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

Shooting the Chug

Photoshoot day is always an exciting one for the creative team at Klean. It’s an excuse for us to get outside and share some fun experiences with like-minded folks. Learn more about how we shot the TKWide Chug Cap.

Last Chance Summer Trips

With school back in full swing in most areas, all we can think about is how fast the summer went by and are hoping we aren’t alone in this feeling. We've been brainstorming ways to squeeze every drop of sunshine, travel, and good company out of this summer.

Adventures on The Lost Coast

Earlier this year we linked up with a few of our favorite adventure photographers to do some pre-launch testing of our new TKWide line in the heart of Redwood country along the Northern California Coast.

Klean Wins Business of the Year Award from Save the Waves

Klean was honored recently to be presented the Wave Saver Award as Business of the Year by Save the Waves Coalition. We are proud to be considered at the forefront of oceanic and coastal conservation efforts, and stand alongside fellow award recipients at the Life is a Wave gala.

La Luna Fest: Dance Yourself Klean

Klean Ambassador Faye Lessler recently joined us for music and fun at La Luna Festival in Brooklyn. She shares her experience at a music festival with a sustainable vibe.

Strawberry Whiskey Lemonade Cocktail

Strawberry Whiskey Lemonade Cocktail Words: Klean Kanteen / Images: Brett Edwards We teamed up with Klean Ambassador Brett Edwards and our friends at Tin Cup Whiskey to make a perfect batch cocktail for entertaining in the backyard or on the go! A smoked Strawberry Whiskey Lemonade, aka strawberry whiskey sour batch cocktail, is definitely a crowd pleaser for summer parties, or sipping on the patio after a long day. There's no need for disposable plastic cups or straws. Mix and pour with the Insulated TKPro. Drink and sip with steel cups and straws. Enjoy! Ingredients 4 lemons Simple Syrup Fresh strawberries (1-2 pints) Tin Cup Whiskey Crushed Ice Directions Slice 3 lemons in half and put them on the grill, take your 4th lemon and cut it into 1/4 inch sections to save for garnish. Wet the lemon slices with some simple syrup to increase the caramelization on the grilled lemon garnish. Grab a big handful of strawberries, remove the stems and cut them in half. Throw your cut berries in a large mixing glass, and press the grilled lemons over top, muddle them together to create a medley of smokey sour citrus and sweet refreshing strawberries. add Tin Cup Whiskey, about 1.5 oz per lemon, and ice Give the cocktail a shake to incorporate the ingredients and let it run through the ice, then pour in the Klean Kanteen TK Pro to keep it chilled and ready for serving at home, or on the go! Add ice into the TK Pro if you wish, this will further drop the temperature of the cocktail, and with the heavy insulation of the Kanteen, the ice won’t melt and dilute your mixture. This drink is best enjoyed over crushed ice, with a grilled lemon garnish for aroma. Products You've gathered the ingredients and read the directions to make a great summer cocktail. Now make sure you have some sweet vessels to pour, serve and sip! Sold out Shop TKPro Sold out Shop Tumbler Sold out Shop Straws

What Does Pride Mean to You?

One word that means a lot. We sat down with Nicole Lee, International Sales and Customer Specialist at Klean and her partner Ryann Howard, to chat about pride and inclusivity in the workplace, and what it means to them.

The Creative Process

When our friend Spencer Fochtman got in touch about a project he was working on to capture a once in a lifetime image up on the Oregon Coast we immediately said we're in! Learn more about the creative process.

Tips on How to Repurpose Your Stainless Steel Bottle

If something were to happen to your Kanteen or you’re just looking to upgrade, we have a few tips on how to give your old Kanteen a second life.

Package Free Lifestyle

Savina Istas is the owner and brainchild behind Robuust, a zero waste store in Antwerp, Belgium. More than a store, it's truly a lifestyle and vehicle for change.

