Save More Than Money -- Don't Buy Bottled Water
During these hot days of summer there is no better advice than to keep hydrated. Eight glasses of water a day keep our bodies healthy, but think twice before grabbing that plastic bottle of water. Research is quickly adding up that bottled water is far from healthy for our bodies, our wallets, and our planet.
The Price of Convenience
We spent nearly $11 billion dollars on bottled water last year in the Untied States. That’s more than we spent on milk, and sales are quickly closing in on beer. The cost doesn’t stop or start there; the trail begins at the production of the plastic bottle. Over the course of one year it takes 1.5 million barrels of oil to produce one plastic bottle. That’s not including the oil consumed in the transportation or the refrigeration. For every gallon of purified water that fills those bottles, two gallons of water are wasted. A majority of the 22 billion bottles produced last year ended up in landfills where it will take thousands of years for the plastic to decompose.
The Healthy Choice
Aside from convenience, Americans purchase bottled water because they believe it is healthier and safer than water out of the tap. Roughly 40% of bottled water starts out at the tap. It may or may not be retreated before it is packaged. The fact is, the EPA requires more stringent testing on a quarterly basis for our tap water than on the annual testing of bottled water. Water is less of a health concern than the plastic used in the bottles, a more likely contamination threat. Reusing plastic bottles, which a lot of people do, can leach chemicals that are possible carcinogens and potential hormone disruptors. Not to mention that plastic is porous, so with each gulp you take you’re probably swallowing a mouthful a bacteria too.
Changing Habits
A majority of people trust tap water, and with good reason: The United States has one of the safest water supplies in the world. So forego the expensive bottled water and get your own reusable bottle. I used to buy one bottle of water a day at the very least. At an average cost of $2 a bottle, I was spending $740 annually. I purchased a reusable canteen bottle for $20. I fill it up every morning from my faucet and refill it through out the day. This simple investment has helped me save money and reduce my carbon footprint. If you don’t like the taste of your tap water, purchase a faucet filter, filtered pitcher, or if you’re always on the go there are reusable bottles with built-in filters available.
Simple changes in our daily habits make huge impacts. For more information on the quality of your local water check out the EPA’s website.
Reusable Bottles
Kleen Kanteen stainless steel bottle with cap.
MLS Stainless steel thermos bottle.
Nalgene HDPE Loop top bottle.
Back to the Tap water bottles with built in filters.
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