Design Life-Cycle

Julia Hogan

Design 40A

Christina Cogdell

Fall 2014

Klean Kanteen Waste & Emissions

        The increased negative environmental affects of producing, shipping and consuming of plastic water bottles has dramatically hurt our environment. The creators of the Klean Kanteen, the Cresswell family, saw this huge flaw in design of water bottles and put it upon themselves to make them more environmentally friendly. In 2004 the family developed durable stainless steel solutions to replace the toxic one-use water bottles. Not only are the materials used to create the bottle renewable, but also their processing center and ways of distributions are increasingly environmentally conscious. The Cresswells are constantly looking for ways to decrease their company’s carbon footprint and are a part of multiple organizations with goals to help fix the problems and emissions of mass production. Companies including, 1% For The Planet, the B Corporation, and Green Mountain Energy. The Cresswells say, “The reason Klean Kanteen exists is because we wanted to give consumers a safe, healthy, BPA-free alternative to plastic, a bottle that's reusable, environmentally sustainable and durable enough to last a lifetime”[1]. This paper will primarily be focused on the energy used in the lifecycle of the Klean Kanteen, and its affect on the environment by how it’s produced. Showing many reasons as to why it’s an over all more earth friendly option then the typical plastic water bottle that litters our world today.

Raw Materials Acquisition

        The Klean Kanteen is primarily made up of 18-8 food grade stainless steel, lead-free acrylic paint, BPA-free polypropylene #5 and food grade silicone. The main material that makes up the bottle is 18-8 stainless steel, the numbers stand for the percent of each substance; 18% chromium and 8% nickel.  The other elements are, manganese, silicon, copper, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, molybdenum, zirconium, and titanium [6]. This mixture is highly known for being food grade level, it has great resistance to rust, and stain because of the chromium in the steel. The other materials such as the lead-free paint is used to coat the outside, which is just for look, the polypropylene is for the caps as well as the food grade silicone. 

        The stainless steel is composed of iron ore, which is obtained by drilling. After obtaining the iron you use the technique called smelting to heat up the element, then using an oxygen furnace to lower the level of impurities in the iron and then add the other chemicals as mentioned earlier to create the stainless steel [3]. Stainless steel is one of the most sustainable materials that we have, it’s extremely recyclable and is easy for different uses. According to the Outokumpu stainless steel company, “The most substantial environmental impacts which result from stainless steel production process include emissions of dust and particulates into the air, discharges of water from production plants, and the high levels of direct and indirect energy consumption during production” [4]. The production of stainless steel is the only true negative factor of the material, once produced it has many uses and can be easily recycled.

The Acrylic paint is made from water, latex, titanium oxide, calcium carbonate, potassium, zinc and other additive that’s necessary. The third material used in this product is silicone, which is the liner around the lid to keep it leak proof. Silicon is the main element in this material; under high heat and pressure it creates the silicone rubber used extensively today. However it is a plastic and isn’t biodegradable which makes it less appealing to use, although in their design it’s a small piece.

Manufacturing, Processing and Formulation

        All the bottles are crafted hand made with some use of machines to create the curved bottle shape. “Using pieces of stainless steel welded together by hand and then electro polished for a smooth, shiny interior” [5]. Human power is mainly the prime mover for this factory, they do a lot of the molding and welding together. It wasn’t clear in my findings but based off of other similar companies I would say that Klean Kanteen gets their materials to China and from there is where they make the product. From then on they send the packaged product out and are delivered by trucks. “Between the years 2008-2010 the amount of electricity used in creating the Klean Kanteen was 155,000 pounds of CO2” [5].  The amount of energy used to create these and transport largely comes from the distribution between China and Chico, CA, where they are based. Overall to make the 27 oz. bottles takes 90,675,872 joules, which is about 247 grams” [5]. The company is working on lowering the numbers, to help reduce their carbon foot print with their industry.

