Bottled Water Blues?

Bottled Water Blues?

Maureen Linke & Ameesha Felton

http://www.vcuinsight.vcu.edu/stories/Fall07/Bottled_Water/BottledWater.htm

According to a recent study by the Natural Resources Defense Council, the United States is the leading consumer of bottled water. The sale of bottled water has increased by 500% in the last decade. This significant increase is largely due to the successful marketing tactics of companies like Dasani, Deer Park, Aquafina, etc. Many of these companies promote the idea that bottled water is healthier than tap water. VCU Recycling Coordinator Steve Heintz says he’s noticed the increase in bottled water use.

“I’ve definitely noticed, when I look in the dumpsters outside it is more than half full of bottled water,” said Heintz.

But with this dramatic increase in water consumption there is also a greater need for more recycling. The United States has not been able to meet this need and almost 40 percent of the bottles that were deposited for recycling in 2004 were actually exported to China.

Associate Research Professor for the VCU School of Environmental Studies, Dr. Peter deFur says that the demand for bottled water also increases the demand for energy.

“We’ve seen this dramatic increase in commercial bottle water and what happens is there is the container in which the water is sold and that takes energy,” said deFur. “And even if people do recycle it, it takes energy to recycle.”

VCU students, like Kara Terrell, say that while they do reuse and refill water bottles they purchase on campus, they do not take the initiative to dispose of them properly when they are finished.

“Oftentimes, I don’t really use the recycle bins provided on campus, but I do recycle bottles on my own, I just fill them with water whenever need be,” said Terrell.

In order to conserve energy and plastic resources, it’s important not only to realize the value of recycling itself but the importance of reusing as well. Heintz says one way to boost recycling among Americans is to change their attitudes.

“Recycling is a resource, the materials you recycle whether it be paper, plastic, metal or wood… these are all commodities and to throw them out, put them in a landfill, and just bury them is basically a waste of space.”

Do you care?

The controversy over drinking bottled water rather than tap is something that consumers have been questioning for years. Some people think it’s healthier to buy purified water, but others
worry about the cost to the environment. Take the poll below to let us know what you think.

The facts about bottled water:

1. According to the Beverage Marketing Corporation, Americans bought a total of 31.2 billion liters of water in 2006. The Pacific Institute estimates that producing the bottles for American consumption required more than 17 million barrels of oil, not including the energy for transportation.

2. The Container Recycling Institute reports that 86 percent of plastic water bottles used in the United States become garbage or litter.

3. Beverage Digest estimates Americans spent over $15 billion dollars on bottled water last year.