Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Battle: Bottle Water -vs- Tap Water


BREAKDOWN: BOTTLED WATER VS. TAP

Bottled water companies have a vendetta against tap water. When you’re selling the same product for 2000 times the price, you need some big help to get the upper-hand. Bottled water companies like to imply that tap water is somehow less “pure”, even though most bottled water in America is just tap water. The reality is that bottled water is more harmful for the environment and most likely no way “more healthy” for you.
Safety
It is extremely important to note that tap water is much more regulated than bottled water.  In the year 1976, The Safe Drinking Water Act was put into place on a federal level to ensure safe drinking water for the public.  This law requires all public water systems to provide reports to the public about the water’s source, evidence of contaminants, and compliance with regulations.
The EPA also requires water testing by certified laboratories and that all violations be reported in a specific timeframe.  It is in your local Water Operator’s job description to ensure safe drinking water all the way to the tap.  Bottled water is treated as a food by the FDA, which means that ZERO of these regulations just stated are mandatory for bottled water to comply with.

Plastic Bottle Waste
The amount of plastic bottle waste produced by Americans is staggering. We throw away 35 billion plastic bottles a year, and only 31% of plastic bottles end up recycled. The vast majority of plastic bottles end up in landfills or in our oceans, where it takes hundreds of years for the plastic to break down. This plastic bottle waste epidemic is having serious environmental repercussions, and as Americans we need to unite to stop the influx of plastic waste.
One of the most troubling aspects about our nation’s plastic waste problem is that it is fully preventable. Drinking tap water in a reusable bottle is an easy way to cut down on your own plastic output, and save a ton of money. Considering that most American bottled water is just tap water, you are paying 2000% for the same product, and adding to the already astronomical amount of plastic waste just sitting in our landfills and oceans.
Pay Up
The main reason people buy bottled water is convenience: a single serve bottle that you use once and toss a little while later. However as we have shown, a plastic bottle will be on this planet much longer than any human life. The single serving bottle is useful, but can be completely replaced with a reusable water bottle for a one-time cost. Bottled Water companies spend millions on advertising to make their brand seem more healthy and appealing than tap water. It doesn’t make sense to pay $3, $4, $5 to get the same water that you get for pennies in your home.
Health
Drinking bottled water puts you at risk to BPA exposure, a harmful cancer-causing chemical used in plastics. Bottled water companies love to advertise their products are “pure” even though the majority of bottled water is America is just tap water. Bottled water companies also imply that there is something wrong or unhealthy with tap water to reinforce that their water is “pure”.
Plastic Bottled Water
  • leads to trash in landfills and oceans
  • takes hundreds of years to break down
  • 2000% more expensive
  • takes water and oil to create and transport
  • exposure to BPA
  • tap water with an expensive label
Tap Water + Reusable Bottle
  • government regulated quality assurance
  • no waste
  • conveniently located and available
  • safer than plastic bottles
  • same product for much less
Avoiding bottled water is good for the environment, cost-effective, and safe. Plastic bottle waste continues to be an epidemic in the United States, and we need to decrease our reliance on plastic bottles if we want to stand a chance at cleaning up the mess. Use a reusable bottle and tap water this summer and give up bottled water for good. — T. Murphy | Because Water

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