Blog Posts, Stories, Videos and Articles | Klean Kanteen Journal

Touring Lake Tahoe by Land and Air

Majestic Lake Tahoe is nestled in our backyard high in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Our very own Kasey Judge set out for an airborne expedition over the lake and captured some rare moments along the way.

Measuring What Matters

Here at Klean we take a holistic approach to understanding and managing the environmental footprint of our products —from sourcing raw materials to manufacturing, packaging, shipping, daily use, and end-of-life disposal. We call this Measuring What Matters.

Female Leadership with Co-Owner Michelle Kalberer

As we continue to celebrate Women this month, we wanted to take the time to spotlight a woman that has made Klean Kanteen possible and has been the heart of this company for over 17 years. We sat down with Michelle Kalberer to ask about the challenges women in leadership are facing and her excitement for the future.

What Does B Corp Mean to You?

We asked a couple members of our team what working for a B Corp means to them. March is B Corp month and Klean Kanteen is proud to be a Certified B Corp. From the products we make to the nonprofit partnerships we forge and and the way we show up in our communities, B Corps are on a mission to make a positive impact.

Minimalist Meal Planning: Vegan and Easy Meal Prep Ideas

We are proud to feature a fun, simple recipe video from Klean Ambassador Jhánneu, an advocate for intentional and low impact living, in a minimalist and low waste lifestyle. She shares some of her favorite tips for kitchen prep with 3 simple, vegan meals, packing them on-the-go in our Klean Food Solutions.

Partner Spotlight: OARS

Have you heard of OARS? Since 2014 Klean Kanteen has been a proud partner with OARS to help eliminate single use products while exploring our beautiful rivers and beyond. Learn more below on who they are and their history of supporting both conservation and river stewardship.

Build Your Own Mezcal Marinated Fajitas Recipe

Build Your Own Mezcal Marinated Fajitas for On-the-Go

We teamed up with Klean Ambassador Brett Edwards and friends for a fun on-the-go recipe of Mezcal Marinated Fajitas. Perfect for lunch or dinner on the beach or any adventure, transported in our steel lunch boxes and insulated food canisters. Watch the video recipe for step-by-step instructions, along with some awesome scenery from the Oregon coast!

Valentines Day - Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Easy Valentine’s Day Chocolate Covered Strawberry Recipe

Klean’s passionate about a lot of things, but this time of year we find ourselves loving all things sweet, and we’re hoping everyone else is on the same page as us. For Valentine’s Day we decided to share one of favorite recipes for sugary treats, chocolate covered strawberries!

Reimagining To-Go in Thailand

Food is a global language that brings people together and inspires connection. At Klean we are fortunate enough to have partners all over the world who join us in our mission to help eliminate single-use waste. Catch up with our friends in Thailand for a fun look at how families are reimagining to-go.

Everyday Food Solutions: Family, Community and Sustainable Agriculture

Klean Food Solutions are inspired by stories of people who reimagine the role clean, healthy food plays in their lives. Farmer, Amanda Scott and her family run 63rd Street Farm in Boulder County, Colorado. With a focus on sustainability and education, they take pride in offering everyday food solutions for their community.

There is No Dream Destination

What's behind the relentlessness of those who are drawn to the outdoors? Join Klean Ambassador Brett Edwards as he captures the story of friend Boomer Olivas on a journey across the globe, stringing one passion for the outdoors in to another.

New Leakproof Twist Cap with Reusable Straw

The Twist Cap reinvents the Klean Kanteen drinking experience and features a built-in stainless steel straw and leakproof lid when twisted shut. Great for sports, fitness, and active lifestyles, the best water bottles for your everyday routine just got even better!

Rising Routes by Klean Ambassador Jason Swann

Rising Routes: Shrinking Divides Through Adventure

Klean Ambassador and Outdoor Afro leader Jason Swann explains his formation of Rising Routes, an organization embarking on a journey to shrink humanity’s ever-deepening divides through adventure, common ground, and celebrated individuality.

In Search of the Fifth Gear

Join Klean Ambassador Sean Jansen as he shares a vulnerable embark on a road to recovery, in search of his "fifth gear" to life. What started as an exercise, would soon become a vital escape.

Exploring Arcosanti: A Model for Collective Living

Klean Ambassador Evelynn Escobar heads out on a road trip 400 miles outside of Los Angeles to Yavapai County, Arizona to explore the community of Arcosanti, an urban prototype and model for collective living.

