In my last blog, I talked about proper hydration. As we consume more water, we (including myself!) need to make a conscientious effort of getting that water from the tap instead of buying it in a plastic bottle. Some stats from the December 2007 issue of Today’s Dietitian remind us why.

“86% of water bottles end up in the trash, clogging our overflowing landfills.”

“40% of polyethylene terephtalate (plastic) bottles deposited for recycling are exported to other countries for processing, consuming additional resources in transportation.”

“It takes approximatly 1.5 million barrels of oil to make the bottles of water each year, enough to fuel 100,000 US cars.” -Earth Policy Institute

“If you relied on bottled water to meet your recommended fluid needs, you’d spend nearly $1,400 per year compared with 49 cents for the same volume of tap water.”

So why do we consume so much water from a bottle instead of the tap? Surveys show that Americans choose bottled water over tap water because they believe the water is safer, healthier, and that drinking bottled water carries a higher degree of status. 

Pertaining to the safety issue, tap water is regulated and follows very strict guidelines enforced by the Environmental Protection Agency.  In fact, substances found in bottled water (Food and Drug Administration regulated) are not allowed in tap water. Ironically enough, most bottled water is actually tap water, and companies such as Coca Cola which makes Dasani, and Aquafina which is produced by PepsiCo have been in the news for their false advertising.  “PWS” on their labels stand for “Public Water Source.”  The chemical phtalate, which is added to the plastic to make it flexible acts like a hormone and has been found to cause disruptions in hormone in animals and humans. More research is needed to examine the implications.

Lucky for us, we live in country which has the safest and cleanest water in the world. Saint Louis was recently awarded in 2007 the best tasting city water in the country!

Trends from chic restaurants are banning bottled water and serving up “sparkling tap water” on their menus. Cities such as San Francisco are no longer using city money to buy bottled water for its employees. 

The number bottled water touting miraculous benefits continues to grow. Don’t fall prey to their convincing marketing for your health, environment, and pocketbooks sake.