A Conversation With Greg Long

Jan. 2019 | Words by Klean | Images by @arefrapwell, @alejandro_berger, @almackinnon At Klean we get to work with all sorts of interesting people throughout the world who are committed to reducing single-use waste and living Klean in a big way. Professional big wave surfer and Klean ambassador Greg Long is one of those people. In addition to charging some of the heaviest, most remote waves on the planet Greg is a committed environmental activist. We recently caught up with him during his busy travel schedule to ask a few questions about life, ocean conservation and tropical islands. Klean: You are a busy guy, always on the move! Where are you now and what are you up to next? Greg: I am currently at home in San Clemente, CA getting ready for a busy weekend at the Ohana Music festival which is a three-day event put on by Eddie Vedder and Live Nation. The event hosts a great array of musicians from around the world with a portion of proceeds going to support a number of local environmental organizations. Along with bringing in an array of incredible music they have also created a space for these organizations, artists, and activists to share their work and educate festival attendees about different important environmental and conservation initiatives and how they can become involved. Over the three days, I am both hosting and sitting on a few different panel discussions, ranging from offshore oil drilling, plastic pollution, nuclear waste storage and of course big wave surfing. And I will without a doubt be enjoying a fair bit of music as well. Afterwards I head over to Europe for a few weeks to host and speak at a few Patagonia events about surfing and environmental activism, after I’ll be settling in back at home in California and getting ready for the Northern Hemisphere big wave season. Klean: Talk to us about your involvement with the Surfrider Foundation. They have a been a great partner of ours over the years and we are so impressed with the work they do to protect our ocean. How and why did you get involved with them? Greg: I have been involved with the Surfrider Foundation for well over a decade. Since I was a kid, I had always seen their name in the surfing world as they were diligently addressing local environmental issues, from urban run-off, protecting coastal access, or standing in opposition of ill-conceived development projects. Their Southern California chapter office is in my hometown of San Clemente, so when I became more involved personally with these issues, it was only natural to align my energy and with the organization that was on the front lines combatting them. The Surfrider Foundation is extremely effective at facilitating positive change bridging local knowledge with experts in law, policy and science. ˘ Klean: You’ve traveled the world extensively and spent a great deal of time in some pretty diverse marine environments. I’d imagine you’ve seen some of the perils faced by our ocean first hand. What sticks out in your mind? Greg: If I were to pick one issue that is undeniable and problematic in nearly every corner of the world, it is marine plastic pollution. Our dependency on plastic is out of hand and sadly the majority of the world doesn’t have an efficient waste management program in place to deal with the material after it has been used. Sadly, in such places, the majority of it ends up in our ocean whereupon it breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces wreaking havoc on the natural environment and even ends back up in our own food supply. There is a very delicate balance that exists between the ocean and all of life on this planet and if we continue to neglect it, the future won’t be very bright for us humans. The good news within this plastic pollution epidemic is that every single piece of it, is created by us. Therefore it could be easily solved by us if we were only to accept responsibility, change our consumption habits and lifestyles (ie. stop using plastic), and use alternative environmentally conscious alternatives. as there are now plenty. Klean: Getting involved in a meaningful way with such a wide reaching and important issue like ocean conservation can look pretty overwhelming to the average person. What advice do you have for someone, surfer or not, who is looking to get involved? Greg: You are absolutely correct, if you look at the most pressing environmental issues from a global perspective, they can very quickly become overwhelming, leaving people to feel that their individual efforts and actions to stop them are pointless and won’t make a difference. The best advice that I can give somebody who is looking to get involved is to not worry about changing the world, but focus at first on simply their individual world and lives. The Surfrider Foundation actually has a slogan that sums up this idea very succinctly and that is “think global, but act local.” If we were all to adopt that mentality, and focus our energies towards changing our immediate lives and communities, the impact we would have would be tremendous. Complacency is one of the biggest threats we currently face in these battles. People believe that somebody else will solve these problems, or their actions don’t matter and this couldn’t be farther from the truth. We all have a role to play if we are going to solve these problems and the path to do so starts and the individual and personal level. Klean: Here’s a fun one for you to lighten things up a little: Someone drops you on a tropical island with a reeling right point break in your front yard and tells you that’s where you get to spend the rest of your days. You have all your surf gear, shelter and plenty of food and water. What two other things do you bring with you? Greg: My girlfriend Taylor and an assortment of Klean Kanteen products…with all the above I could most certainly live happily ever after!