Holiday Hot Toddy Recipe

Cold weather prompts us to bring out the cozy blankets, fuzzy slippers, and our favorite nightcap drink to warm us up after a chilly day. We're pretty confident you’ll have a perfect night when you pair our hot toddy recipe below with our 16oz TKPro thermos and 8oz Tumbler.

Hard Pressed: A Family Adventure in Apple Picking

Klean Ambassador Jessica Medeiros takes us on a fun family adventure to her local orchard, Hard Pressed Cider Company, for a favorite autumn tradition: apples, cider and a picnic in the country, with our bottles and cups by her side.

A Culture of Collaboration

Our people are what make us tick and we like to think of Klean as being closer to a family than anything else. At Klean, we have built a company culture that fosters trust, instills respect, and creates inspiration. Caring for our people is as easy as breathing. It comes naturally because it’s derived from love.

Inspiring Everyone to Get Outside Through Photography

Klean Ambassador and photographer Ernesto Sernas gives us a look at the outdoor space through the eyes of a first generation freelance photographer. Advocating for participation from the BIPOC community, his passion for the outdoors began unexpectedly and has transformed into an art form he hopes will inspire others.

Vote for the Environment

At Klean we’re committed to protecting the wild places we love. The great outdoors provide so much for us in the way of adventure and inspiration, so it's only fair that we do our part to preserve mother nature. We support two nonpartisan voter initiatives #TimetoVote and #VotetheOutdoors.

How to Make a Pumpkin Spice Smoothie

If you're looking to get a little creative with your pumpkin journey this year, we have a yummy recipe for a pumpkin spice smoothie that you can whip up on those days where it’s just a tad too hot for a latte. A cold smoothie goes great with our 16oz or 20oz TKWide Bottles and Straw Lid.

How to Make Your Own Indoor Tea Garden

As we head to cooler months, you wake up and grab your favorite mug and start easing yourself into the new day. So why not make things fun and make your own tea from scratch? Learn to grown your own indoor tea garden, with a recipe for herbal tea! Don't forget your insulated mug or tumbler cup from Klean.

Made for Life: Products Built to Last

Every time you use your Kanteen, you’re taking a stand against disposable design. Using a Klean Kanteen regularly for just three years can prevent a lot of single-use waste. Manufacturing a long-lasting product has an environmental footprint, we encourage you to use the same bottle for as long as possible.

Finding Nature in New York City

Klean Ambassador and photographer Atticus Radley shares his thoughts on escaping to nature, even while living in New York City. Finding space where you can connect with your environment, even in one of the biggest cities in the world, is actually not as hard as it seems. If you're willing to look for it.

The Unknown Nearby

Klean Ambassador Cayte Bosler shares her experiences and explorations during the COVID pandemic. Even if travel plans may change dramatically, we can still find solace in nature and the outdoors, and positives in our own unknown backyard.

Rio Rica: A Journey on the Little Snake River

As summer comes to a close, let Klean Kanteen and our partner American Rivers introduce you to a lesser known river you’ll surely love. Rio Rica combines stunning scenery with insightful commentary. Join Rica Fulton on a journey down the Little Snake River.

One Percent for the Planet

Klean Kanteen forges nonprofit partnerships with organizations that are doing vital work, bringing benefit to people and planet. A key partner in our efforts to give back to our communities by supporting on-the-ground action is 1% for the Planet, an organization that brings together businesses and nonprofits so they can make a bigger impact.

Partner Spotlight: 5 Gyres

Each year, humans produce about 400 million tons of plastic, and less than 10% of that gets recycled. Klean Kanteen is proud to partner with 5 Gyres Institute, a nonprofit that is dedicated to empowering action against the global health crisis of plastic pollution.

Protecting Our Oceans: One Leg at a Time

Read about the all-women crew that sailed from the South Pacific rim to the Galapagos Islands to raise awareness and explore solutions to environmental and health impacts of single-use plastics.

The Caldron of the Sleeping Giant

Klean Ambassador Sean Jansen embarks on an ambitious 3 day adventure to circumnavigate around Yellowstone Lake, over 100 miles, on a standup paddleboard. Sean shares photos and stories from his experience, with Klean bottles (and his fishing gear) faithfully by his side.

Mr. Kookbox: Nole Cossart Builds 1930's Surfboards

We lent a hand to filmmaker Ben Weiland in bringing his new film, Mr. Kookbox to life. Weiland follows California surfer Nole Cossart as he builds, and then paddles his unlikely surfcraft, dubbed Kookboxes, into thumping Baja surf. Watch the film for some free stoke!

