Facts About Bottled Water

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Bottled water is not an alien object in our lives. For even those who do not use it on a daily basis, bottled water becomes an integral part of our outdoor travels, parties, weekend get-togethers, camping, trekking, hiking, and the list goes on…. But is it what it appears to be? Do we really make any difference to our health and our environment by using bottled water? Or are these just myths that have been created by bottled water manufacturers for their own benefits? Here are some facts that might help you decide!

Fact 1:

Water is a free commodity; but that has not stopped people from opting for bottled water over the free-flowing, freely available tap water. Every year, human beings who inhabit our planet spend over $100 billion for this free commodity in the name of “bottled water”!

Fact 2:

But this habit does come with a price, literally and otherwise! Every gallon of tap water costs about $0.0015 per gallon, while the same one gallon of bottled water costs about $10! In other words, we are consuming bottled water at about 10, 000 times more cost as compared to ordinary tap water.

Fact 3:

Although manufacturers might justify this exorbitant cost by claiming to provide you with the best, freshest, tastiest, and cleanest water, facts seem to say the contrary! According to research and studies, about 40 percent of all the so-called clean water that comes in bottles is actually filled from municipal water taps.

Fact 4:

If you still feel bottled water is worth it, then it is time to see the price our planet is paying for your bottled water! The bottles that are used for packaging take at least one thousand years to degrade. Even if they are recycled, they cannot be used in the food industry! And only PET bottles can be recycled. Thus, practically, only one out of five bottles is recycled; the rest simply become litter and contribute to about three billion pounds of waste!

Fact 5:

Now consider the production process; to make one liter of bottled water, we have to expend 3 liters of water. The U.S. alone consumes 8.6 billion gallons of bottled water every year at the cost of expending three times that amount in its production!

Fact 6:

Did you know that a good part of the money you pay is not for the water but for the bottle! Yes, 90 percent of the money spent by manufacturers is actually for the cost of the bottle, its cap, and the label!

Fact 7:

To make these bottles, about 17 million barrels of oil are used on an annual basis! If that oil was used to fuel cars, we could take care of the fuel needs for one million cars every year.

Fact 8:

If you thought your bottled water was the healthiest option, think again! Water is packed in plastic bottles and can have the same adverse effects that plastic has in the long-term. The fluoride content in most bottled water is hardly the required levels, which means greater chances of dental issues, especially in children!

Fact 9:

And besides these issues, research has also shown that 22 percent of all bottled water tested positive for chemical contaminants at levels way above health limits set by state standards.

Fact 10:

The concept of bottled water came into being sometime in the 1760s. It was started for therapeutic purposes. Today it is a worldwide business that grows at 10 percent per year and offers over $86 billion in profits alone! Nevertheless, a good majority still believe that tap water tastes better than bottled water; what drives them to bottled water is the fear of health hazards and, of course, cleverly designed advertisements.

 

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