Bottled water is big business. Americans spent more money last year on bottled water than on iPods or movie tickets: $15 Billion. Which raises significant questions about why we spend so much on a good that is essentially free? Last year, Fast Company published a report on the environmental impacts of bottled water. It showed that the true environmental cost of bottled water is much more than 99 cents a bottle.
In a recent article published in the Economist, Neville Isdell, Coca-Cola's CEO states "It's what survival will be about in the 21st century", when talking about his company's plans for water conservation. What are some of the biggest companies doing about water issues? Use Zumer to see what Coke, Pepsi, and others are doing about water use.
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Only about 10% of plastic water bottles are recycled (UCS, 2007). 462 million gallons of oil are needed each year to transport water bottles from the factory to the point of sale (SLC, 2007). |
In response to the negative media, Fiji water announced plans to go "carbon negative" in 2008 by offsetting 20% excess of their carbon footprint. This brings about a good question: What is the carbon footprint of a bottle of water? Environmental engineer, Pablo Päster calculates how much energy went into that "pristine" bottle of Fiji water in his Ask Pablo commentary.
Another interesting fact is that 25-40% of bottled water is actually tap water (NRDC, 1999). Corporate Accountability International recently pressured Pepsico to change its labeling on Aquafina water to clearly state that it comes from municipal sources.
If you don't buy bottled water do you carry a trusty Nalgene bottle instead? Well you're not necessarily out of "hot water," as recent research has questioned the safety of the plastic used in Nalgene bottles, prompting Mountain Equipment Co-op to pull certain Nalgene products from their shelves.
Use Zumer to compare Bottled Water.