Sustainable Business Through Brewing

Georgia Brown’s desire to look for alternatives to the throw away culture lead her to Stone and Wood Brewing on the beautiful East Coast of Australia.

How to Combat Climate Change with Your Morning Coffee

Daily decisions such as what to eat for breakfast and where to get it can have a massive impact when it comes to climate change and social equality around the world.

Inspired by a Plastic-Free Experience

Ideally situated in the small town of Bahia Ballena-Uvita, Osa on Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast, Bodhi Surf and Yoga is the first B Corp certified surf and yoga camp in the world.

Zero Waste on the Three Peaks

Yumi Matsui didn’t set out to organize one of the most challenging trail running races in Japan. Her goal was to create a shared experience connecting people with the outdoors—and each other.

Transforming #CoastalCleanupDay

Coastal Cleanup Day is the world’s largest volunteer day to protect our environment, supported by our partner organizations like the California Coastal Keeper Alliance.

Klean Voices: Unforgettable Summer Vacation

Colorado is a special place for a lot of reasons. Not only it is it a beautifully mountainous state with a relentlessly sunny climate, attracting an endless stream of outdoor enthusiasts, it is a state that is rich in history, diversity and culture. A hundred years ago, Colorado was the land of ranching and mining; it was a conservative state that imbued those values of the Wild West. In recent years, the demographics of Colorado have shifted. The population, one of the fastest growing in the U.S., has become younger, more liberal and more active. Many young people are attracted to Colorado because of the gorgeous weather, active lifestyle offerings, fewer crowds and unique work and life opportunities. Living in Telluride, Colorado is a constant reminder of how lucky we are to spend our lives in one of the most naturally breathtaking and friendly mountain towns in the state. Telluride is also the home of our company, RE:treat, which offers yoga-inspired adventure retreats in beautiful mountain locations around the world. Of course, we could have chosen anywhere on the planet as the home base of our company, but we chose beautiful, mountainous Colorado. This got us thinking about the many reasons we love it here so, so much – and we decided to compile a list of six things we love most about Colorado. If you're looking for a spot to take a summer trip, here are five reasons you may want to consider coming straight to Colorado: 1. Blue skies and sunshine people. Colorado boasts around 300 days of sunshine per year. Our climate is conducive to outdoor adventure, and the chances are that if you visit Colorado, it's going to be sunny. 2. We are the leanest state in the U.S. Colorado has been the leanest state in the U.S. for a few years now. Maybe it's the altitude, or maybe it's the attitude? Coloradans have a great outlook on life, and I'm sure this plays into lifestyle choices. Skiing, hiking, biking and climbing are activities that many people live here for, and you have endless choices of where to do any one of these activities. 3. Colorado is one of the happiest states in the country. A study by WalletHub found Colorado to be the fourth happiest state in the country. Colorado ranked second for emotional and physical wellbeing. Could it be the Rocky Mountain High? 4. Mountains, mountains and more mountains! Colorado has the most land over 10,000 feet of elevation than any other state in the U.S. Mountains are plentiful in Colorado, and they are the reason why many people choose to live here. The San Juan Mountains, where Telluride is located, are the highest concentration of 13,000 and 14,000-foot peaks in Colorado, meaning endless trails of skiing, hiking and biking. 5. World class amenities. Colorado is home to some of the world's most prominent international ski resorts, including Aspen, Vail, Steamboat and Telluride. As a result, we have an endless treasure trove of high-end hotels, restaurants and outdoor recreation options. Join RE:treat in beautiful Telluride, Colorado on one of our 2015 yoga retreat experiences, and we'll also treat you to luxury accommodations, fabulous, organic food and wonderful company. Klean Voice Contributor Babsi Glanznig is an Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga instructor at RE:treat, an organization based in Telluride, Colorado, that offers yoga inspired adventure retreats in beautiful mountain locations around the world.

Traveling #plasticfree

Klean ambassador and guest writer Faye Lessler of Sustaining Life offers advice on how to avoid single use products, even on-the-go.

