There is a common perception that bottled water is better for us than tap water – however in many cases this is a perception rather than a fact. Bottled water has a massive environmental impact particularly in terms of energy. Most bottled water is in PET bottles which is a plastic derived from petroleum. The most amount of energy used is in the manufacture and transport of the plastic bottles. Additional energy is used to process the water for bottling and cooling.
- Globally the consumption of bottled water rose by more than 50% between 1995 and 2004.
- It’s estimated that 200 billion bottles of water are distributed & consumed annually.
- Only a fraction of bottles are recycled.
- In a landfill plastic bottles will take hundreds of years to biodegrade and much of the plastic will remain in the eco system for ever.
- Where possible choose tap water and use a mug or glass.
- Re-use & recycle plastic bottles.
- If you consume a lot of water “on the go” invest in a durable drinking bottle and fill it from the tap.
Most people prefer the taste of tap water if it’s chilled so get organised and fill your bottle early and refrigerate it before consumption.