Distribution and Transportation

This process takes place in China, which some might be skeptical about. However the Cresswell family says they only do it there because they can make the healthier, and cleanest water bottle for a reasonable price there, instead of somewhere close, otherwise it would be too pricey. However because of that it increases the CO2 emissions due to transportation of materials and final products. The Klean Kanteen headquarters are located in Chico California, which is approximately 6,445 miles away from China [7]. The company has joined with a couple different environmentally friendly organizations such as, the Green Mountain Energy. In 2010 they started The Green Shipping Program, where a portion of the shipping charges were used to buy carbon offsets equal to the amount that it takes to ship the item. For example, one shipment is like planting 3 trees, not driving 45 miles, recycling 60 pounds of newspaper and recycling 1,240 cans. Not only do they do that, but their website is powered by Canvas Dreams, which is solely run on wind power. Another way of producing waste would be the types of materials they ship their product in. However they also figured out a way to make that eco friendly, by recycling “post consumer waste or made from materials certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)” [7]. Overall, the shipment to the customer is completely eco friendly by their carbon offsets and recycled shipping materials.

Use, Re-Use & Maintenance

        The bottles are made to last an extreme amount of time, the heavy-duty yet lightweight stainless steel with the durable polypropylene helps it last for years. The purpose for the company was to make a water bottle that can be used for a lifetime, made from eco friendly materials. The durability has been tested by many and the company’s website has a survey where you can document how long your bottle has lasted or the reason for purchasing another one. The bottles can be cleaned by hand or machine, the paint may chip a bit, but only after excessive use. Also the material used to make the bottle doesn’t allow for tastes to linger, therefor another reason it can be used forever. The point is that for every consumer, you only need one, unlike other bottles that cause you to buy multiple within the years.

Recycling

        All together the materials used in the Klean Kanteen are 75% recyclable, “18/8 stainless steel is a sustainable material, having a long service life, usability in a number of applications and is environmentally friendly” [9]. The bottle was made with the mindset to be as earth friendly as possible, and compared to all other bottles on the market today, it is. Not only the bottle is recycled but they shipping packing is as well, like mentioned before. The materials, making and recycling of the product is all eco friendly. The stainless steel is a great material to recycle and have multiple uses, most stainless steel is made out of fragments of other recycled parts.

Klean Kanteen has also been a member of the 1% For The Planet organization since 2008. Where the company donates 1% of their annual sales to non-profits that work to conserve and protect the environment. They have given to almost 75 different non-profits to help the environment. Their headquarters are also recycling, “it has composting as well as office-wide recycling program for paper, plastic, cardboard, glass & metal; Uses 100% renewable energy at corporate facilities”[10]. Their dedication to being renewable is huge, they do so much in different ways to “keep clean”.

Waste Management

        The Klean Kanteen should last for a significant amount of time, however when it comes time you want to dispose it, it can be recycled. They also have a warranty program, “We are proud of the materials and workmanship that goes into each Klean Kanteen and back our products with a Lifetime Warranty” [6]. Although some research points against the stainless steel bottle idea by saying; “Producing that 300-gram stainless steel bottle requires seven times as much fossil fuel, releases 14 times more greenhouse gases, demands the extraction of hundreds of times more metal resources and causes hundreds of times more toxic risk to people and ecosystems than making a 32-gram plastic bottle” [11].  The blog goes on to say in the end it does make more sense however in the long run for people to have one reusable bottle. Rather then constantly buying and throwing away the one time plastic bottles.

Conclusion

        While their system isn’t completely flawless they seem to be the closest company to being perfect. They run like a normal business with production across the globe and packages sent worldwide. Yet they do so much to help offset their emissions. By, buying carbon offsets, donating 1% of their annual sales to non-profits and keeping with a high standard of earth friendly quality. Not to mention the recycled shipping materials, their website ran on wind power and their headquarters recycling and using 100% renewable energy. Compared to other bottles on the market, epically the one time use ones, Klean Kanteen is the best and most environmentally safe pick.

Work Cited

[1] "Klean Kanteen Partner Green Mountain Energy and GreenShip Program." Klean Kanteen. January 8, 2014. Accessed December 7, 2014. Http://www.kleankanteen.com/pages/green-mountain-energy.

[2] Klean Kanteen (www.reuseit.com/)

http://www.reuseit.com/help/klean-kanteen.htm

[3] "About Steel." World Steel Association -. Accessed December 8, 2014. http://www.worldsteel.org/faq/about-steel.html.

[4] "Outokumpu – an International Stainless Steel Company." Outokumpu – Outokumpu Annual Report 2010. March 7, 2011. Accessed December 8, 2014. http://ar2010.outokumpu.com/outokumpu.

