Week 3- less garbage: the water bottle initiative....

I am a drinker :) :( , rarely will you find me without water within arms reach and fortunately /or not, we'll see/ my children are drinkers too... That said, I have always re-filled water bottles until they were gross, lid-less or chewed up (b's Nielson genes) a case of water would easily last for a month this way...maybe not true in the summer when consumption easily triples. My decision to move away from cases of store bought throw away water bottles is easily explained by the math... 12 months x 5.00 a case = 60.00 & 24 water bottles x 12 months = 288 water bottles. I always recycle old water bottles however I heard that there is so much plastic to recycle that much of it is sitting in warehouses, whether this is true or not?? saving 60+ dollars a year is worth it, other than the initial investment in good water bottles. I have purchased some nice bottles at the thrift store (sterilized of course) the problem is, WE (the entire opinionated family) has requirements i.e. things we want and need from a bottle for it to earn a place in the fridge. NO-screw off lids, they get lost or chewed and they are time consuming - screw - drink - un-screw, either I am too desperate or too lazy but that process is just too much! NO-flip up open spout rubber straw things- they are too hard to get clean, even the really great camel-bak bite and suck thing gets gross when used that much (and we share), MUST be spill proof, fit in to the drink spot in the car, hold at least 24 oz of water (for me), have a small drink hole as to not spill water down the front of your shirt. In short-or long now- we have looked at a lot of water bottles and FINALLY found some we really like, so far, have passed the test! They are from costco and they cost more than I like to spend- $18.00 for 3 of them ($6.00 each-about average for a new water bottle), they hold 24oz. and have a little release button you push which opens the drinking spout hole?, and a latch handle on the lid (important for packing it on the purse), they are very hard plastic and fit in the car!! We will definately put this "autoseal technology" (spouty button thing) to use and see how they rate in a month!