Checking In With Our Inspiring Global Partners

The Klean family extends from our Chico, CA headquarters to our operations overseas and our friends around the world. We're lucky to have inspiring partners from across the globe. We checked in with them during these crazy times, to see how are they taking care of themselves and their families.

Meet the Artist Behind Our Illustrations

We recently connected with Megan Hillman Donovan, the talented illustrator behind our recent series of current event focused illustrations. Megan was kind enough to share some interesting behind the scenes details on her process and background as a creative.

Climate Neutral Certified

A Letter From Our Owners Words: Klean Kanteen / Images: Rudy Alceda Since the beginning, being a force for good has driven everything we do at Klean Kanteen. We’ve worked tirelessly to build awareness surrounding the unnecessary waste and harmful impacts single-use items and plastics have on our environment. We’ve seen the conversation surrounding sustainability change through the years and we’ve witnessed the positive impact individuals and businesses can make through leading by example. Today, we’re pleased to announce the next step in our goal of being the best environmental steward we can be by becoming certified Climate Neutral as of February, 2020The Climate Neutral standard is maintained by the nonprofit, The Change Climate Project (TCCP). It requires certified companies to measure and report annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for all activities from cradle to customer per relevant GHG Protocol methodology, set science-aligned emissions reduction targets, show a reduction plan and progress on reduction targets, and contribute to global GHG drawdown through contribution to projects beyond our operations and value chain that avoid or reduce emissions equal to 100% of our annual emissions from cradle to customer. Like many companies that produce consumer goods, raw material production, manufacturing and transportation are Klean’s biggest emission sources. We are reducing these emissions by engaging our factory partners to increase use of renewable energy. In addition, we’ve made reductions in packaging material use, increased packaging recycled content, and our team continues to analyze and plan for future emissions reductions across our business operation.Klean approaches the Climate Neutral standard’s obligation to contribute to projects beyond our own operations and value chain in accordance with best practices outlined in “WWF position and guidance on voluntary purchases of carbon credits”. The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) states that the purchase of high-quality carbon credits can be an effective way for businesses to contribute to their climate goals when those purchases are part of a broader strategy to reduce emissions. Emissions avoided or removed through the purchase of carbon credits are not subtracted from Klean’s annual GHG inventory, ie, they are not a form of reduction. These BVCM investments help finance climate action in support of the global transition to a zero-carbon future and represent an interim measure until we can drawdown our emissions entirely or nearly so.Social responsibility is a guiding principle in every decision we make at Klean Kanteen as a family and employee-owned company. We are committed to continually reducing our impact on our environment, especially as we grow. Going forward, you’ll see a Certified Climate Neutral logo on all new Klean Kanteen products to empower socially conscious purchasing. This is our way of paying it forward because we believe a responsible business is one that gives more than it takes. What is Climate Neutral? The Change Climate Project is a tech nonprofit with one focus: eliminate greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to the Climate Neutral Certified label, they offer programs to put climate action in reach for brands and consumers. Since 2020, Klean has been verified to meet the Climate Neutral certification standard, demonstrating rigorous and science-aligned climate action. "We are committed to continually reducing our impact on our environment, especially as we grow."

Navigating the Great Indoors

We never thought we’d have to get so good at spending time indoors! Like any family, the team at Klean has a wide range of interests, tastes and hobbies. From NPR to Joe Rogan, The Roots to Khruangbin, check out the podcasts, songs, shows and apps that are keeping us sane, for the most part! We hope they bring you inspiration, and new ways to pass the time.

Garbage on the Gallatin

Klean Ambassador Sean Jansen sets out to bike and fly fish all 142 miles of the Gallatin River in the Northwest corner of Yellowstone National Park. Sean shares his thoughts on enjoying the great outdoors while dealing with all the single-use waste along the way.

Celebrating The B Corp Model

March is B Corp month and Klean Kanteen is proud to be a Certified B Corp. The “benefit” part of our mission is a big deal to us. From the products we make to the nonprofit partnerships we forge and the way we show up in our communities, B Corps are on a mission to make a positive impact in the world.

Elisabetta Piantoni with Klean in Iceland

Planning for the Unknown

Klean Ambassador and adventure photographer Elisabetta Piantoni sets out on an amazing trip to Iceland, and learns that the best laid plans rarely turn out as expected. But you can chose to accept the unknown and appreciate the beauty of experiences, with every moment, misadventure, and unforgettable memory along the way.

