Why choose tap water over bottled?
-From the Templeton Community Services District
Bottled water is unsustainable, leaches chemicals from plastic into water
–Water is the Earth’s most precious resource and is fundamental for all forms of life. A safe, consistent source of drinking water is vital to human health. Some view bottled water as a healthier, safer and tastier alternative to tap water. Over the past few years, research has shown that this is not necessarily the case. In many ways, bottled water is harmful to the environment and to human health.
One of the most obvious reasons bottled water is unsustainable is because of its packaging. Empty water bottles are found in places they do not belong: on beaches, in the ocean, on highways, in landfills. According to Tata & Howard (tataandhoward.com), 35 billion water bottles are dumped in U.S. landfills annually – and each bottle takes over 500 years to decompose. The manufacturing, packaging and transportation of bottled water all contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, and are wasteful in terms of water and energy use. The documentary Tapped reveals that water bottle manufacturers use around 714 million gallons of crude oil per year to make plastic bottles.
Tapped also shows viewers that some large-scale companies pump surface water and ground water to the point of depletion or near-depletion. Side effects of depletion include land subsidence and decreased water sources for local communities and farms. Additionally, these companies are permitted to do their own water quality testing and are not required to submit reports to the Food & Drug Administration – this leaves a lot of room for bias and skewed statements about the quality of bottled water. Tap water, on the other hand, is monitored on a regular basis and is subject to strict state and federal regulations in order to ensure its safety.
Even if the water put into plastic bottles does not contain any harmful chemicals, the plastic used for the bottle contains carcinogenic (cancer-causing) compounds such as benzene and styrene. Over time these chemicals leach into the water, especially when the bottle is heated. Consumers are then subjected to unknowingly consuming these chemicals.
Why choose tap water? It tastes good and is safe, virtually free, and environmentally responsible. The best things to do are to keep a water filter in your house and start using a reusable water bottle. Save bottled water for emergency situations such as natural disasters or zombie apocalypses.
Comments