The Tools to Change

UK-based Small Batch Coffee Roasters has a mission: caffeinate the world with really good coffee in a way that's fair to people and planet.

Kings of the Yukon

Writer Adam Weymouth writes about his is trip down the Yukon River in Alaska, 2000 miles to research the decline of the king salmon and how it was impacting those who still depend on it.

We Keep It Wild - Limited Edition Kanteen to Support Wild Places

We caught up with the artist behind our limited edition "Keep It Wild" Kanteen, Ian McWilliams, to talk about inspiration, process and the importance of keeping it wild.

Inside Klean: Powered by Solar

From our lights to our computers to our Sierra Nevada filled kegerator, Klean Kanteen headquarters is powered by the clean California sun! 216 high-efficiency panels generate 141,323 kW of power. That is more than enough to run our entire operation including the in-house print shop. The extra power generated by the solar array will be fed back into the energy grid resulting in a 107% energy offset.

Keeping Your Dog Hydrated on Outdoor Adventures

Friend of Klean Jen Sotolongo from Long Haul Trekkers was kind enough to share some great tips with us on how to keep a trail dog hydrated while on the go! Her dog Sora is a well traveled pup. She is an experienced bike tourist and her adventures have spanned continents!

Clean Water: A Local to Global Flow

A quick bike ride away from our Chico, California headquarters, Big Chico Creek drops out of the Northern Sierra Nevada foothills. Swollen with water from a winter of heavy rain and mountain snows, our local creek is the centerpiece of a relatively healthy watershed.

The Culture of Klean: Love, Respect and Fun

With the month of February upon us, we asked Klean Kanteen Co-Owner Michelle Kalberer to share some thoughts on the role of love, respect and fun within the walls of Klean Kanteen HQ.

Co-brand of the Month: Firestone Walker

We had a chat with our friends at Firestone Walker Brewing Company to learn more about what their thriving brewery is all about.

Paper Coffee Cups Are Not Actually Recyclable in Most Places

Pretty much everyone has tossed a paper coffee cup into a recycling bin at some point in time with the intention of creating a future for that cup as a post-consumer-waste based product. The sad truth is that many types of paper cups aren't actually recyclable. The majority of paper coffee cups have a thin layer of wax or plastic that helps prevent them from getting soggy and leaky. This layer, although helpful during the drinking experience, makes the cups extremely hard to recycle. The majority of communities in the United States aren't equipped with recycling technology capable of dealing with these types of cups. Cups that get ‘recycled’ in communities lacking the proper recycling technology instead end up in a landfill. Fortunately, there is a solution! Making reusables products a part of your daily routine isn't as hard as you might think and we’re here to help along the way. Whether you choose a Klean Kanteen Insulated TKWide, Insulated Tumbler or another reusable option, we hope you’ll be part of the solution and show us how you #BringYourOwn on social media.

#BringYourOwn Hot Mulled Cider Recipe

Few things hit the spot on a fall day the way hot mulled cider does. This recipe is sure to be a hit with your friends and fam.

Five Reasons to Love Coffee

As the days grow shorter and getting out of bed becomes just a little harder, we’ve found ourselves appreciating our morning cup of coffee even more than usual. Today we bring you a few of the many things we love about coffee!

B Corp Spotlight: Purely Elizabeth

We connected with our inspiring friends at Purely Elizabeth to talk responsible business, natural food, and healthy living. Here’s what they had to say.

Co-Brand of the Month: Grand Canyon Whitewater & Arizona River Runners

Our co-brand partners Grand Canyon Whitewater and Arizona River Runners work together as one to help protect what is said to be the crown jewel of the United States’ national parks.

Klean Voices: La Vendemmia

Klean Voices contributor Henry Hoogenveen shares how a time-honored end-of-summer tradition in Italy is returning to the days of being single-use free.

A 13-Year-Old Inspiring Action on the Pacific Coast

A 13-Year-Old with a passion for picking up trash and turning it into art shares her thoughts on an inspiring father-daughter road trip she recently took with here dad.

