Imagine getting to enjoy fresh soda anytime without the cans and bottles stacking up in your blue box. (Or worse yet, the landfill)
That’s the idea behind SodaStream, a line of home soda machines that let you reuse the same bottles over and over while making your own tasty beverages.
The system consists of a drinks maker, a refillable CO2 cylinder, your choice of sodamix flavours and reusable plastic bottles or glass carafes to store your creations.
One of the clear eco advantages of this system is that local tap water is used to create drinks, rather than shipping tonnes of water from bottling plants to stores in the form of pre-manufactured soda. Whether those carbon savings outweigh the footprint of manufacturing and shipping machines, flavours and CO2 cylinders would be a calculation for supply chain scientists with more knowledge and time than I have. But the SodaStream system is definitely a good option for people who like to enjoy sparkling water and even create their own natural beverage recipes.
SodaStream offers a wide variety of flavour mixes, concentrated to make a whole lot of soda. One 500ml mix bottle makes 50 servings.
There are also some SodaStream sodamix choices with natural flavours, such as Superfruits Cranberry (Ingredients: Sugar, Water, Fruit Juice Concentrate (Cranberry), Food Acids (Citric Acid, Tartaric Acid), Sweeteners (Acesulfame Potassium, Sucralose), Natural Colors (Black Carrot Juice, Dried Apples Extract), Sodium Citrate, Natural Flavor, Potassium Sorbate.)
SodaStream claims even their regular sodamix flavors contain 2/3 less sugar and calories than national soft drink brands, and don’t contain high-fructose corn syrup.
So if you crave the fizz without the footprint, you can find out more about SodaStream at your local London Drugs.
Another technological solution to a problem that is really a brand marketing manipulation.
How about laying off the soda completely. The stuff is garbage. High-fructose corn syrup or not.
Desparately need soda for your mixed drinks? Hmmm…well, if you need enough soda to warrant a machine then AA should probably be your next step.
Hello, Unknown
For someone who does not drink soda, this product would indeed be a technological solution to a problem that does not exist. For a family who imports a case of soda water every week to mix with their juice, the SodaStream system might be a step in the right direction.
That’s why ‘What’s the Green Deal?’ is phrased as a question. What’s green for one person may not be a more sustainable solution for someone else. If you are choosing to live soda-free, and advancing your sustainability journey in other ways, well done. Everyone takes a different route to progress in their own context.
What’s important is that we keep lines of communication going across the spectrum, so a genuine thank you for your comment!