bottledwater

8.8 billion bottled waters were sold in 2007 and discarded or recycled.

From USAToday:

Plastic water bottles produced for U.S. consumption take 1.5 million barrels of oil per year, according to a 2007 resolution passed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors. That much energy could power 250,000 homes or fuel 100,000 cars for a year, according to the resolution.

In roughly the last 10 years, the amount of polyethylene terephthalate plastic bottles being recycled increased from about 775 million pounds in 1995 to about 1,170 million in 2005, according to the Container Recycling Institute.

But during the same time period, the amount of PET bottles going into landfills skyrocketed from 1,175 million to 3,900 million pounds.

Cornell University professor and environmentalist Doug James said the irony of bottled water is that it’s marketed as clean and healthy when its production contributes to unnecessary environmental degradation. “Fiji water, for example,” he said. “A one-liter bottle is taken out of the aquifer of this little island, and shipped all the way across the world, producing like half a pound of greenhouse gases so you can have this one-liter bottle of water.”

Why are there no deposits on bottled water? We have deposits on 2-liter bottles and they are plastic bottles. Bottling companies have huge lobby groups railing against deposits laws. This is obvious as they don’t want to be involved in cleaning up their mess after they have made their profits.

According to wikipedia:

Studies show that beverage container legislation has reduced total roadside litter by between 30% and 64% in the states with bottle bills.

Studies also show that the recycling rate for beverage containers is vastly increased with a bottle bill. The US beverage container recycling rate was 39.4% in 2001. States with bottle bills recycle approximately 78% while states lacking bottle bill legislation only recycle approximately 23%.

The answer is simple – high quality water filters that attach to the tap. The cost is diffused over time to be very inexpensive and we reap the benefits of good quality water. I highly recommend alkaline antioxidant rich water like that produced by the Jupiter products. I use one and love it. For a big discount, email me directly and I can let you know how I can help you get the water filter you deserve.