The Dirty Truth About ‘Clean’ Bottled Drinking Water
So, you may have heard that the bottled drinking water that you buy at the supermarket and convenience store isn’t any better for you than the tap water that comes out of your faucet. A recent finding of plastic fibers in over 250 plastic bottles of water bought in nine different countries proves otherwise. It could actually be considered worse than tap water!
Plastic Particles Found in Bottled Drinking Water
In fact, the Orb Media research team discovered that at least ten plastic particles were found per liter of bottled drinking water, almost as large in width as human hair. Despite these findings, the companies responsible for producing the bottled water assured researchers that the highest quality standards were being followed during the bottling process. It’s not just the water inside the bottles that have the world worried, it’s the bottles themselves. Why don't we just switch to a reusable water bottle instead?
Plastic Waste Threatens Wildlife and Destroys Ecosystems
Plastic waste has filled the oceans, streams, and lakes in many countries. It poses a hazard to the wildlife that comes into contact with it. Not only does it look like food to marine life, it also ensnares and endangers animals. There have been reports from travelers that not one square inch of the beaches they visited in other countries were free from debris.
Tourist hotspots tend to be a catch-all for trash. Take the Jersey Shore in the United States for example. Filled with beautiful beaches and a popular boardwalk, organized beach clean-ups are underway to rid the area of plastic bottles and other waste left behind by vacationers.
Trash-Strewn Areas are Almost Always Filled with Plastic Water Bottles
Drinking bottles tend to stick out in photos of trash-strewn areas more than anything else. The single-serve solutions to hydration are cast aside quickly and with little thought. Even though some plastics are recyclable, many wind up becoming trash that goes into landfills.
There are so many plastic flip-flops that wash up on the shores of Kenya that the local craftspeople have taken to making art out of the rubbish. They create small animals that they sell as souvenirs as well as make large art pieces that they display.
The jewelry and ornaments help provide local artisans with an income. The Ocean Sole project rescues what would otherwise be thrown away, repurposes it, and makes it valuable to people once again. The UN states that for every square mile of ocean, there is at least 50,000 pieces of plastic found in it.
More Plastic Waste Goes into Landfills Than What is Recycled
A billion dollars of plastic is thrown away each year. If that wasn’t shocking enough, 50 billion dollars of plastic water bottles are purchased annually. Only 23% are recycled with the rest winding up in landfills or polluting our planet.
People aren’t mindful enough to cart out the waste they create. Other areas of the globe see an influx of trash because it gets dumped in the ocean and floats to the shoreline where it threatens animals and plant life that live by the sea. Modern wastelands are present nearly everywhere a person travels to because recycling isn’t always offered as an option and when it is, people aren’t compelled enough to carry through with the process.
Scientists Have Discovered New Plastic-Eating Bacteria
Plastic-eating bacteria known as Ideonella sakaiensis 201-F6 could be just what is needed to tackle the world’s plastic problem. Scientists identified the new species as being valuable because it was able to break down a thin film of PET in a matter of a month and few weeks.
The cell’s appendages are thought to have dissolved the plastic by secreting compounds that dissolve the substance. What this could potentially do to eliminate plastic waste is outstanding. It could help microorganisms to degrade more rapidly.
Breaking Up with Plastic Water Bottles
If you want to make the switch to a refillable stainless steel water bottle, you can do so easily. Investing in a triple insulated water bottle is one way to do just that. Rather than create waste with every ounce of water you drink, you’re using the same bottle for hot and cold beverages.
You’re keeping plastic bottles and cups from contributing to the global plastic crisis we are currently facing. You’re protecting our planet, its plant, animals, and people from demise. It may not seem like a lot, but you’re making a noticeable difference in your community, country, and the world as a whole because of your willingness to give up plastic.
Make the Switch to Reusable Water Bottles and Filters for Your Faucets
That ‘clean’ bottled drinking water with mountains and streams on the label may be anything but natural. Making the switch to a reusable water bottle that you fill from your filtered tap is better. It cuts back on the amount of waste you and your household generates and it doesn’t have the plastic particles in it that are found in many brands of bottled drinking water.It may not seem as radical as discovering new bacteria that eats plastic or creating beautiful souvenirs from what would otherwise be considered garbage, but it’s a start. Having the courage to make small but permanent changes in your life and habits as a consumer has long-term effects on your household, community, and planet. Sharing what you’ve learned along the way gets others to see their own power in decision making, too.
People no longer do things out of ignorance. They don’t drink contaminated water because it’s housed in a plastic bottle and said to be superior to tap water. They don’t forget about the environmental destruction that occurs every time that a plastic bottle is thrown away.
An insulated stainless steel water bottle company like ours offers helps make a planetary problem better. When everyone in your family kicks the disposable bottle habit, you’re doing that much more good. Think about how you can make a small but noticeable change in the way you go about your daily routine and start implementing habits and products that help protect the planet in a real and noticeable way.
