Bobble-icious

I've lived in Bergen County, N.J., for nearly 30 years, and I've never gotten used to the chlorinated taste of the tap water here. Just over on the other side of the Hudson River, New York City has great-tasting tap water, but for us in the burbs? Not so much.

Knowing the impact of bottled water on the environment (every year nearly 1.5 million barrels of oil are used to make plastic water bottles), it has bothered me that I have to buy individual water bottles for drinking for me and my family. Which is why I'm excited about my latest find: Bobble, a BPA-free water bottle made from recycled plastic, with a built-in charcoal filter. It makes my tap water taste every bit as good as bottled water. Since I can fill it up about 300 times before I have to replace the filter, that's 300 water bottles that don't end up in the recycling bin (and at under $10 a Bobble, anywhere from $70 to $300 saved). My thirst is slaked and my conscience soothed.

Since the first rule of green meetings is to eschew individual water bottles, this seems like it would make a great — and sponsorable — giveaway.