跳至主要内容

Effects of Plastic Water Bottles on our Environment

The invention of plastic has revolutionized our society as a whole. Various grades of plastic can accomplish a multitude of needs for the consumer of today.  Plastic contributes to many different industries such as  Water Filtration, safety, transportation, security; electronics and construction just to name a few. Most times, plastics are seldom ever used by themselves alone. They are mixed with “additives” to enhance performance and reinforce the material. Additives also include UV stabilizers for protection against the sun’s rays, colorants, and others for flexibility and pliability.

Plastic Water bottles
With the invention of plastic and its refinements, we now package purified drinking water into plastic water bottles and sell it all over the world. Plastic water bottles have proved to be both a blessing and a curse. The blessing is that it can provide safe drinking water to very remote regions of the world that have little to no fresh drinking water and can be convenient for storage purposes. The main concerning issue with plastic water bottles is litter and its inability to break down as well as not being very bio degradable. With environmental awareness around the globe, plastic water bottles can be detrimental to polluting the environment, filling up our landfills and polluting the waterways and oceans that many strive so hard to protect.

Plastic Bottled Water
Bottled water is really a surprise industry that has proven itself to be a billion dollar industry. No one ever thought that consumers would ever pay money to consume drinking water from a bottle. Much to the chagrin of naysayers, many people do because they do not trust the city treated water coming from their kitchen faucets. Government regulations require all cities that treat raw water and supply customers with drinkable water must follow strict guidelines laid out by the Environmental Protection Agency. Many feel since they can’t trust the government, the water most cities provide isn’t quite up to drinkable standards. There are many reasons for this;
  1. Old plumbing lines in the home. (a home built in the 1920s that used lead and iron pipes)
  2. Older city water supply lines throughout the city that have yet to be updated.
  3. Work on the city main supply lines. (Repair work, breaks, new construction, etc.)
  4.  Mistrust of government/city employees.
  5. Some are just content with their city treated water.
Landfills and Waste
What many do not realize about plastic bottled water is that it’s more than just garbage when empty. There are many who are increasingly aware of the importance of recycling and these are where the bottles should go, but there are many who do not recycle. These empty plastic water bottles are tossed into their garbage cans to be carried off the local landfill. Sometimes the bottles can blow out the back of the truck on the way to the city landfill and can add to the problem of litter and pollution. Others really have no concern about the environment and will just throw out a bottle anywhere they see fit and not hesitate to care about the environment or litter. This waste can be a major problem because it causes unsightly litter and destroys an otherwise beautiful landscape. Have you ever walked through a state park and found where people where having a picnic and left all their trash/litter lying around? It ruins the eco tour experience for you and others who care for the environment.

A Solution/Alternative to Litter
Although bottled water has a time and place in our society, we do not have to be dependent on it for every need. Instead of filling up the recycling bins as well as the landfill with plastic water bottles and non-biodegradable materials, we can make a smart choice to filter our city treated water by filling up a water cooler and transport filtered water wherever we go. Most people are sure to remember to pick up their water jugs, thermos or cooler whenever they leave which helps tremendously in the battle against litter.

评论

发表评论

此博客中的热门博文

HOW TO STERILIZE WATER DURING AN EMERGENCY Would you know how to sterilize water during an emergency? Although uncommon in Canada, hurricanes, floods and even water mains breaking can interrupt regular water service. Typically, in an emergency situation, the authorities recommend that you drink sterilized water, or bottled water, to avoid any disease-causing microorganisms and harmful pollutants that could be in your water. The following steps will help you sterilize water that you do have available. In the event of an emergency situation, use only sterilized water for drinking, cleaning, preparing meals, cooking, and brushing your teeth. Just a few drops of contaminated water is enough to make you sick. Methods to Sterilize Water: 1 ) Boiling:  If have power during the emergency situation, boiling your water is a good way to sterilize water. Let cloudy water settle. You can filter it through a coffee filter or paper towel to get rid of sediment. Bring the water to a...
发表评论
阅读全文

What Is Better For You- Bottled Water Or Tap Water?

Everyone knows that drinking an adequate amount of water is critical to our survival, but should we worry about whether we get our water from a bottle with a nice label or from the kitchen sink? According to Mr. Benjamin Grumbles, the head of the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s water programs says “It’s an urban myth that bottled water is safer than tap water .” Many consumers admit to actually drinking both tap water and bottled water. For most people, if you have a filter at home, you probably could not distinguish the taste between the two. Nearly half of bottled water comes from a tap not the artisan springs and beautiful tropical waterfalls as we would like to imagine. In those cases, the water is filtered in many of the same ways as a home water filter works, except on a much larger scale. Chlorine and other contaminants are removed from the water prior to bottling. If you are still trying to decide between the two, there is no question that tap water is bett...
发表评论
阅读全文

Is your water filter counterfeit?

Is it time to change your refrigerator’s water filter? Be careful about where you buy the replacement. Many consumers, perhaps attracted by lower prices, are being duped into purchasing counterfeit water filters. These convincing but fake filters, which can be nearly impossible to distinguish from the real thing, may put consumers’ health and property at risk. Only one of these filters is genuine. Can you tell the difference? AHAM and its refrigerator members Amana, Beko, Blomberg, Bosch, Electrolux, Frigidaire, Gaggenau, GE, Jenn-Air, KitchenAid, LG, Maytag, Miele, Samsung, Sub-Zero Wolf, Thermador and Whirlpool, along with testing and certification organization NSF International and the Water Quality Association, in the  Filter It Out  campaign to call awareness to the significant problem of counterfeit and deceptively labeled refrigerator water filters. The problem Counterfeit water filters are being sold online every day. But even though these products may ap...
发表评论
阅读全文