Glancing down a grocery aisle, bottled water looks so tempting. The beautiful graphics of green trees and exotic water from Fiji or France make it look so healthy. It’s easy to be duped by this misleading advertising.

Growing up the Philly suburbs, I never bought water.  Luckily, our tap was clean and my Dad didn’t get the point in buying a typically free product.  (Who knew Dad’s crazy protest was actually helping the environment? )

The bottled water industry is an environmental termite.  When you’re drinking a bottle of water, you’re consuming approximately 1/2 of that bottle in oil – talk about hurting your Carbon Footprint!

Why is bottled water so bad?

• Producing and transporting the bottled water sucks up natural resources.  Manufacturing & transporting plastic bottles emits mass carbon emissions.  This process can use up to 47 million gallons of oil per year – (Imagine how much of that oil could be used to lower the gas prices.)  Importing that bottle from Fiji or France?  That bottle of water is traveling halfway across the world.
• Most water bottles aren’t recycled.  Bottled water alone adds up to 1.5 million tons of plastic waste per year.  According to the Container Recycling Institute, 9 of 10 water bottles end up as litter or garbage – that’s 30 million bottles per day!
• To top it off, most bottled water comes from the same tap as your household!  Regardless of fancy marketing, you’re not gaining health benefits by drinking bottled water over tap.  (Tap water contains fluoride good for your pearly whites, which isn’t a benefit found in that bottle.)

While I’ve converted to Nalgene/Stainless steel containers and reusable cups, I’ll admit there are places where tap water isn’t desirable. If I journey south of the US border, I won’t risk Montezuma’s Revenge. After I run the 10-mile Broad Street Run, I won’t turn down that bottled water until I get to my own tap.

In the meantime, here are some ways to green your water consumption:

• Purchase a Brita Pitcher or Water Filter to put directly on your tap.  This way, you’ll have clean tap water flowing & avoid purchasing bottled water.
• Use a reusable water bottle. (Worried about recent anti-Nalgene claims?  Switch to stainless steel thermos, mugs or cups.)  Bring it with you to work, fill up at the gym, and take it with you for days away from home.  This can also force you to drink more water – which is better for your health, anyway.
• Recycle! If you do have to purchase bottled water, ensure it ends up in the recycle bin.  You may have to walk a little further or crush it & save it until you see a recycle bin, but it will save landfills from plastic.

Still not convinced?  London (Ontario) just passed a ban on selling bottled water. The trend’s catching on!

Posted by Julie

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Julie Hancher is Editor-in-Chief of Green Philly, sharing her expertise of all things sustainable in the city of brotherly love. She enjoys long walks in the park with local beer and greening her travels, cooking & cat, Sir Floofus Drake. View all posts by Julie Hancher