[5] "Kanteen 101: Why Klean Kanteen? The Original Stainless Steel Bottle." Klean Kanteen. January 8, 2014. Accessed December 8, 2014. http://www.kleankanteen.com/pages/why-klean.

[6] "Sustainability Details." Klean Kanteen. January 8, 2014. Accessed December 8, 2014. http://www.kleankanteen.com/pages/sustainability-details.

[7] "Distance from Chico to ..." Distance Calculator. June 10, 1999. Accessed December 9, 2014. http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/distances.html?n=3265.

[8] "Sustainability Details." Klean Kanteen. January 8, 2014. Accessed December 9, 2014. http://www.kleankanteen.com/pages/sustainability-details.

[9] "Stainless Steel Water Bottles." Stainless Steel Water Bottles. June 18, 2010.

Accessed December 9, 2014. http://www.pure-earth.com/stainlessbottles.htm.

[10] "B Corporation." Klean Kanteen. August 25, 2014. Accessed December 9, 2014. http://www.bcorporation.net/community/klean-kanteen.

[11] "Cervantes." Cervantes. April 19, 2009. Accessed December 9, 2014. https://abluteau.wordpress.com/2009/04/page/67/.

Nini Chu

Design 40A

Fall 2014

Klean Kanteen-The Raw Materials

                Bring your own bottle this idea became a common sense to people since more and more people have environmental awareness in nowadays. If you choose a reusable water bottle that was made from good materials, then it would not only help the earth reduce the plastic water bottles we produced each year, but also help you avoid the toxic substances that have been create when you pour the hot water, hot coffee, or hot tea into the bottle that made from inappropriate  materials. Klean Kanteen’s goal is to provide everyone a better option when they drink; let people be able to drink with a safe, reusable bottle that is free of Bisphenol A and other toxic substances.

                People love the convenience of plastic bottled water. But maybe they would start drink more from a glass at home or carrying water in a reusable steel container instead of plastic when they realized the problems that plastic water bottles causes. The shortcomings of using plastic water bottles are it consumed a lot of fossil fuels while produce it and it also cause a serious pollution to environment during its produce process. The factories emission greenhouse gases; they produced more than 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide each year. People all around the world consumed around 50 billion plastic water bottles every year, and about 29 billion plastic water bottles were consumed in the America. The energy put into make all these bottles is quite scary, manufacturers consumed 17 million barrels of crude oil while produce the plastic water bottles, and it actually took 3 liters of water to produce 1 liter of plastic water bottle.

               Robert Seals, the inventor and founder of Klean Kanteen, recognized the problems of health and environmental issues with the plastic use back in 2002 when the issues were not widely known at that time yet. He began work on the first prototype with things that he bought at the local hardware store in Chico, California. Robert introduced the 27oz Klean Kanteen to the people in 2004, he wants to give people a better option than plastic and lined aluminum bottles (Klean Kanteen: The Original Stainless Steel BPA-free Water Bottle).

               Klean Kanteen’s stainless steel water bottles are made from 100% 18/8 food-grade stainless steel, and BPA-free polypropylene #5 (Klean Kanteen). The ingredients of the 18/8 food-grade stainless steel include chromium, nickel, manganese, silicon, copper, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, molybdenum, zirconium, and titanium. Iron ore is a necessary material in making steel, and it’s obtained through mining. Mining is a process that involves the extraction of ore from the earth, usually through the use of explosives and machinery. For the silicon, it is a relatively plentiful material and can be found as sand or glass. The use BPA-free polypropylene #5 for their water bottles’ caps. Plastics as a whole are derived from petroleum, which is obtained via drilling. They also use a safe, lead-free, acrylic paint for the graphic decorations on the bottles.

