Americans Drinking More Water, But at What Cost to the Environment?
Americans are drinking more water than ever. That’s great news for Americans’ health and wellness but bad news for our landfills as millions of plastic water bottles are discarded every year.
The Washington Post recently reported on Americans love affair with water. According to the Washington Post and data from market research firm Beverage Marketing Corp, an average American drinks 270 bottles of water annually, more than twice as many as 15 years ago, and that number will continue to rise.
Peter Gleick is the president and founder of the Pacific Institute, a company devoted to developing sustainable water policies. He is also the author of several books about bottled water including “A Twenty-First Century U.S. Water Policy” and “Bottled and Sold: The Story Behind Our Obsession with Bottled Water.”
In this article, Gleick estimates only about a third of all bottles of water consumed in the United States are recycled and the remaining two-thirds end up in the garbage and in turn, landfills. He is quoted saying, "There is no comparison with the environmental footprint of bottled water. Of course, the plastic footprint is the same as it is with other drinks which come in bottles. But that argument is disingenuous, because for bottled water the alternative isn't soda, it's tap water. And the environmental footprint of bottled water vastly exceeds the environmental footprint of cheap, high-quality tap water. It's not even close."
At Eco Promotional Products, we couldn’t agree more with Gleick. What is also concerning is that aside from schools and health clubs, it’s generally easier for people to find a bottle of water than a drinking fountain.
In America, we have access to incredibly safe (and cheap) tap water. To keep your drinking water clean, glass is the most suitable material. A unique promotional eco-friendly water bottle that is specifically designed for drinking tap water is the award winning Retap borosilicate glass water bottle. Available in three sizes, these glass bottles are designed without any edges so that bacteria cannot grow or accumulate. These bottles are highly durable and have a leak-proof lid made from thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and free of PVC, BPA and phthalates. Even better? Both the bottle and lid are top-rack dishwasher safe.
Show your commitment to sustainability and to the environment with custom water bottles for your employees, donors and volunteers. Custom water bottles are an eco-friendly promotional giveaway for any event. From personalized BPA free water bottles to personalized coffee mugs to personalized tumblers, Eco Promotional Products offers a wide variety of eco-friendly, promotional BPA free drinkware to fit any budget. All of our drinkware is BPA free. Keep plastic water bottles out of landfills and find the best water bottle for your next promotional campaign. Choose from stainless steel water bottles, glass water bottles, sports water bottles, infusion bottles and more. Many items are USA Made and made from recycled materials. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.