Turning Trash Into Art on the Pacific Coast

Our friend and photographer, Woods Wheatcroft, recently had the privilege of embarking on a beach cleaning road trip along the Pacific Coast with his 13-year-old daughter Della. Not only did they help clean up the shoreline, they turned the trash they found into works of art. We asked each one of them to share some learnings from that trip and today we bring you Woods’ thoughts.

B Corp Spotlight: Indosole

We caught up with our inspiring friends and fellow B Corp Indosole to chat about their burgeoning business and find out how they are trying to change consumer behaviour.

Celebrating 100 Years of Our National Parks

We asked Klean’s President and CEO Jim Osgood to share his thoughts on the National Parks Centennial and why it is an occasion worth celebrating. Here's what he had to say about his connection to the parks as well as Klean’s'

Seven Principles of Leave No Trace

We spend a lot of time talking about how we can work together to reduce the impact we have on our environment. Although most the tips and tricks we share are directed toward our day-to-day lives, it’s equally important to make sure our stewardship of the environment reaches into our leisure time.

Live Klean: Ten #BringYourOwn Solutions We Love

Living a #BringYourOwn lifestyle can be way easier than you might think. The first step is making sure you are well equipped to take on the challenge. Fortunately, there are tons of great solutions out there. Here are some of our favorites.

Packing a Zero-Waste Back To School Lunch

It can always be a bit of an adjustment getting back into the swing of things when the first day of school arrives. Lunch prep procrastination is a great way to ensure a bunch of single-use waste goes straight from your kiddo's lunchbox into the landfill. To help you put together a proper plan, here are ten great #BringYourOwn lunch tips from Zero-Waste Chef.

Eliminating Single-Use at Pickathon

We have been showing up in Happy Valley, Oregon, since 2010 to help Pickathon maintain its commitment to eliminating single-use plastic. This year is no different, except that we are encouraging all attendees to bring and reuse their own Klean Kanteen stainless steel pints and bottles purchased at previous Pickathons or at other music festivals.

Klean Voices: A Successful #PlasticFreeJuly

Klean Kanteen’s non-profit outreach manager, Caroleigh Pierce, just took on the #plasticfreejuly challenge. We asked her to share what her experience was like and give us some tips on how everyone can adopt a plastic-free lifestyle.

Co-Brand of the Month: Broken Compass Brewing Company

We took notice when we started getting repeat co-brand Growler orders from Broken Compass Brewing Company in the Rocky Mountain town of Breckenridge, Colorado.

Live Klean: #BringYourOwn Summertime Chia Breakfast

This fun little recipe is one of our summertime favorites because it's packed fresh seasonal fruits, it’s easy to make and extremely tasty. Not to mention, it’s a cool way to start out any hot summer day and you can eat it on the bus, at your desk, or pretty much anywhere.

Klean Voices: Life After Adventure

Our adventure-seeking friends from The Longest Hello, Nick and Laura Ocean, recently returned home from months on the road. Nick was kind enough to sit down and share his thoughts about what life looks like post-adventure in a new home.

Live Klean Recipe: Curried Couscous Salad

In the spirit of living Klean and keeping things simple on the road, we want to share a recipe for a hike/travel-friendly meal that comes together in minutes with very little effort and cooks itself in a Klean Kanteen insulated canister. That means breaking out your camp stove is completely optional – whew, sigh of relief!

Live Klean: Rolling Klean

This Live Klean tip is all about the spirt of Klean – putting something you have to good use, to multi-use even, and having fun along the way. Are you one of those folks, who halfway through baking a batch of Christmas cookies, realizes you don't actually have a rolling pin? We’ve been there. Oh, and in case you haven’t already found out, a wine bottle works just fine too!

Live Klean: Have Coffee, Will Travel

We believe that buying long-lasting, high-quality stuff, repairing what you have and seeking out only what you truly need matters. And just like practicing yoga or committing to a fitness program, reducing waste and your footprint on the whole is definitely easier with a little practice and routine.

Klean Voices: Harvest Time in Italy

Early Fall is my favorite time of year in Italy for many reasons; the nights get chillier and the air gets crisper and starts smelling like soil. I love what fall symbolizes: change, the end of summer and the beginning of the harvest.