             According to Klean Kanteen, “Klean Kanteens were designed using 18/8 stainless steel specifically because of its track record as a safe material for food contact applications. Ingredients of the stainless steel used to make Klean Kanteens include chromium, nickel, manganese, silicon, copper, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, molybdenum, zirconium, and titanium. Recent third-party laboratory testing confirms these are the ingredients, and indicate the metals do not migrate under a range of food-simulating conditions per France and Germany's stringent food-contact standards (we’ve found these standards more rigorous than FDA food-contact standards and test our Kanteens accordingly). While plastic and aluminum bottle manufacturers have moved on to new “BPA-free” materials after strong public outcry, these companies still don’t disclose their ingredients, including the liner of aluminum bottles, and leave consumers to wonder what ingredients they might be exposed to” (Sustainability Details). Klean Kanteen is pretty open to their customers, they are willing to let their customers know what kind of materials they use for their products, and why they choose those materials. They don’t overuse the word “sustainability”, because they take that word seriously. They have high standard of what they use for their products, and what the products are going to present to their customers.

            All Klean Kanteen bottles are handcrafted by workers, the steel body of the bottle is welded together by hand, shaped to the correct size, and then electropolished for a smooth and shiny finish(Klean Kanteen: The Original Stainless Steel BPA-free Water Bottle). Even though they’re open to their customers about what they use for their stainless steel water bottles, but I can’t find where do Klean Kanteen buy the materials for their stainless steel from. Klean Kanteen says their stainless steel supplier maintains the ISO 9001 certification, as well as the more intensive ISO/TS 16949 quality management certification required for stainless steel suppliers of auto manufacturers. So I was going to assume that they bought the steel from some company in the US because I thought ISO 9001 is only work in the US. But according to the wikipedia, ISO, as known as the International Organization for Standardization, is an international standard-setting body composed of representatives from various national standards organizations (International Organization for Standardization). ISO has 164 national members, and the top 1 of the top 10 countries for ISO 9001 certificates is China, it has 297,037 certificates. So I assume Klean Kanteen bought their raw materials for the stainless steel from some company in China since the Klean Kanteen’s factory is in China, and the bottles are manufactured in China.

             Klean Kanteen don’t use BPA as their raw materials because BPA is a dangerous and harmful substance. Klean Kanteen was also the first company in the bottle industry to identify BPA as a dangerous and harmful substance. As Klean Kanteen says “We use BPA-free polypropylene #5 (pp#5) for caps that need to be molded because, unlike many "proprietary" plastics, we know what it's made of. We also offer durable and beautiful stainless steel caps which are constructed with zero plastic, making it possible to create a 100% stainless environment inside your bottle” (Kanteen 101: Features and Anatomy of a Klean Kanteen). Klean Kanteen has strong faith of what they use for their product, even though Klean Kanteen’s caps are BPA-free they still offer stainless steel caps as an option for people who don’t want to have any plastics for their bottles.

            Klean Kanteen not only make their steel bottles with their environmental awareness mind, they also choose to use eco-friendly materials for their packaging. From the hangtags on the bottles to the boxes and other materials they use to ship their products, the materials are all recycled from post-consumer waste or made from materials certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).  Klean Kanteen’s in-store displays are also made from FSC-certified wood and are finished with low VOC, environmentally friendly, water-based stains (Sustainability Details).

           Klean Kanteens use 18/8, food-grade stainless steel. The numbers stand for the percentages of chromium and nickel in the steel, 18% and 8% respectively (Klean Kanteen Customer Service: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)). Chromium increases the metal's hardness and nickel gives it strength. Stainless steel is easy to clean, and sanitary. That’s why Klean Kanteen specifically choose to use the 18/8, food-grade stainless steel, because it can last for a long time.

          Klean Kanteen’s bottles can actually be UP-cyled, which mean that they can be made into something equal or better, so the bottles would not just been thrown to landfills as a waste when you decide to get a new bottle. It’s actually a tool that anyone can use to immediately stop contributing of throw-away items that fill our oceans, and landfills (Sustainability Details).

          Reduce is a more useful way that can last longer than recycle. One way to help the environment slow down the pollution that human did to it could be bring your own reusable bottle. Klean Kanteen choose the raw materials for their stainless steel bottle responsibly. They specifically use the steel, unlike other companies that chose to use plastics as their materials, so the bottles won’t produce any toxic substances when you pour the hot water, hot tea, or hot coffee in your bottles. The high quality metal also let the bottles stay stainless and shiny for a long time, so you won’t have to worry too much about how to maintain your bottle in a good shape.

Work Cited

"Bottled Water Facts." Ban the Bottle RSS. Web. 24 Nov. 2014. <http://www.banthebottle.net/bottled-water-facts/>.

