“In recent years, I’ve discovered that one emotional support object — above all others — has remained steadfast: my water bottle.” — Emma Turetsky, journalist

This may be a weird subject to talk about on my blog, but I’ve always had a fascination with Americans' consumption of water, or what I perceived as over-consumption. It’s funny to think about, especially after seeing various TikTok videos where, after visiting Europe, people claim that Europeans don’t drink any water. This used to be an observation of mine as well, even though it obviously isn’t true. I would travel to France or Spain and notice that the cups at our dining table would be miniscule, filled with a couple small drops of water (I exaggerate, of course). Walking on cobblestone streets on a hot summer day, fellow travelers and I would be desperate for water, running into the nearest convenience store to find a small plastic bottle. This differs greatly from the water bottle culture of America. In this blog post, I want to discuss why Americans love their personal water bottles so much.  I conducted a small research project while studying in Manchester, to learn more about this topic from fellow students. This is the research that I utilize in the following article.

In recent years, with increasing awareness surrounding the climate crisis, personal water bottle use has become a central topic of conversation. This has led to a disastrous amount of plastic waste that ends up in landfills and oceans worldwide, harming both animals and humans alike (as we all know). There are many reasons why people use plastic water bottles, the most common being that their tap water is unsafe to drink or that they simply prefer the taste of bottled water. Despite this, there has been pushback from environmental activists advocating for the use of personal reusable water bottles in order to avoid further environmental degradation. Young people, raised with knowledge of climate change, have been at the forefront of these small environmental changes. The mass production of reusable water bottles along with increasing amounts of refillable water stations has allowed young people to turn away from plastic water bottles. In recent years, universities across the United States have increased the number of water refill stations to promote the use of reusable water bottles 

As a grad student, I became interested in studying personal water bottle use when I noticed an emerging water bottle “culture” amongst my fellow classmates. After moving to the UK in September 2021, I started to notice a difference in water bottle trends. I interviewed some of my fellow classmates and friends to learn more about their relationships to hydration and their water bottles. To learn more about their opinions, I showed them some popular social media photos. For those interested in Anthropology, this method is known as photo elicitation— it’s when you show an interviewee a photo to elicit a conversation that may reveal details that would otherwise go unsaid.

I showed the following photo from a Los Angeles Times article:

One of my friends laughed out loud after seeing this photo. To her— it’s stereotypical. The first thing she noticed was that the girl avoided putting stickers on the label of her Hydro Flask. That way, not only could she show her personality through the stickers, but she could also show off the brand. She went on to say that “stickers lowkey say something about who you are… it’s a reflection of your personality, it's like the clothes you wear, it’s like an extension of your style.” Another friend of mine recognized that stickers become indicative of people’s personalities. She also believed that bottles such as these have turned the focus away from environmental concerns to make it more about fashion, style, and wealth. Wealth is an important factor because water bottles such as the Hydro Flask are extremely expensive. Some of the more expensive bottles can cost over 50 dollars. This makes my cheap heart weep.

I then showed another photograph: 

As the photo caption states, this young girl was gleeful when she received a Hydro flask water bottle for Christmas. This sparked interesting conversation amongst my friends and classmates. One classmate said that it was an “insane photo,” while another thought that the young girl was probably not asking for the Hydro flask for environmental reasons, but because it fits a particular aesthetic. The popularity of water bottles due to their aesthetics and ability to display wealth and personality seems to be a 21st century phenomenon. Two different classmates noticed trends in water bottle usage growing up. They each could name specific water bottle brands that were popular at different times throughout their adolescence. Can you think of what water bottle was popular when you were in high school? I bet you can. For me, it was the Nalgene, Camelbak, and especially the S’well. Each brand was often more expensive than the others, denoting that the user was not only wealthy but “cool.” 

Overall, every person that I talked to had a unique story related to their own personal water bottle. One friend stated that she likes that her water bottle reminds her of being environmentally conscious due to the fact that it’s stainless steel. In elementary school, she was taught about environmentalism. Reusable stainless steel water bottles were touted as the most “environmentally conscious” choice. As she stated, her affection for her water bottle is halfway between “memory, environmentalism, and aesthetics” and it’s a “style you’re buying into.” Another friend felt attached to her water bottle for both environmental and personal reasons. She originally switched away from plastic water bottles because they overheated, but she later recognized the importance that environmental factors played in her purchases. If she forgot her water bottle while she was out one day, she would often rather be dehydrated than buy a plastic water bottle. 

Besides environmental justifications and personal expression, some people literally refer to their bottles as “emotional support water bottles.” Many people take their bottles everywhere they go. These simple objects become a source of comfort for many. Some of the classmates that I talked to mentioned that having a water bottle at all times can help with anxiety. Some bottles have a plastic straw that you can chew on when you’re anxious. Other people take a sip of their water when they’re feeling emotionally unwell. Others just find comfort in having an object that they can hold and keep with them every day. Something stable. Overall, water bottles are not simply a vessel for water, but a way to show who you are and what you care about.

As you can see, our attachment to our water bottles goes deeper than what meets the eye. What was created for practical purposes has now taken on an alternate meaning, which is constructed differently across cultures. Take a second to think about your own water bottle. Why do you like it so much? Why do you feel like you need it? Is it only because you love to stay hydrated, or does it say something about your personality or interests?  I don’t think anyone is superior for having a Hydro flask or a Stanley cup or whatever is Tik Tok’s newest obsession. I do find it interesting to think about what your choice of beverage holder says about you. And does it even matter— especially in a world where we want people to make environmentally friendly decisions, no matter what the motivation?