* 5/12/15 Say No to Water Bottles

Yes, so Earth Month passed, but that's no reason to give up efforts. I came across this video while doing some research, and it was certainty worth posting here. This relatively short clip is about bottled water, and it's negative effects on the environment. Like many of the environmentally friendly alternatives, using filtered tap water over bottled water saves money, and of course nature. The video covers most everything needed to be known, but I will gloss over the main idea.

The main reason bottled water became so popular is because of manufactured demand. This is when companies draw attention to their product. As the video explains, bottled water companies use methods to get you think their product is better then tap water. One such method is scaring you into thinking that tap water is unclean. This is not true, as a study shows that bottled water is sometimes even less pure then tap water, and doesn't taste as good either.

 Also, companies like Aquifina picture pristine mountains and wildlife on their label--when the reality is that the water comes from the tap. Bottled water is 2,000 times more expensive then tap water, when you really are purchasing something you can get for nearly free in your own kitchen. Can you imagine buying a 10,000 sandwich?

Lastly, bottled water companies mislead their costumers in advertisements in paper or on television. Nestle posted a full-page ad stating that, "Bottled water is the most environmentally friendly consumer product in the world." However, all along the water bottle's life cycle, the environment is being trashed. When the bottles are being manufactured, enough oil is used in one year to fuel 1 million cars. Even more energy is used to ship it around the planet to where you live, and all of that is just to be thrown away two minutes.

In conclusion, water bottles are polluting our planet, while people can simply take a cup of tap water that is 2,000 times cheaper. When traveling, a reusable plastic bottle can carry more water for a far cheaper price. And even if you do buy a water bottle, be sure to recycle it and spare the environment another deadly blow, or else the bottle will end up in a landfill waiting for countless years, before it's precious materials degrade away. It's so simple to take action, so why don't we all come together to ensure our lives are as environmentally friendly as possible and give the future generations a safe, healthy world to live on.