Contributing editor Melina Papadakis learned that there's more to bottled water than meets the eye...
--------------------------------
Bottled water is out and tap water is in, says the May/June 2008 cover story of E: The Environmental Magazine, now posted at www.emagazine.com. Call it reverse snob-appeal. Just like it has become cool to bring your own cloth bags to the grocery store, the reusable water bottle is the hip new eco-accessory.
Bottled water is also contributing to huge amounts of waste and energy consumption. According to the Container Recycling Institute (CRI), it takes 15 million barrels of oil per year to make America’s plastic water bottles. Transporting those bottles by air and truck uses even more fossil fuel. Once people drain the bottles, they rarely recycle them: CRI says eight out of 10 water bottles end up in the landfill. The bottles that end up as litter in streams are washing out to sea, joining a swirl of plastic debris in the center of the Pacific estimated to be twice the size of Texas. It takes 1,000 years for plastic bottles to break down, CRI estimates.
Don't Refill the Bottle!
Consumers aren't advised to reuse store-bought bottled water, or even plastic bottles made for refilling, due to dangers of leaching chemicals. Research shows that clear bottles made of polycarbonate plastic can leach bisphenol-A (BPA), an endocrine-disrupting chemical. Since BPA has been linked to low sperm counts and an increased risk of breast and prostate cancer, scientists suggest avoiding reusable plastic bottles.
The trend away from bottled water may boost sales of home filters. Water-quality experts say most tap water is fine to drink straight from the faucet especially in cities like San Francisco, Seattle, New York City and Denver, where water comes from mountain reservoirs.
Turning Back to Tap
It makes sense for anyone turning back to tap to become educated about the local public water supply. Since the Environmental Protection Agency requires frequent water quality reports, the data is easy to find. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) makes it easy with its Tap Water Database. You can plug in your zip code and find out whether your local water system is up to par. Visit http://www.ewg.org/tapwater/yourwater/index.php.
Do you drink bottled water or tap water? Let your Boomerful friends know where you stand!
Comments