PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES FOREVER WITH US!

Bottled water manufacturers encourage the perception that their products are purer and safer than tap water, but the reality is that tap water is actually held to more stringent quality standards than bottled water, which can cost up to 10,000 times more per gallon than, and some brands are just tap water in disguise.

Our increasing consumption of bottled water—more than 22 gallons per Canadian citizen in 2007 according to the Earth Policy Institute—fuels an unsustainable industry that takes a heavy toll on the environment. Approximately 1.5 million barrels of oil—enough to run 100,000 cars for a whole year—are used to make plastic water bottles, while transporting these bottles burns even more.

The growth in bottled water production has increased water extraction in areas near bottling plants, leading to shortages that affect nearby consumers and farmers.  Nearly 90 percent of bottles are not recycled and wind up in landfills where it takes thousands of years for the plastic to decompose; walk along any street or walkway and you will see that having no recycling bins around leads people to simply throw them away. Our cities are now grappling with ways to limit the amount they buy for city facilities.

Next time you feel thirsty, forget the bottle and turn to the tap.  If you don’t like the taste of your tap water or are unsure of its quality, you can buy a filter pitcher or install an inexpensive faucet filter to remove trace chemicals and bacteria. If you will be away from home, fill a metal reusable bottle from your tap and refill it along the way; travel bottles with built-in filters are also available.