Why are Disposable Water Bottles Harmful to the Environment?

In today's fast-paced world, it's undeniable that we're living in a thirsty society. While the United States enjoys access to abundant fresh water sources, both locals and tourists often rely on single-use plastic water bottles. It's true that having a few on hand for emergencies like natural disasters makes sense, but most of these bottles are bought just for regular day-to-day use. Although they may seem convenient, this convenience comes at a steep price. Not only do these bottles sometimes contain harmful chemicals like BPA that can harm your health, but they also wreak havoc on the environment.

How Do Plastic Water Bottles Harm the Environment?

Let’s break it down:

• From production to disposal, the lifecycle of single-use water bottles relies heavily on fossil fuels, contributing to global warming and pollution.
• Producing enough plastic bottles to meet America’s annual demand requires over 17 million barrels of oil.
• According to the Container Recycling Institute, 86% of these bottles end up as trash or litter, piling up to 38 billion bottles in U.S. landfills each year.
• The water bottling process releases approximately 2.5 million tons of CO2 into the atmosphere annually.
• This plastic waste finds its way into oceans, resulting in the deaths of around 1.1 million marine animals every year.
• Interestingly, bottled water is tested for contaminants far less frequently than tap water.

Clearly, the environmental impact of disposable water bottles is staggering. In fact, 90% of the cost of bottled water goes towards creating the bottle itself.

Adopt a Greener Approach

Even though the bottled water industry claims that the plastic is recyclable, it’s important to remember that 'recyclable' doesn't always mean 'recycled.' Over the years, we've received mixed signals about recycling, which is why the slogan "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" emphasizes reducing usage first. If we focus more on limiting our reliance on recyclable items altogether, it could significantly cut down on environmental damage. We’ve grown so accustomed to recycling options that we rarely consider the environmental toll of the materials even before they’re produced.

Consider a Bottle-Free Solution

At Office H2O, we're dedicated to reducing the carbon footprint caused by plastic and 5-gallon water bottles. With our eco-friendly and cost-efficient bottleless water systems, we aim to eliminate the problems associated with single-use bottles. Using advanced water filtration and purification technology, we're doing our part to make the planet greener while helping you save money. Curious about enjoying great-tasting water without the drawbacks of disposable bottles or large jugs? Give us a call at (866) 621-6910.

Photo by Catherine Sheila from Pexels