When we think of climate activism, most ideas can be categorized into one of the following: reduce, reuse, and recycle. This week I’ll be talking about using reusable water bottles. Reusing the same water bottle can help us to help the environment, even if it may be in a small way.
Benefits of Reusable Water Bottles
Using a reusable water bottle has many benefits, beginning with the fact that they would reduce the amount of plastic water bottles sold, consumed, and thrown out.
In addition, reusable water bottles pose a lesser cost to the consumer since they do not have to continually buy new water bottles and can merely run their reusable one through the dishwasher (or hand wash it) to use the next day. With fewer water bottle sales, there would be less plastic water bottles in landfills. There would also be less trucks on the road delivering the water bottles to grocery stores. Less carbon emissions would be produced from the trucks, which also contributes positively to climate change.
Negative Effects of Plastic Water Bottles
Many people are a big fan of plastic water bottles due to the convenience factor of them. However, if you are a plastic water bottle lover, there are also some health risks involved. The two different types of plastic (detailed in the article) used to make plastic water bottles melt anywhere between 140-150 degrees Fahrenheit. As these bottles are shipped on boats or cargo trains, they heat up to their melting points, causing pieces of plastic to absorb into the water. A study conducted by the chemistry department of the State University of New York of Fredonia showed that 93% of the plastic bottled waters tested contained harmful chemicals and microplastics.
After the plastic is thrown out, it often ends up in landfills. Sources say that this plastic takes 450 years to decompose into smaller pieces of plastics. Much of it is also burned in incinerators, but this technique adds to air pollution issues and can potentially result in difficulty breathing for humans in the future.
The Effectiveness of Using Reusable Water Bottles
If many people used reusable water bottles, the positive effects on climate change would be astounding. There would be a reduction in plastic waste, energy consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions. So far, 60% of U.S. adults own a reusable water bottle (which equals about 155 million people). This leaves 103 million U.S. adults that don’t have one – but could have one. Each person who uses a reusable water bottle saves 1.5kg (about 3.3 lbs) from being produced. If we all switched over, we could be very effective in reducing plastic waste that would create more air pollution and water pollution.
Interested in purchasing a reusable water bottle to help create an eco-friendly environment and help with climate change? Click here (and scroll down) to see a table of recommended features in reusable water bottles and here to see the best reusable water bottles.
Plastic water bottles are known to cause harm to animals in the ocean, especially tea turtles for example. The importance of eliminating plastic water bottles and their waste to accumulate is dire, especially because they are endangering animals daily. Additionally, plastic water bottles are designed to be recycled, so it is important that they don’t end up in a dumpster. As you mention, using re-usable water bottles are not only environmentally friendly, but also of a cheaper cost in the long-term. Saving the planet starts with a step as simple as investing in a reusable water bottle!
Plastic water bottles have such a detrimental effect on the environment, especially because of how long they take to break down. Reusable water bottles are definitely helpful to reducing the waste that one-use plastic water bottles leave behind. I think it’s great how Penn State has the water purifying foundations everywhere and encourage students to use reusable water bottles.