RECYCLED: Empty water bottles are sorted out of the trash into large bins in the sorting area at Rainbow Disposal in Huntington Beach in this 2007 Register file photo.

Lost in a sea of water bottles, and don’t know what to do? Well, here’s a look at your options based on one family’s experiences:

Tapwater and glasses: The traditional method, used by me for years. I remember as a kid reusing my parents’ Schweppes bottles to drink water.

Problem: Not terribly portable, some folks in our household have a mistrust of tap water and I cut my hand badly with a cracked Schweppes bottle.

Drinking fountain: There’s  one on the trail where I run, at the library and the kids’ school. It’s how I got water as a kid.

Problem: It’s how everyone else gets water, too, and who knows what they leave behind. This 1997 story is about a kid who apparently found cleaner water in school toilets than in the drinking fountain. Not too sure of his science, but just the idea is unpalatable.

Disposable water bottles:  For more than two years, I sent my kids to school with disposable plastic water bottles, and a stern warning to bring them back for recycling. I saw about one in three return.

Problem: The trashed bottles, the time  and effort to recycle and no assurance that the water is necessarily better than tap. Plus, it cost me about $20 a month.

Reusable plastic sports bottles: We always seem to have a few, thanks to gifts and promotions, and they’re often larger than the disposables, making them better for sports events.

Problem: Bisphenol-A, or BPA, a chemical used in making many of these bottles, may be leeching into our water. Now, the bottle folks note that BPA is  permitted for use, and challenge criticisms of it.  But others say the chemical poses a potential health threat, especially to children.

Reusable, BPA-free bottles:  Rubbermaid has an entire listing (with pictures!) of its BPA-free products. I found bottles from this list at Sears and Target for $3 and $4, and stocked up on about six over several weeks.

Problem:  A lost bottle is money out of my pocket and some styles don’t shut too well. My son’s deskmates have elbowed these to the floor a few times, prompting his teacher to suggest we find a replacement.

Aluminum:  More durable than plastic and, sometimes, less expensive than steel. SIGG is one of the industry leaders, with high praise for durability. Some sharp designs, too.

Problems:  These can be pricey. Also, SIGG got some bad publicity over its liners, touted on the company’s Web site as part of what makes the bottles so good.  But the liners contained BPA.  SIGG has changed the liners since then. Backpackers’ note: Don’t put hot stuff in these bottles or let them freeze. That’s bad. Check out other options if you’re going to freezing climates.

Stainless steel: I’ve found no major criticisms of  stainless steel. It sort of reminds me of my cub scout canteen, though that was pretty cheap, and definitely made the water taste tinny. Go Green Travel Green held a smackdown to decide which of these ruled the roost. Want to buy one locally: Visit The Road Less Traveled store.

Problem: As with aluminum, cost is high. Also not great to freeze, though it can be done (just don’t fill it all the way). And it’s not a thermos, so don’t use it for hot stuff. 

Glass water bottles: No plastic or tinny flavors. Reminds me sort of like … drinking water from a glass. And some are pretty cheap — I’ve seen prices from $4 to $20, plus extra money for fancy recyclable holders.

Problem:  They’re thick (but so was the Schweppes bottle). I can just see me, or the kids, slipping and dropping one of these and then landing on the shards.

So what’s your choice? Where does the hassle meet the environment, and what balance do you strike? Take our poll.

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