Chin, Ren. "WORLD PUBLIC UNION." Plastic Numbers To Avoid. 1 June 2013. Web. 1 Dec. 2014. <http://www.worldpublicunion.org/2013-06-01-NEWS-plastic-numbers-to-avoid-bpa-numbers.html>.

Fox, Catherine. "Water Bottle Pollution -- National Geographic Kids." National Geographic. Web. 24 Nov. 2014.

<http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/stories/spacescience/water-bottle-pollution/>.

"How Products Are Made." How Stainless Steel Is Made. Web. 1 Dec. 2014. <http://www.madehow.com/Volume-1/Stainless-Steel.html>.

"International Organization for Standardization." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Nov. 2014. Web. 30 Nov. 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Organization_for_Standardization>.

"ISO 9000." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 30 Nov. 2014. Web. 1 Dec. 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_9000>.

"Klean Kanteen Customer Service: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)." Klean Kanteen. Web. 2 Dec. 2014. <http://www.kleankanteen.com/pages/faq>.

"Kanteen 101: Features and Anatomy of a Klean Kanteen." Klean Kanteen. Web. 1 Dec. 2014. <http://www.kleankanteen.com/pages/features>.

"Klean Kanteen." Klean Kanteen. Web. 30 Nov. 2014. <http://www.realcostkiosk.org/RCK/Real_Cost_Kiosk/Klean_Kanteen.html>.

"Klean Kanteen: Responsibly and Ethically Manufactured in China." Klean Kanteen. Web. 2 Dec. 2014. <http://www.kleankanteen.com/pages/responsible-made-gme>.

"Klean Kanteen: The Original Stainless Steel BPA-free Water Bottle." Klean Kanteen. Web. 24 Nov. 2014. <http://www.kleankanteen.com/pages/about-us>.

"Pacific Institute: Research for People and the Planet." Pacific Institute. 1 Feb. 2007. Web. 24 Nov. 2014. <http://pacinst.org/publication/bottled-water-and-energy-a-fact-sheet/>.

Pennybacker, Mindy. "GreenerPenny." : SAFEST PLASTICS FOR HOLDING FOOD. 7 Apr. 2010. Web. 1 Dec. 2014. <http://greenerpenny.blogspot.com/2010/04/safest-plastics-for-holding-food.html>.

Schriever, Norm. "Plastic Water Bottles Causing Flood of Harm to Our Environment." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 29 July 2013. Web. 24 Nov. 2014.

<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/norm-schriever/post_5218_b_3613577.html>.

"Sustainability Details." Klean Kanteen. Web. 1 Dec. 2014. <http://www.kleankanteen.com/pages/sustainability-details>.

"UNT Sustainability." Bring Your Own Bottle. Web. 30 Nov. 2014. <https://sustainable.unt.edu/byob>.

Patricia Low

DES 040A

ID — 912416494

12/07/14

EE of C(K)lean C(K)anteen!

        Plastic bottles has been an issue among our society for the past decade. From the 20th century up to the 21st, plastic bottles were notoriously known for being lightweight,  easy to carry around, required less space, and easily drinkable. When manufacturing companies discovered that the production of plastic was harmful for our environment, immediate action was taken. Companies such as; Arrowhead, have tried altering their bottles by using less plastic to minimize the amount of harm done; however, this was not enough. In 2004, When Klean Kanteen released and introduced its first stainless steel refillable water bottle— a 27 ounce stainless steel onto the market— the founder, Robert Seals, hit jackpot. Due to the bottles safe, lightweight, and eco friendly materials, the public preferred Klean Kanteen over plastic bottles and other stainless steel water bottles. Although the company is based in Chico, California, most of the bottles are made in China using 18/8 food-grade stainless steel and Bisphenol A (BPA) for the caps. Since stainless steel is not considered a primary resource, iron ore must be extracted. After going through extraction, ingredients in the stainless steel such as chromium, nickel, manganese, silicon, copper, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, molybdenum, zirconium, and titanium are included to make Klean Kanteen. When it comes to producing high quality stainless steel bottles lasting a lifetime, enormous amounts of energy is expended making the product more harmful than good.
        The goal of Klean Kanteen was to create a sustainable and durable bottle that would thrive within the future. As successful as they currently are, the production of this product has significant ramifications. As previously stated, the bottle uses 18/8 food-grade stainless steel; high quality stainless steel that does not retain flavors or require a liner. Although the product is durable, reliable, and guaranteed to be lifetime, numerous amounts of energy are exerted within the production of a single bottle. In accordance with a statistical measurement found through Daniel Goleman and Gregory Norris: How Green Is My Bottle?, “Producing stainless steel requires a global supply of chain involving more than 1,400 steps, each with its own impact to environment” (Goleman and Norris). This makes stainless steel the most energy— intensive to make. Iron ores; the primary component in the creation of stainless steel, must be processed then extracted to become a useful source of metal. Therefore, additional energy will be utilized within the process of a bottle. In the article, Mining of Iron Ores, blogger Satyendra discusses how iron ore is obtained:

“Drilling in the benches of open pit mining is done for production of iron ore with

mechanized drills specific for each mining method. The main objective of drilling

operations is to create a hole of suitable diameter, depth and direction in rock for

explosives to be placed for blasting activities. …

The objective of blasting is to expose the ore body for extraction as well as to break

up the ore.”

As stated in a consumption fact sheet, the total amount of embodied energy utilized in creating stainless steel is 9,911,160 Joules (227 grams). In addition to this, the total production of energy exerted is 2.1 million Joules (20 grams). Meaning that stainless steel is a vital and necessary when the bottle begins the manufacturing stages.

        Known for its thickness and light weight, Klean Kanteen exerts enormous amounts of energy during the form and manufacturing. When all the raw materials are gathered, the bottle starts its manufacturing process. Starting with fossil fuels, they are heated at large scale temperatures so the form will be created. Although machinery is not mentioned extensively, photos of workers from China are plastered on the webpage to demonstrate that “the steel body of the bottle is welded together by hand shaped to correct size, and then electropolished for a smooth and shiny finish” (Klean Kanteen). The total embodied energy of this manufacturing process utilizes 78,642,000 Joules. As for the final product that is eventually transported, a 27 ounce bottle with the mass of 247 grams comes out to be 90,675,872 Joules. With that much burning of fossil fuels, Klean Kanteen partnered up with Green Mountain Energy company in 2009 so that there would be alternative sources of renewable energy from wind and solar instead of heating up fossil fuels yearly. Today, Green Mountain Energy has helped Klean Kanteen reduce toxins and emissions released into the atmosphere by decreasing the carbon footprint when products travel through water.

        Since Klean Kanteen is made in China and imported to the U.S., two kinds of transportations are required to get the product into the consumers hand. First one being that water transportation utilizes oil. An estimated amount of that fuel consumption is 1.1 million. After the shipment reaches land, vehicle transportation then takes place. Located on the Klean Kanteen webpage, “one shipment of bottles is also equivalent to 50 pounds of CO2. A 50,000 shipment is equivalent to 2,250,000 pounds of CO2” (Klean Kanteen). With the combination of these two transportations, a total of 13,904 kilograms ends up being 857,895 Joules. Even though vehicle transportation has more statistical measurements, the bottle’s journey usage of both oil and energy results in particulates, green-house gases and other emissions. As reported by the European Federation of Transport and Environment, the webpage states that: “Air pollution emissions from ships are continuously growing, while land-based emissions are gradually coming down” (Transport and Environment). This quote identifies our global state and how the turnout for the future if water transportation does not take immediate action.

Known for their light weight and durability, Klean Kanteen continues to lead other competitors. When it comes to their production, imitators are unable to duplicate the bottle as the walls of the canisters and tumblers are thicker than most. This results in less dents and one that would last a lifetime. However, based on statistics, the lifespan of a 27 ounce Klean Kanteen is only a year. Within this year, according to a consumption fact, “2.901 Watts is used making the usage only a 0.15% lifestyle value” (WattzOn). Normally, an average United States consumer has 11,400 Watt lifestyle; therefore, not a lot of energy is exerted by a consumer. Since stainless steel bottles are made up of high quality material, one full year means the bottle may be used continuously up to where the consumer loses the plastic cap. In the post: Comparing Reusable Water Bottles On Sustainability: Stainless Steel, Glass, and Plastic {Infographic} written by a holistic physician: Dr. Karen S. Lee’s she mentions that: “Even though energy consumption and carbon print is large, if you use your reusable stainless steel bottle at least 500 times, you would have surpassed the plastic water bottle, in terms of sustainability, making it the best choice for the planet” (Lee). On another note, the maintenance of one bottle may produce the identical results in pollution depending on the dish washer. As Goleman and Norris states, “Washing a stainless steel water bottle in a dishwasher that uses half a liter of electricity heated water, 50 - 100 washes can result in the same amount of pollution that was used by making the bottle in the first place” (Goleman and Norris). Basically, the amount of energy used to clean a single bottle readily depends on the wattage of a dishwasher.

