Give up that Rich Man's Disposable Lifestyle!

Bottled water can cost 1,000 times more than tap water, and is not necessarily any safer to drink than tap water.  The Environmental Protection Agency has strict water quality standards for tap water, but does not oversee bottled water.  When you consider water withdrawals, the manufacturing of the bottles, and transportation related factors, bottled water is a huge drain on our environmental resources.  An estimated 17 million barrels of oil are used each year to produce the 29 billion plastic water bottles used in the U.S, the world’s largest consumer of bottled water.  A terrible un-sustainable part of this is that 75% of all plastic water bottles are NOT recycled and wind up in landfills.  And everyone’s heard of all the trash in the ocean, right? 

So, what’s the solution, and how can we be part of it? 

Go to the Bamboo Bottle Company’s Facebook page and take a pledge to commit to using reusable containers for your daily hydration needs. You’ll receive an email with a code for a 20% discount (be sure to display images” to see the link to go to their site) which makes the bottles just $20.  These are attractive bottles: constructed of a sustainable bamboo exterior with a glass insert. Glass is easy to clean and ensures a clean taste, as well as keeping it cool (you could even refrigerate the insert full of water before going out.) They’ve just introduced a flip-top lid, and the plastic is BPA-free.

Then there are these snazzy bottles at Miir.  Not only are they cool looking and customizable, but one dollar of each MiiR bottle you purchase provides one person with clean water for one year.  Isn’t that food for thought? What we would spend on one bottle of water (or less than what we’d spend on one bottle) can provide water for another person for a year?  Nearly a billion people don't have access to clean, safe drinking water. Miir is very involved in changing this. These stainless steel bottles have BPA-free lids, too. Here’s a really cool thing - if you select the “bottle plus skin pincode” (for the same price) you’ll receive a code by email to redeem for a custom “skin.” Choose from hundreds of designs or create your own - you can even upload a photo!   Since you receive the pincode separately, this seems like a great gift idea!  Also, Miir is offering free shipping on purchases over $40, so 2 bottles, since they’re all priced the same at $25.

Many colleges and universities, about 300 across the country, have responded to and invested in this issue by handing out refillable water bottles to students and installing filtered “Hydration Stations.”  Some of these are specifically for filling water bottles, but some are also water fountains, designed with an extra spicket to allow for easier filling of water bottles.  The Elkay brand even has a counter to indicate how many disposable bottles it has replaced.  Brita makes their stations hands-free with a sensor and purple glowing UV sanitizing light!  If your college isn't doing this, start a movement! 

Kudos to Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, who were "Green" before it was cool, along with others who are participating and leading the way!  They are one of the colleges that distribute those nice filtered bottles to their incoming students, too! No excuses...

To read further on the disadvantages of bottled water, and how to ensure safe drinking water from your own tap, check out the Sierra Club’s information here or this article at the Mother Nature Network.