Super Eco

The American appetite for soda won't go flat any time soon. Not when soda industry leaders just shelled out $7 million in a lobbying crusade against the proposed soda tax.

We sweet-toothed Americans--belch!--guzzle about 50 cans of soda per month. Our "obesity-endangered" children often drink more pop than water or milk on any given day. If we drink so much soda anyway, why not make the rotgut ourselves at home?

Enter the SodaStream, a DIY soda machine for the upper-class, eco-minded carbonated drink lover. Let's take a fizzy sip and see if this gadget's as good and green for you--and the earth--as its maker claims.

The Good:

• SodaStream's new Soda-Club Eco machine is made from 85 percent recyclable materials and requires only one plastic bottle to be recycled every three years. Approximately 311 billion plastic soda bottles are NOT recycled worldwide every year.
• What's good for the SodaStream is good for the can: Each SodaStream "sodamix" flavor bottle makes the equivalent of 33 cans of soda.
• SodaStream machines are fast. Three seconds is all it takes to blow bubbles into your sugar water. You can also turn plain tap water into fancy seltzer water in seconds not-so-flat.
• They're designed to "save time, save space and save money." Using one regularly could significantly trim your waste stream, especially if you have a serious soda addiction (like the rest of us).
• They're somewhat sustainable. Heavy emphasis on somewhat. SodaStream's reusable carbonating bottles and endless other plastic supplies are BPA-free and recyclable.
• There's no 12-pack lugging and no plastic or aluminum empties to recycle. No problem?
• The per-serving savings are decent. SodaStream DIY soda water costs about 20 cents per liter, whereas wasteful designer bottled bubbly water cha-chings an average of $2 per liter.

The Bad:

• SodaStreams are a bit of pain to operate and they're expensive. Sure, the per-serving savings are considerable, but the machines themselves are anything but cheap. The most stripped-down model, The Fountain Jet home soda maker, starts at $89.95 before shipping. The sleek premium Penguin tops out at $199.95. At least it comes with a pair of fancy, dishwasher-safe glass carafes and two 60-liter carbonation packs. (Remember, glass is greener than plastic.)
• DIY SodaStream-making demands an ongoing "stream" of pricey plastic supplies, including PET serving bottles and plastic flavor concentrate containers. At least all that stuff is recyclable.

The Bubbly (on SodaStream sketchy sweets):

There are 30 SodaStream sodamix standard flavors, including diet, regular and Kosher (cola; cream soda; fountain mist; root beer; orange; lemon iced tea; ginger ale, etc.)  

At first glance, SodaStream seems mainly healthy; the flavor mixes don't contain high-fructose corn syrup, refined sugars or aspartame. However, many are artificially-sweetened with Splenda-brand sucralose, a chemical repeatedly linked to kidney dysfunction; migraine headaches; cancers; brain and nervous system disorders; immune system debilitation; and several other major health problems. Why not all-natural stevia, SodaStream? Could be the terribly bitter aftertaste. 

SodaStream sodamix sippers also swallow lab-made food coloring, phosphoric acid and the preservative sodium benzoate. Are these so-called "naturally flavored" sodamixes drinkable greenwashing or what?

The Verdict: Let's leave this one off The List, Santa. I'll stick with filling and refilling my Sigg with filtered tap water. 2009 issue, of course.