Did you know that Americans purchase approximately 42.6 billion individual 1-liter bottles of water each year? Or how about the fact that the average American spends roughly $100 per year on bottled water?
There are many reasons for the popularity of bottled water, including the convenience factor. With this option, you can take your water on the go, all without the hassle of filling a container.
However, there’s something you need to know: there are negative effects of using bottled water. Here are a few things to consider:
- Bottled Water May Contain Harmful Chemicals: Plastic water bottles have the potential to contain chemicals, some of which can affect your health and interfere with your natural hormones. Common chemicals found in bottled water include BPA, phthalates, and bisphenol-A.
- Fossil Fuels: Many people overlook the fact that plastic drinking bottles require the use of petroleum, of which there is only so much in the world. Every year, plastic bottle production in the United States alone requires millions upon millions of barrels of crude oil.
- Trash: With a reusable bottle, you never have to worry about contributing to the ever-growing trash problem in the United States. Every year, consumers throw out more than 24 billion water bottles. These end up in landfills, where they’ll stay for hundreds of years. On top of this, water bottles have greatly contributed to the US littering problem.
Fortunately, there are alternatives to bottled water. For example, if you have a whole house water filtration system, you always have access to clean, pure water. All you have to do is fill up your reusable bottle and enjoy yourself.
So, the next time you go to purchase a bottle of water (or maybe even a case), consider the negative effects of doing so. This may be more than enough for you to look into another option.
