51 replies to this topic

[Sarah C.]

I think we have to consider our use of bottled water in our efforts to go green. There are several things we can do to diminish the amount of plastic bottles we use. Purchasing some type of water filtration system, and reusing the bottles is a good idea. Also, you can purchase several cups that hold water, and fill them with the filtrated water, instead of using bottled water.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

Counter top or whole house systems. There is no need for "bottled" water. Buy one non BPA bottle
and clean it after each use just like any other glass we put our mouth on.

[Phil]

Reusing water bottles is NOT a good idea, they are the wrong kind of plastic.   As Shortpoet said, buy one non BPA bottle and reuse that if you must.  Whole house filters aren't expensive at all, you just need something will a carbon filter.

[bryce12]

Yeah these bottles are everywhere, it will take quite an effort to recycle them. I have installed a water purfiier at home so that I am not dependent on bottled water. I carry as much water as I can for short trips so I don't have to buy bottles during my journey.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

bryce12, on 07 March 2012 - 03:14 AM, said:

Yeah these bottles are everywhere, it will take quite an effort to recycle them.

They're super easy to recycle. They're #1 plastic, the easiest to recycle.

And although the recycling percentages of bottled water plastic waste is going up, we still use/discard over a million tons
of plastic waste via water bottles alone.

[Sandra Piddock]

I don't buy bottled water - I filter tap water and just keep a couple of plastic bottles that I can refill and take out with me. Apart from saving money, it also saves a lot of plastic waste. I also keep a bottle of water frozen to use as an ice pack when shopping or going for a picnic. It's more effective than regular ice packs, and apart from that, you can drink the water when it thaws.

[Sarah C.]

Shortpoet-GTD, on 07 March 2012 - 03:22 AM, said:

They're super easy to recycle. They're #1 plastic, the easiest to recycle.

And although the recycling percentages of bottled water plastic waste is going up, we still use/discard over a million tons
of plastic waste via water bottles alone.

That is true! if we need to use bottled water, we should make sure that we recycle the bottle.

[zararina]

Yes reusing bottles is not a good idea and better to lessen the use of it through using filters at home. Glass bottles seems better option for these plastic bottles.
Used plastic bottles can be recycled so better bring it to recycling area or sell it to the junk shops.

[rbaker_59]

Sarah C., on 06 March 2012 - 12:04 AM, said:

I think we have to consider our use of bottled water in our efforts to go green. There are several things we can do to diminish the amount of plastic bottles we use. Purchasing some type of water filtration system, and reusing the bottles is a good idea. Also, you can purchase several cups that hold water, and fill them with the filtrated water, instead of using bottled water.

If you have plants that need watering, more especially indoor plants, the whole house system is not a good idea because the filtered water kills the plants.  Having a system on one faucet for drinking purposes is a better idea and probably more cost efficient.

[SpiroFlo]

Yeah, considering 80-90% of bottled water is thrown away right after, I'd say it's missing the mark.

Plus, while the numbers vary, with the amount of oil needed to make the plastic bottles -- well, it gets hard to complain about the price of oil when it's used for so much dumb stuff.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

BOO-HISS!!

"Scientists and public health advocates expressed frustration on Friday as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
announced it will continue to allow the chemical bisphenol-A in food and beverage containers.
"The agency has failed to protect our health and safety ­-- in the face of scientific studies that continue to raise disturbing questions about the long-term effects of BPA exposures."'
http://www.huffingto....html?ref=green

[Collin1000]

I've shyed away from bottled water as much as I can. I have a reusable thingy now that I chill overnight and take with me during the day. We also have a Brita water filter in our sink to get clean pure water that way. However, there are times when my water is empty or I forget it, and so I have bought water from a vending machine in bottled form once or twice. I always recycle though!

[Hardison]

Shortpoet-GTD, on 31 March 2012 - 09:46 AM, said:

BOO-HISS!!

"Scientists and public health advocates expressed frustration on Friday as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
announced it will continue to allow the chemical bisphenol-A in food and beverage containers.
"The agency has failed to protect our health and safety ­-- in the face of scientific studies that continue to raise disturbing questions about the long-term effects of BPA exposures."'
http://www.huffingto....html?ref=green

This is upsetting, but not really surprising.  I have started using a stainlesss steel water bootle, because I travel a lot. I never did think about all the plastic bottles I was using until I was watching the Biggest Loser and they showed a very graphic representation of how many bottles go unrecycled each year. Even though. I've been recycling for years, didn't want to be a part of the problem.

[dconklin]

I would never re-use the plastic bottles that water and soda come in.  You can get quite sick if the bottle is exposed to heat or to the sun for too long.

I have read various reports that tap water is better for you then bottled water.  There are not really regulations on the bottled water but your water company has many regulations to follow.  This of course is if you have town water.  I drink my tap water here and when I go somewhere that has a fresh spring, I will get water from the spring for the rest of my adventures in that day.  If I lived closer to the spring I would bring a safe container with me and grab some water to bring home.  That is what my Dad does, and he uses it for drinking and cooking.  It comes right out of the ground.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

Quick reminder for everyone using refillable bottles-clean them as thoroughly as you do forks/spoons to
prevent bacteria growth.

[btatro]

Find a re-usable, BPA free hard plastic water container to use instead of buying huge packs of bottled water. Even better I think is the filtration system investment. That way you can use regular cups and not worry about bacteria growth and other contaminents infecting your reusable bottle.

[hunysukle]

It's unhealthy to keep drinking out of plastic bottles because the plastics leak chemicals into the water. Unless plastic bottles are meant for reuse, they shouldn't be used more than once. It's best to just buy a stainless steel or glass bottle to drink water out of.

[SpiroFlo]

dconklin, on 31 March 2012 - 06:20 PM, said:

I have read various reports that tap water is better for you then bottled water.  There are not really regulations on the bottled water but your water company has many regulations to follow.  This of course is if you have town water.  I drink my tap water here and when I go somewhere that has a fresh spring, I will get water from the spring for the rest of my adventures in that day.  If I lived closer to the spring I would bring a safe container with me and grab some water to bring home.  That is what my Dad does, and he uses it for drinking and cooking.  It comes right out of the ground.

Depends on the location, but yeah. I covered this aspect in a blog not too far back:

I’m guessing now is a bad time to point out that while U.S. tap water falls under the purview of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 70% of bottled water never crosses state lines for sale, making it exempt from Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversight. In essence, this makes U.S. tap water more regulated than bottled water. After that, we can get into the moral issue of charging for something that’s necessary for survival, and how consumers willingly paying for it probably doesn’t help.

[milano]

We sell them. They don't bring much but much better than throwing it in your garbage. Making crafts/other stuff by using plastic bottles maybe a good idea but I don't really the time for them. So getting paid by selling it is much better for me.

[kat74]

I don't use bottled water unless caught unaware. I boil my drinking water at home and if am going out, I carry my own water. I see so many people having a problem on how to do away with the bottles. There are so many bottles from water, juices and many more products, its hard to keep up with the count. As much as they are recyclable, some countries are not yet equipped to deal with the huge number turn over of these plastic bottles. So the best thing is each one of us to control the number in their home.