Most people buy bottled water because of its convenience and because they think it has less chemicals in it than tap water. The truth of the matter is, while it may be convienent it isn't necessarily safer. In fact, in some instances the plastic the water is contained in may actually contain chemicals like bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates that leach into the water from the plastic and are bad for your health.

Most experts agree that the best choice for health and for the planet is to bring tap water with you. Stainless steel and aluminum water bottles are becoming increasingly popular and even come in kids sizes. If you absolutely can't stand the taste of your water consider using a counter top water filter.

You can find stainless steel and aluminum water bottles and water filters in the Living the Science Clean & Green Marketplace as well as hundreds of other natural, safe, and green alternatives to most products.

You can also find lots of product options through many online retailers. Products from Amazon.com include Stainless Steel and Aluminum Water Bottles and hundreds of counter top and home water filter systems.

Read more about the importance of bringing water with you in our Automating Less Toxic Choices series.