Bottled Water – Why It’s Bad For The Environment!
How often do you open a bottle of water to drink? The truth is that this is a very common thing to do, whether you reach for a bottle from the fridge, or take a bottle with you when you are out for a run. There is no problem with doing this, right? There is no harm with drinking bottled water. Well, that is not really true. Bottled water is actually no healthier to drink than a lot of tap water, and it’s also bad for the environment.
The best way to get fresh water to drink in your home is actually to filter it. If you want to take water with you on a run then just put some filtered water into a reusable bottle. But, why is bottled water so harmful to the environment?
The dangers of the plastic bottle
The bottled water that you buy from the store may taste good to you, but what happens to the bottle when you have finished with it? Many plastic bottles end up in the oceans, or in landfill sites. This adds to the pollution of the planet.
Even when plastic is recycled, into products such as fertilizer, there is a problem. The issue of micro plastics is only just being recognized and the long-term effects on humans and animals are not clear as yet.
Just making the bottle that you drink from is also a major drain on the planet’s resources. It takes three times as much water to make the bottle than it does to fill it. Is it really worth taking such a big risk with the health of the planet, just to enjoy a drink of water?
Why filtration is the best option
The truth is that it makes more sense to filter the water that comes out of the tap than it does to buy bottled water from a store. Filtering the water removes chemicals, dirt and other additives which may be present, and gives you the clean and fresh water you are looking for.
There are many different water filtration systems on the market. Two of the most popular are the counter top water filter and the under sink water filter. Counter top systems are usually lower in price because they do not require any plumbing. But, they do take up valuable counter space and you cannot filter very much water at one time. If you want to filter a larger amount of water, you may be better advised to buy an under sink system. It will cost you more, as plumbing is required, but it’s hidden away under the sink.
Any water filtration system gives you access to water that is clean and safe to drink. It’s a far better option than buying environment damaging bottles of water. Although the initial investment may seem high, you can save money in the long-term, as you no longer need to purchase water from the store.
20 Comments
Tamra Phelps
I use too much bottled water. The water here just doesn’t seem great to me and so far I haven ‘t found a good filter system that I can afford and the landlord will allow. It sucks.
Tamra Phelps
I’ve been using more bottled water and I hate it. I think I need to look into a filtered water system. It’s a much better idea.
Kelly O
I am a freak about plastic bottles. Well…pretty much anything plastic. I have a great glass bottle that I fill using my filtered home water. It is perfect and I don’t feel guilty throwing out another plastic bottle.
Deanna
This is a great post! I hadn’t really thought about how harmful bottled water is. This post made me realize how bad it is for the environment. I’m personally guilty of buying bottled water quite often. It’s always just been very convenient to buy bottled water, and it tastes good. The tap water where I currently live is absolutely awful. After reading this, I think I’m going to look into getting some type of filtration system.
michele
It is amazing to me that when you go into the grocery there is a whole isle of nothing but bottled water.. The cost to people is so high.. higher than buying a good filtration system….
Jasmine
Hydroflask, Sip, and S’well bottles are so handy and really make drinking convenient for those daily eight glasses!
Edye
I’m very picky about what I drink so this post was very interesting to me.
CJ
I tasted an ice cube made from unfiltered tap water at a relative’s house not too long ago… Oh it tasted awful… I hope she considers buying some kind of filter not just for the taste but for her health as well…
Kate Sarsfield
We have our own well and as long as I keep the filters clean & maintained then there’s no need to add to the burden on our oceans.
Sarah L
I keep trying to convince my friends to stop using bottled water. A couple have. Some won’t.
Rosie
I never buy bottled water. I don’t have a filtration system where I am, but I’m hoping to be moving, I definitely would like to install one.
Dana
I rarely buy bottled water. I bought a few Swells (well worth the money) and use a Brita at home to filter the water. Reusing a bottle likes Swell is better for you than plastic too.
Tamra Phelps
I rarely buy bottled water. I do sometimes buy Gatorade, etc., but I try to reuse the bottles or recycle them.
Karen R
Thank you for the post. We drink filtered water from home.
Lisa Brown
I can’t stand plastics and try to reduce the amount I buy all the time. Such a pollutant to the earth. I do think installing a filtration system is the best option for a household, if not that, a counter top pitcher would do.
Sarah L
I gave up using bottled water many years ago. I have good tap water and I use a Brita filter pitcher for my drinking water.
CJ
We do the same thing Tamra (It isn’t Gatorade but other plastic juice bottles) We have a few in the fridge filled with our tap water. It’s filtered and it tastes great. I don’t think one should have to buy water…
Tamra Phelps
Fortunately, our tap water is good. I wash & reuse Gatorade bottles, lol. I keep a dozen or so in the fridge & keep bottles of water flavorings to add to them.
Veronica Lee
We filter and boil our water over here on our side of the pond as our tap water is not drinking safe
michele
Great post… we have stopped buying water a very long time ago and put in under the sink filters…also never be without a good brita system as a back up…. Thank you for this post Connie