The Water Bottle Solution



Posted: Wednesday, November 26, 2008

by

Personal preference turns into a general mandate when two important factors occur.

The economy and the environment are currently two of the international community's foremost concerns. Alternative energy and sustainable design widely determine consumer choices. But these products and energy sources are still much more expensive than oil-based or non-recycled products.

An exception to that rule is the water bottle. For the past two decades America has steadily increased its plastic bottle consumption. In 2006, 31.2 billion liters of water were bottled and sold in the U.S. To meet this consumer need, 900,000 pounds of plastic were manufactured. Nearly every bottle produced and sold contained polyethylene terephthalate (PET). While PET's have properties that induce cleaner and more efficient recycling processes, certain byproducts, costs, and erosion denigrate bottles containing PET's. Couple these factors with the high price of oil and PET-manufactured water bottles lose their viability.

But there is an alternative to water bottles that fall victim to soaring oil prices and the high expense of recycling. And they promote sustainability and smart design.

Many companies are stressing the functional and environmental advantages of personal water bottles and containers. Many of these bottles are available in stainless steel, glass, and polycarbonate. Unlike disposable plastic, these bottles function more as a vessel than a byproduct. A healthy population needs clean water. But a smart population drinks its water from re-usable bottles.

The energy, cost, and pollution that come from plastic water bottles is exorbitant. Until more efficient and costly methods are employed in the recycling process, it is necessary to diminish our plastic water bottle consumption. The best alternative is to invest in a well-designed water bottle that is easily cleaned, environmentally sound, and affordable. If a large portion of the consumer public adopts this philosophy, oil use, and in turn its cost, will be reduced, as will the emissions being released into the atmosphere--an article on The Business Shrink, titled America's Dirty Little Oil Secret: Plastic Bottle and Bags, has more information on this topic.
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)
» left by straight talk
 3 years 49 days ago.
111 fans. Follow straight talk on twitter!
The answer lies in the protection of our natural resources. Why do we feel a need for bottled water? Well merchandisig and marketing leads to indoctrination and brain washing. We are a society of what is in. Plastic is now so plastic we drink out of. Clean up our water, that same water that is in the bottle and run through filters and we need no other source. Good job
» left by Joel Hendon
 3 years 49 days ago.
124 fans.
Hi Brian, a good article and I agree with it. But I have a problem. Our treated faucet water has a taste that I can't handle and I can't seem to find water in anything but plastic. We sometimes buy it in Gallons though and use our own containers, but the plastic gallon jug isn't much better than a handfull of smaller bottles. We also try to save and recycle our bottles but the nearest recycler is about 30 miles away. Thanks for your thoughts.
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