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http://www.emagazine.com/view/?4186
Response to “Bottled Water Backlash Environmental Concerns are Sending People Back to Their Taps,” published in E Magazine.
This article taps into one of the largest guilts that eat away at my conscience, bottled water. It is, like so many things in our country, a crime of convenience. I am not a fan of plain ol’ tap water. But I am instantly drawn to the exotic flavors of brands like lifewater—yumberry twist, pomegranate punch, goji electric lemonade (okay, I’m making those names up, more proof of my mindless consumption, I don’t even know the flavors). There’s the myriad of justifications, mostly revolving around my crazy schedule and the desire to cling to one of the few treats my lifestyle allows. However, this article has reminded me of just how harmful this habit is. One point I found especially thought-provoking is the a-ha moment described by a store manager who “sat down and calculated how far the 25,000 bottles of sparkling Italian spring water he ordered had to travel through the air. ‘It really does not make sense to ship from all around the world when you have such good water in your backyard,’ he says. ‘You have to think about the carbon imprint you’re making there.’” I used to think that as long as I recycled my water bottles it wasn’t a terrible environmental sin, but I never considered the effect of shipping those bottles. In addition to the effects of shipping, the article states, “ It takes 15 million barrels of oil per year to make all of the plastic water bottles in America, according to the Container Recycling Institute.”
http://www.emagazine.com/view/?4186
Response to “Bottled Water Backlash Environmental Concerns are Sending People Back to Their Taps,” published in E Magazine.
This article taps into one of the largest guilts that eat away at my conscience, bottled water. It is, like so many things in our country, a crime of convenience. I am not a fan of plain ol’ tap water. But I am instantly drawn to the exotic flavors of brands like lifewater—yumberry twist, pomegranate punch, goji electric lemonade (okay, I’m making those names up, more proof of my mindless consumption, I don’t even know the flavors). There’s the myriad of justifications, mostly revolving around my crazy schedule and the desire to cling to one of the few treats my lifestyle allows. However, this article has reminded me of just how harmful this habit is. One point I found especially thought-provoking is the a-ha moment described by a store manager who “sat down and calculated how far the 25,000 bottles of sparkling Italian spring water he ordered had to travel through the air. ‘It really does not make sense to ship from all around the world when you have such good water in your backyard,’ he says. ‘You have to think about the carbon imprint you’re making there.’” I used to think that as long as I recycled my water bottles it wasn’t a terrible environmental sin, but I never considered the effect of shipping those bottles. In addition to the effects of shipping, the article states, “ It takes 15 million barrels of oil per year to make all of the plastic water bottles in America, according to the Container Recycling Institute.”
http://www.emagazine.com/view/?4186
