Summer is right around the corner, and everything is getting greener: the grass, the trees, and even the people. That’s right. With the new “green consciousness” sweeping the nation, people from all walks of life want to know how they can make their lives a little greener. This column will show you how—providing monthly tips for bringing greater health and environmental sustainability into your life with simple steps.

This month’s tip involves a big part of summer: water. Whether you’re hiking, biking, beaching, or sitting at a desk, it’s important to stay hydrated in the summer heat. That means drinking lots of pure, clean water every day.

Each year in America, we throw away 22 billion plastic water bottles. Stacked end to end, these bottles would go to the moon and back 4,380 times or circle the earth at the equator a staggering 260,000 times. Plastic water bottles contain phthalates, a family of petrochemicals used to make the plastic soft that can leach into water and mimic the hormone estrogen in your body. You can both reduce waste and protect your health with a simple carbon filter (even a Brita® pitcher is fine) and an infinitely reusable stainless-steel water bottle. I use a Klean Kanteen® that I bought online. It is no heavier than a plastic water bottle, does not impart that plastic taste to the water, costs far less than buying individual bottles, and is even a great conversation starter.