| Americans buy over $22 billion plastic water | | | | tested regularly, costs about $2 per thousand |
| bottles per year, which translates to over 70 | | | | gallons. You can buy a faucet filter and make |
| million bottles consumed daily. Recent reports | | | | your own filtered water for about $0.10 per |
| have many consumers confused as to whether it | | | | gallon, or use a tabletop model like Brita for about |
| is safe to drink from these bottles. Since only | | | | $0.25 per gallon. To eliminate chlorine without a |
| 17% are recycled, there are also environmental | | | | filter, you can use a trick I learned when I |
| concerns. | | | | worked for a garden center about removing |
| The safety reports about Bisphenol a (BPA) in | | | | chlorine in irrigation water for delicate plants: leave |
| plastic are not generally found in the single use | | | | the water uncovered overnight to allow the |
| plastic water bottles purchased by most people. If | | | | chlorine to dissipate. |
| there is a resin recycle code #1 on the bottom of | | | | Plastic bottles certainly have their use, and there |
| the bottom, it uses PET, which is generally | | | | are places where it can be impractical to bring a |
| considered safe. The resin code that can indicate | | | | permanent reusable water bottle, but whenever |
| the presence of BPA is #7, although not all code | | | | possible, it is best to use a stainless steel or |
| #7 bottles contain BPA. | | | | aluminum reusable water bottle. |
| Even though most plastic water bottles do not | | | | Unfortunately, less than 20% of water bottles get |
| contain BPA, they can still leach chemicals into the | | | | recycled, despite demand for the resin from |
| drinking water. To minimize this risk, keep bottles | | | | companies like Coca-Cola and Pepsi which have |
| out of extreme heat, which can accelerate the | | | | pledged to use 10% recycled resin in their bottles. |
| leaching process. Internet rumors about freeze | | | | Few states have deposit programs which have |
| risks are false (however since water expands | | | | been shown to increase recycle rates. In addition, |
| when frozen, drink a little before freezing to allow | | | | only about half of all Americans do not have |
| room for the expansion). | | | | curbside pickup of recyclables. While becoming |
| Plastic water bottles can be reused, but you must | | | | more common, most public places do not have |
| make sure to wash thoroughly with soap and | | | | water bottle recycle bins next to trash cans. We |
| water to eliminate bacteria. Allow to dry before | | | | throw away close to 60 million plastic water |
| refilling. I recycle mine after several uses or if it | | | | bottles each day. |
| gets exposed to heat or the water develops a | | | | The bottom line is that plastic water bottles are |
| funny taste. | | | | safe, but harmful to the environment. The |
| Bottled water can cost 2500 times more than tap | | | | responsible choice is to use a reusable water |
| water. Many brands of bottled water, including | | | | bottle whenever possible, and make all efforts to |
| Dasani, are simply filtered tap water. Bottled | | | | recycle the plastic water bottles when a metal |
| water costs about $3-$5 per gallon. Regular | | | | water bottle is impractical. |
| community tap water, which is perfectly safe and | | | | |