Eco DrinkShield Co-founder and Inventor,
Chuck Taylor

 

Eco DrinkShield Co-founder and CEO,
Ryan Teets

April 2010

Why we got here

The idea for Eco DrinkShield initially came from our commitment to reducing our own personal water bottle waste. We were fed up with buying cases of bottled water week after week and seeing our recycle bin overflowing with plastic bottles.

Tapping into Tap

First, we installed a Reverse Osmosis water filtration system in our home that immediately ended our need to buy so many cases of water. A little research showed that the filtered water from our tap was significantly purer than many of the bottled waters we normally bought. But then a little more research showed that most municipal water (which is tested up to 16 times a day) even straight from the tap is superior to bottled water for purity and quality. This insight was a game changer.

Aluminum's Dirty Downside

Following the trend in the eco-movement, we then purchased many different styles and brands of stainless and popular reusable plastic bottles. While this seemed like it would be the final end to our bottle battle, we soon realized that these reusables were not so easy to clean, particularly around the threaded mouths where bacteria can proliferate. Some brands even sell special cleaning tablets (which are not cheap, by the way) because using just soap and water is not always effective. After some frustration, we abandoned our aluminum and other bottles and started thinking about how we could refill our disposable plastic ones.

Plastic Problem Solved

Anyone who has tried to reuse these individual-use bottles knows that after a while they end up getting pretty stinky particularly around the mouth and neck; from the normal bacteria build-up from saliva, lip balm, food particles and other debris, all of which are quite impossible to clean or sterilize with just soap and water.

Enter Eco DrinkShield

Chuck thought of the idea that if a reusable mouthpiece on the bottle could just be removed and then sterilized in the dishwasher, then the bottle itself could be refilled repeatedly in a hygienic way. Thus began our mission of developing and designing this removable mouthpiece.

Two years later and countless hours of research and development we bring you our solution to the bottle battle, the Eco DrinkShield. With 3 standard thread sizes, it fits over 160 water brands and over 450 individual bottles (and counting). So, no matter which size or shape bottle you prefer, you can now reuse it safely and without it getting soiled and unhealthy.

Since our first prototypes arrived over a year ago, we have been using them on a daily basis and found that we can easily reuse our bottles for months at a time before having to recycle them. Ultimately, we hope that the Eco DrinkShield helps people to use fewer bottles and refill them in a way that not only saves money, but also our planet in the process.

Words we live by

We believe that big changes come from doing small things everyday. If we are going to step up and make a significant, positive impact on our environment, our everyday choices will be a deciding factor. The Eco DrinkShield is a clever solution to our plastic waste problem and it gives people a simple and practical way to go green.

As part of our commitment to this effort, we source all our materials, packaging and printing from domestic eco-friendly suppliers who are proud -as we are- to be "MADE IN USA".

We would love to hear from you and your ideas and experiences with Eco DrinkShield. Please contact us here!

Sincerely,

Chuck Taylor & Ryan Teets
Co-founders Eco DrinkShield