Water

Apparently, today is Blog Action Day and the topic is water. I was informed by www.treehugger.com, a blog I follow which is quite tree-hugger-ish. If you didn't know already, I am something of an environmentalist/conservationist. Sure, it sounds liberal, but I like nature way too much to not be "liberal" about it. I could go on and on about the conservative and capitalist mentality regarding the environment and why I think it's wrong, but today is about water.

Water is important to me. And it's important to everyone, all around the world. You can click that link above to see the 8 facts about water around the world, but I want to point out something you probably haven't thought about in your own life.

Bottled water is an atrocity (in my opinion). Think about this- assume you drink 4 16oz bottles of water a day, which comes out to 1,460 bottles a year. You pay an average of $4 for 24 of them, so you pay about $243 per year for WATER. But let's assume you refill half of them, to save money, you still pay $122 per year.

That's for one person. We can double this for two people right? And triple it for three? What if you drink more than that? Or buy bottles on the go, which are inherently more expensive than the 24 pack. The average price of water from the tap is $0.002 per gallon. That's a tiny fraction of the cost of bottled water.

Consider also the fact that bottled water is the EXACT same as tap water, see here. Your tap water is fine to drink, we are not in Mexico, nor India.

Now for the plastic. It's carcinogenic, laden with chemicals that seep out, requires tons of energy to produce, ship and recycle (if it gets recycled). Or it ends up in a landfill, the ocean, a spring, a field, an animal. Plastic does not decompose. Overall, plastic is not good for the environment or you.

My solution? Save money, your body and the environment by reusing an inexpensive stainless steel bottle. And if you are really freaked out by tap water, buy a water filter, it's initial cost is more but, compared to the cost of bottled water, is less. You really can take the stainless steel bottle anywhere. I've brought mine to movie theatres, concerts, restaurants, WEG, to & through airports, everywhere. You can find a bubbler just about anywhere and if not, we live in America where tap water is usually clean enough.

Now what to do with your extra $200? If it's an inconsequential amount for you, why don't you donate it to water organizations that work to bring clean water to impoverished areas?

Who knew I was so sensitive about water? Our bodies and our world are about 60-70% water. Stay hydrated and be smart!

 

My trusty water bottle.