There is no question about it, bottled water is a big waste that charges the ecosystem a massive cost. The detrimental impacts of bottled water is so great that many local governments in the United States have considered enacting bans on bottled water products. One family consuming bottled water might not seem like much, but when you add up the discarded bottles from millions of families around the world, the number amounts to mountains worth of garbage. Luckily, there are much better, eco friendly alternatives to drinking bottled water that are helping to save our planet. Here are a few ways that bottled water affects the ecosystem.
Diminishing the Water Source
It is obvious that bottling water requires the use of plastic, which most know is bad for the environment, but creating a bottle of water also uses water itself. In fact, for every liter of water that is packaged, it is estimated that three liters of water is wasted. In a world where one in eight people do not have access to a steady supply of clean water, this misuse cannot be continued. The process of creating a bottle of water robs the environment of a vital resource and interrupts the natural recycling process that has sustained the planet well before humans walked the land.
A Plastic Planet
After a person drinks a bottle of water, it is normally tossed into the trash or the recycling bin and forgotten. It then makes it way to a landfill or an incinerator. Out of the public eye, this is where the bottles give their final, devastating blow to the ecosystem. In the United States alone, it is estimated that landfills contain over two million tons of water bottles that have been thrown away. Some feel less guilt drinking bottled water when it is discarded into a recycling bin rather than the garbage, but this is no better. During the incineration process, toxic fumes are released into the atmosphere from the plastic. Only PET bottles, one in five that go to the recycling facilities, can go through the process, while all others are sent to the landfill. A single bottle takes over 1000 years to biodegrade. Bottles that are produced today will still be on this planet 10 generations from the date.
Ending the Water Crises
To end the water crisis, everyone must do their part and avoid using bottled water. EcoWater Systems has a proven history of improving home water resources, aiding in the natural recycling process of the earth’s most valuable natural resource. If you would like to learn more about how you can improve the quality of clean drinking water in your Las Vegas home, contact a representative at EcoWater Systems, today.
Sources: https://thewaterproject.org/bottled-water/bottled_water_wasteful
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/how-did-water-come-to-earth-72037248/?no-ist