Author: Paul Kradin A Letter from the Editors
We got interested in sustainability later in our careers but wanted to be a bigger part of the solution to the single-use plastic crisis. The Aerrem bag is something we can all use to cut way back on the number of plastic water bottles and cups we use when we’re away from home.
What prompted us was a lunch we had at a café where we specifically chose to eat in-house so we wouldn’t take any disposables. The server brought our drinks in plastic cups, so we pointed out we weren’t waiting for a to-go order. Incredibly, he told us they use plastic for both.
How to reduce plastic bottle waste
We started brainstorming ideas that could counteract this crazy practice, and we realized we needed to create a cool way for people to always have their own refillable bottles and tumblers with them. But at the same time, we realized you can’t just ask people to carry their refillable water bottles with them everywhere. No one wants to put a filled bottle in their purse, briefcase or computer bag. If we wanted people to bring bottles with them, we needed to make it easy AND chic.
After talking to a lot of talented folks in this field like Jim Moore from GQ and shoe designer George Esquivel, we developed…the Aerrem. It’s the first tote bag designed to go with you anywhere, carry two refillable bottles or tumblers, and provide a little extra space for your phone, keys, wallet or other necessities.
Your Aerrem bottle bag is there to help you get through the day with drinks you’ve safely brought from home, or to help you refill while you’re out. Phone, Keys, Wallet…Aerrem is actually our tagline – a reminder of the necessities you need to get through your day.
We happen to think the design of the removable, washable liners is pretty ingenious. We created space for two vessels of most every size. You can have two regular water bottles, a bottle and a tumbler – whatever your routine calls for. There’s other cool detailing in there, but we’d love for you to discover them on our Web site.
Benefits of carrying a reusable water bottle
Most important is the impact you can have if you use your Aerrem every time you leave the house. It’s hard to notice from one day to the next how many disposable products are forced on us, but if your habit is even just two-a-day for bottled water and one coffee drink, using your Aerrem will avoid about 720 water bottles and 250 coffee cups per year – and that also translates to avoiding 684 pounds of CO2. If you use more than that, you can recalculate your savings accordingly.
We know the single-use plastic crisis is daunting and it’s hard to feel empowered to take on problems this big. But we can all make a difference if we make changes like this in our day-to-day lives. Over time it will have a big impact.
How to reduce plastic use in daily life
Humanity’s challenge is that plastic never goes away; it just gets smaller and smaller. Of the 9.1 billion tons of plastic that we’ve bought and tossed out since it was invented, 8.3 billion tons are still out there. The only way to truly get rid of plastic is to not make it in the first place.
Seeing an Aerrem on your shoulder will inspire others to carry their own reusable bottles and tumblers. And if more consumers demand that cafes and restaurants take them, we’ll see a wave of acceptance everywhere. That’s the beauty of consumer demand. When we stop accepting single-use plastic, businesses will stop using it.
As an individual consumer you have a lot of power. Your choices – both what you want, and what you’ll accept – are exceedingly important to the purveyors who sell to you. We’re not asking anyone to change their drink – just change what they’re drinking from. The Earth is going to thank you. Thank you for being one of the people who steps up to make a difference.
Paul ensures every aspect of the company honors Aerrem’s values, bringing a strong background in communication strategies to effectively reach consumers. He vets product innovation, web reviews, and all company activity through a sustainability lens.