3 Ways to Upgrade Instant Soup

Instant soups are a staple for many backpacking meals. They're easy to prepare with just boiling water, and help warm cold bodies on chilly evenings. Klean Ambassador Jen Sotolongo makes three of her favorites into heartier soup meals for the trail, served in a Klean Kanteen of course.

Easy Vegan Hot Chocolate Recipes

On late season hikes, Klean Ambassador Jen Sotolongo likes to bring along warm hot chocolate to keep the shivers at bay when she stops to enjoy the view. Enjoy some of her favorite homemade recipes, stored and poured with an Insulated TKPro.

From Sand to Snow: A West Coast Road Trip

Klean Ambassador and photographer Matt Foley set out on a pretty epic West Coast road trip, with no real plan other than surfing, skating and snowboarding with friends in a hand crafted school bus. He shared stories and photos from the trip, fully-equipped with Klean Kanteens at his side of course.

Tips on Making the Best Holiday Cocktail

What better way to get into the spirit of the season than with throwing together the perfect holiday cocktail? We had a lot of fun trying out this new recipe for a midweek nightcap—because who doesn’t need one of those every once in a while?

In Good Company: Ohio River Cleanup

A couple of Klean’s team members took on the challenge to fly to Ohio and join forces with In Good Company to comb through the Ohio River, one of the most polluted rivers in the U.S.

