the most difficult to transport. They also tend to be more fragile than most water bottles.

Bibliography:
 * http://www.armynavymilitarysurplus.com/images/product/3369.jpg
 * [|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canteen_(bottle])
 * http://www.designinsite.dk/htmsider/m0002.htm
 * http://www.designinsite.dk/htmsider/m0003.htm
 * http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/101/plastic
 * [|http://www.dictionary.com]
 * http://kismif.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/nalgene-bottle.jpg
 * http://www.savetheworld.com/reuse/thermos
 * http://en.allexperts.com/q/Food-Safety-Issues-767/Storing-liquids-Stainless-Steel.htm
 * http://home.howstuffworks.com/thermos2.htm
 * http://www.freepatentsonline.com/5588197.html