OVERVIEW FROM Responsible Purchasing Guide to Bottled Water Alternatives
Social & Environmental Issues
Americans bought a total of 8.8 billion gallons of bottled water in 2007. According to one estimate, producing these bottles required the energy equivalent of over 17 million barrels of oil and produced over 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide. This is the same amount of carbon dioxide that would be emitted by over 400,000 passenger vehicles in one year. Nearly 50 billion new PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic bottles were produced in 2005 from virgin rather than recycled materials, producing additional greenhouse gases. In 2004, only 14.5 percent of non-carbonated beverage bottles made from PET were recycled. For each gallon of water that is bottled, an additional two gallons of water are used in processing. Many of these impacts can be easily avoided by switching to tap water, filters, fountains and coolers when necessary.
Conclusion
Bottled water is environmentally damaging and wasteful. Given the wide availability of safe, low-cost tap water, and the wide array of appropriate and cost-competitive filters and other drinking water dispensing equipment, switching to tap water saves consumers money and dramatically reduces environmental impacts, including greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption, and waste generation.
Read more from Responsible Purchasing Network.
Social & Environmental Issues
Americans bought a total of 8.8 billion gallons of bottled water in 2007. According to one estimate, producing these bottles required the energy equivalent of over 17 million barrels of oil and produced over 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide. This is the same amount of carbon dioxide that would be emitted by over 400,000 passenger vehicles in one year. Nearly 50 billion new PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic bottles were produced in 2005 from virgin rather than recycled materials, producing additional greenhouse gases. In 2004, only 14.5 percent of non-carbonated beverage bottles made from PET were recycled. For each gallon of water that is bottled, an additional two gallons of water are used in processing. Many of these impacts can be easily avoided by switching to tap water, filters, fountains and coolers when necessary.
Conclusion
Bottled water is environmentally damaging and wasteful. Given the wide availability of safe, low-cost tap water, and the wide array of appropriate and cost-competitive filters and other drinking water dispensing equipment, switching to tap water saves consumers money and dramatically reduces environmental impacts, including greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption, and waste generation.
Read more from Responsible Purchasing Network.
Water: A Resource for Life was the title for a Smithsonian exhibit at The Science Center at Carbondale's University Mall, December 2016-January 2017.
Here are some current news articles that make us aware of how profoundly important water issues are:
http://www.freep.com/story/opinion/contributors/2016/02/13/flint-water-supply/80262902/
http://www.syracuse.com/state/index.ssf/2016/02/hoosick_falls_honeywell.html
Here are some current news articles that make us aware of how profoundly important water issues are:
http://www.freep.com/story/opinion/contributors/2016/02/13/flint-water-supply/80262902/
http://www.syracuse.com/state/index.ssf/2016/02/hoosick_falls_honeywell.html