15 Ways to Help Protect the Oceans and Coasts

15 Ways to Help Protect the Oceans and Coasts Words: Klean Kanteen / Images: Dan Holz Since releasing the first stainless steel, BPA-free reusable water bottle in 2004, Klean Kanteen has stayed true to our mission by working hard to bring benefit to the people and places we touch, and doing everything we can to keep single-use waste from trashing the world. In celebration of Klean Kanteen being a family and employee-owned company empowering positive personal habit changes, we’ve collaborated with our longtime friends at the Surfrider Foundation to bring you fifteen ways to take action to protect the natural places you love, from wherever you may be. Always pack your reusable water bottle By now, many of us are aware of the fact that plastic pollution exists, that it's a problem and that it's contributing to climate change throughout its destructive life cycle. What we're still learning (scientists included!) is just how massive the problem is— and it just keeps getting bigger. For instance, did you know that roughly 500 pounds of plastic enter the ocean every second, and microplastics have been found in the air we breathe, water we drink and seafood we consume? Help protect yourself and the environment by avoiding single use plastic bottles and using your favorite reusable water bottle. Ditch single-use cups, straws and utensils Now that you're accustomed to bringing your reusable water bottle everywhere you go, challenge yourself to eliminate as much single-use packaging as possible from your daily purchases. Try packing additional reusables in your backpack or vehicle and see how much waste you can avoid producing. Bring that reusable mindset into the grocery store Bringing your own bags to the grocery store is an easy way to reduce pollution and single-use habits, but what about all of the packaged items we buy? Try keeping reusable, organic cotton produce bags stored with your grocery totes to avoid packaged produce, and consider bulk-buying some staple items using mason jars or other reusable containers. Consider the parts of your environmental impact that you can't see Microfiber pollution is widespread, pervasive and equally toxic to the environment as the plastics we can see! You can help reduce your impact by choosing organic, natural materials over synthetic options for clothing, rugs, sheets and other household items. Also consider re-wearing items when possible as excessive washing of synthetic materials causes microfibers to shed into the wastewater stream, making their way through treatment facilities, and ultimately polluting the ocean and drinking water sources. Reduce food-related carbon emissions by shopping local Check out your local farmers market for fresher, locally-grown produce and locally-made, small-batch goods. Buying at farmers markets tends to support more sustainable production practices, eliminate or significantly reduce single-use packaging, and depending on where you live, you may even be able to get there without motorized transportation. Host your own beach, river or lake cleanup Whether you gather friends and make an outing of it, or just pick up the trash you see along the waterline on your morning walk, report what you collect to Surfrider's online data tool and help raise awareness by sharing your impact on social media! Start the plastic source reduction conversation in your community If your city or state has not already passed an ordinance banning or placing a fee on single-use plastic bags at grocery stores and other retail locations, check out Surfrider's Plastic Bag Activist Toolkit for some tried-and-true advice on starting and gaining traction for a campaign against plastic bags. Surfrider volunteers have contributed to hundreds of plastic bag ordinances (and even statewide laws) throughout the country, and your community could be next! Advocate for "BYO" Policies. If you're located in California With the passage of AB-619, the "Bring Your Own bill," restaurants in the State of California may now accept clean, reusable consumer-owned containers for takeout! This change to the California Health and Safety Code is a positive step toward a single-use-plastic-free future for the restaurant industry, but it requires individuals to take action to make an impact. If you haven't already, get your own container for takeout (or for bringing your lunch from home). If you're located outside California check out the bill's text, learn about Surfrider's fight for the passage of this bill, and use your voice to advocate for similar legislation to be passed in your state! Observe drought rules, wherever you are This means being respectful of local resources: turn off the tap while you shave, brush your teeth, or wash dishes, and aim for reducing your shower time to five minutes or less. As always, refrain from flushing any chemicals, pharmaceuticals or products containing plastics or microbeads down the drain, toilet or sink. Choose reef-friendly sunscreens and skincare products Scientists estimate that up to 14,000 tons of sunscreen enter our marine waterways each year. But did you know that your sunscreen could be negatively impacting marine and aquatic life, even if you don't go in the ocean? Some harmful sunscreen chemicals are not removed completely at wastewater treatment facilities, which means that when we wash off products containing chemicals like oxybenzone, they can end up in rivers, lakes and the ocean — ultimately harming corals and other marine life. Learn what makes certain suncare products reef-friendly (and not-so-friendly) in this short guide. Convert your yard into an Ocean Friendly Garden If you live in an area where grass and other lush, leafy plants are not native, your lawn may be causing more damage than you think. Non-native lawns can degrade local habitat, require excess water and introduce harmful nutrient and pesticide pollutants into the watershed. Learn how to transform your landscape into beautiful natural gardens that create healthy soils, sequester carbon and improve (instead of degrade) local water quality here. Encourage your favorite restaurants to become Ocean Friendly Learn about Surfrider's Ocean Friendly Restaurants program and support local businesses that reduce their plastic use, offer vegetarian options and only serve sustainable seafood (if any). To register your business, click here. To find existing Ocean Friendly Restaurants near you, check out Surfrider's web app (go.surfrider.org/ofr-app). Vote! Use your ballot and your purchasing power To affect change on any scale, we have to use the resources available to us— and our votes are a key resource! In addition to casting your ballot in the next election, consider that with every item you purchase, you're also casting a vote for the future you want to see, based on the companies you choose to support and the products you choose to consume. Join the movement Surfrider defines a campaign victory as a decision made in favor of the coastal environment that results in a positive conservation outcome, improves coastal access, or does both. In 2018 alone, Surfrider's network achieved 84 Victories, and we're well on our way to surpassing that milestone this year. Becoming a Surfrider member supports our mission nationwide, and contributes to our growth and expansion, which ultimately helps us achieve more victories for our ocean and coasts. Take action Find your local chapter here, and get involved! If there is no Surfrider chapter near you, check out the Take Action page, follow @surfrider on social media, and write to us to let us know there's interest in your community. Products Made For Life TexWe’re helping people kick the single-use habit one Klean at a time. Our products are reusable, BPA free solutions to everything from plastic water bottles to single-use cups to disposable straws. Learn More PreviousNext

Orange Julep Recipe with Insulated TKPro

Grilled Orange Julep Cocktail

We teamed up with Klean Ambassador Brett Edwards and to make a fun fall cocktail that captures the flavors of the season. A Grilled Orange Julep Cocktail is a tasty treat any time of year, especially served ice cold with the TKPro.

Bumbershoot: Farewell to Festival Season

On the last days of August our field marketing team set sail to Seattle, WA for one last hurrah to wrap up the festival season, and what better festival to end with than Bumbershoot?

Oktoberfest Beer Flight

The harvest season is upon us. One thing that means to us is good craft beer and Oktoberfest! To celebrate, we took a little pub crawl of our own. We visited just a few of our favorite breweries around the country who are serving up more than just tasty brews but also supporting our mission of reusable solutions.

Plastic Free Road Trip

Klean Ambassador and photographer Atticus Radley recently did a road trip from NYC to Maine, with an attempt to go #plasticfree all weekend during. He gave us an honest account of his experiences and challenges out on the road, and shared some great photos of our Insulated TKWide Bottles and Insulated Tumblers.