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Bottled water everywhere, and all that plastic stinks

By Terri Bennett, McClatchy Newspapers, Source: MCT News Service

We all know that drinking water is good for us. But half of Americans are still buying their water in disposable plastic bottles. That's an enormous waste of both resources and money but I bet you didn't know it's also a waste of water.

Sure bottled water is convenient but there are many reasons to break the habit and you'll be saving more than money instantly.

The sticker shock alone is a good reason to make a change. Americans currently spend about $12 billion annually on bottled water. When you give up a 12 pack a week you'd save about $75 a year and the savings in natural resources are even more impressive.

Research at the Pacific Institute determined that it takes three times as much water to make the plastic bottle than it does to fill it. It also takes a couple of ounces of oil to produce each plastic bottle and let's not forget about the air pollution created transporting those heavy water bottles across the country.

Breaking the bottled water habit starts with investing in reusable bottles for your family. They come in all shapes and sizes and will pay for themselves in a matter of weeks. If you feel like you need filtered water, you can buy all sorts of water filters for your home including some that will screw right onto your faucet. But remember, most independent tests show that your tap water is just as safe as bottled water and about a quarter of all bottled water is just tap water in fancy packaging.

If for some reason, you do have to buy bottled water _ pick a better bottle. Look for ones made with less plastic and make sure you recycle them.

Right now, only 2 of every 10 water bottles are recycled. That means roughly 3 million plastic bottles are going to the landfill every day in America. And here's something not everyone knows: many recycling programs do not accept the plastic bottle caps because they clog up and jam the recycling process.

One option for recycling the caps is to take them, and most other rigid, screw on plastic caps, to an Aveda store. The recycled caps are turned into new caps and containers for Aveda products. You can also start your own collection of plastic caps and ship them directly to Aveda Caps, ACA Waste Services, 40 Eads St, West Babylon, NY 11704.

If you stop and think about all that goes into the making, shipping, and paying for water in disposable plastic bottles, it's easy to understand why we should all ban the bottled water.

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	(For more information: www.DoYourPart.com.)

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