Ditch the disposable water bottle habit! Instead, drink clean tap water from a reusable bottle. It may seem insignificant, but ultimately it will benefit you and our environment. Here are some reasons why replacing disposable bottles is a great idea:
Tap water is just as safe, if not safer, than bottled water. The water that flows from your faucet has more stringent federal safety regulations than bottled water. Only 30–40% of bottled water sold across state lines are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. On average, the FDA sends inspectors to bottling plants once every two to three years.
Reusable bottles are more convenient than single-use water bottles. Reusable bottles can be taken anywhere and can be easily stored. When choosing a reusable bottle, look for one made from lined aluminum, glass, or stainless steel. If you must choose plastic, look for BPA-free which means the plastic does not contain the chemical bisphenol A, which could lead to future health concerns.
Using reusable bottles can also save you money, while preventing waste in our environment. Americans drink more than 73 billion half-liter disposable water bottles a year. That’s enough to circle the globe more than 370 times. Americans spend close to $11.8 billion on disposable water bottles. Of the 73 billion half-liter bottles of water, more than 4 billion pounds of plastic bottles end up in landfills each year, costing close to $98 million annually.
Avoiding disposable water bottles is good for local communities. Big beverage companies often take water from municipal or underground sources that local people depend on for drinking water.
With all these reasons, it’s hard to not make the switch. Give a gift to yourself and the earth: start using reusable water bottles today!
– Kayla Bernard, ENC Intern