In regards to recycling and waste management, food-grade stainless steel is 100% recyclable and beneficial on our society. Once the cap disappears or breaks, the stainless steel bottle is rendered as useless. Goleman and Norris mentions that, “By recycling stainless steel, you return not only steel but also nickel and chromium alloys to the production chain, reducing the need to mine process more of these essential ingredients“ (Goleman and Norris). This quote signifies and also suggests that  if stainless steel is recycled on a daily basis, less energy will be exerted when extracting these materials. Nickel and chromium may be plentiful on earth; however, without society doing its part, energy used in acquiring these materials become harmful to our environment and to those obtaining them. If stainless steel is recycled and disposed into waste, the amount of energy is about 22,212 Joules. Although this amount is not comparable to other Joule measurements that have been provided, recycling will continue to lessen this amount and decrease the harm done to this beautiful earth.

This essay fails to discover the specific type of machines used in creating a Klean Kanteen bottle and when the product is located at a local dump site. Also, the amount of energy used when processing and extracting iron ore. There is a lack of energy life cycle provided in some paragraphs as they were difficult to find. The amount of fuel consumption is an assumption and not the actual amount.

As being one of the first stainless steel water bottles, Klean Kanteen has remained economically friendly for over a decade now. Joining various economical companies to help the environment, they have reduced the carbon footprint released onto our atmosphere and thought of alternative ways to make this product less harmful for consumers. Although, gigantic amounts of energy are still expended in the making of a Klean Kanteen bottle, especially the amount in manufacturing the product, high quality materials makes this 27 ounce bottle reliable and sturdy for lifetime usage.

Thank you!

Works Cited

"Air Pollution from Ships." Campaigning for Smarter and More Sustainable Transport. Transport & Environment, n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2014. <http://www.transportenvironment.org/what-we-do/shipping/air-pollution-ships>.

Goleman, Daniel, and Gregory Norris. TheNewYorkTimes. TheNewYorkTimes, n.d. Web. 9 Dec. 2014. <http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2Finteractive%2F2009%2F04%2F19%2Fopinion%2F20090419bottle.html%3F_r%3D0>.

"How Products Are Made." How Stainless Steel Is Made. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2014. <http://www.madehow.com/Volume-1/Stainless-Steel.html>.

"Klean Kanteen - Green Mountain Energy Company." Green Mountain Energy Company. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2014. <https://www.greenmountainenergy.com/for-business/business-solutions/case-studies/klean-kanteen/>.

"Klean Kanteen | Stainless Steel Bottles, Mugs, Cups and Canisters." Klean Kanteen. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2014. <http://www.kleankanteen.com/>.

"Klean Kanteen." Klean Kanteen. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2014. <http://www.realcostkiosk.org/RCK/Real_Cost_Kiosk/Klean_Kanteen.html>.

Lee, Karen S. "Comparing Reusable Water Bottles on Sustainability: Stainless Steel, Glass, and Plastic {Infographic} - Dr. Karen S. Lee." Dr Karen S Lee. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2014. <http://www.drkarenslee.com/comparing-reusable-bottles-stainless-steel-glass-plastic/>.

"Plastic, Stainless Steel, Aluminum or Glass Water Bottle? - | BeCause Water." BeCause Water. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2014. <http://becausewater.org/glass-water-bottle/glass-vs-plastic/>.

SATYENDRA. "Mining of Iron Ores." Ispatgurucom RSS. N.p., 14 Mar. 14. Web. 09 Dec. 2014. <http://ispatguru.com/mining-of-iron-ores/>.

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