Environment: Reduce Waste, Save the Environment & Money - Replace Water Bottles

As water bottles continue to overload landfills while taxing limited resources, such as petroleum products for manufacturing and shipping, many are considering "Giving up the Bottle." Here are 5 simple steps you can take to move in that direction.

You run out the door to go to the soccer field - grab a water bottle. Your neighbor stops by to ask you to join her for a walk - grab another water bottle. You pack your lunch for work just before leaving, and you include - you guessed it - a water bottle. You sit down to read a book on the beach, and right there next to you again, a water bottle. It seems that the modern culture has become so addicted to the convenience of a bottle filled with water that most feel the need to have one in their hand at all times. But at what cost?

According to the Earth Policy Institute, in contrast to tap water, transporting bottled water long distances involves burning massive quantities of fossil fuels. Nearly a quarter of all bottled water is transported by boat, train, and truck which means it costs more money to drink bottled water than to put gas in your car - up to five times more - due mainly to its packaging and transportation.

Those who envision hybrid cars in every driveway and reusable or recyclable products in every home are more shocked than ever by what the new water bottle craze has done to the battle against excess waste in landfills. The Container Recycling Institute says that eight out of 10 plastic water bottles used in the United States become garbage - ending up in a landfill or as litter in our parks and roads. About 66 million bottles are being disposed of every day (Sierra Club). What can you do?

1. Lose the bottle. There are bottles that may be more difficult to put down than the typical water bottle, but when something has become a part of your daily routine, it can be challenging. Hopefully, it won't go so far as to require a rehab facility.
2. Find the faucet. It may surprise you to learn that the local municipalities must comply with strict government standards from the EPA for water purity, while your average water bottling company is regulated by the FDA with less restrictions (Natural Resources Defense Council), so find some tap water instead.
3. Find money. If you've been drinking from water bottles on a regular basis, and have decided to no longer contribute to that gold mine, you've just "found money" - stray money in your own home that you can now claim -- without even lifting a finger. Water bottle companies are charging you as much as 300 - 1000 times what that water would cost you if you just turned on your own faucet!
4. Get a filter. If you're worried about the purity of your water, get your own water filter. Most recently-designed refrigerators have a filter in their water and ice dispensers. According to Chris Hall, President, RepairClinic.com, "These filters are quite effective and affordable, generally only have to be replaced about every 6 months, and you can even install replacement filters yourself, saving you money and potential hassles. In addition, some are designed to leave healthy fluoride in the water." Repairclinic.com offers diagrams and other information to help you find your replacement filter when you do need it.
5. Have a drink. You can take that however you like. You can have a celebratory drink to commemorate your newfound social responsibility, or you can enjoy a nice, cool drink of freshly-filtered tap water (from a reusable container) to celebrate what you're doing to keep plastic bottles out of landfills. And that noise you hear in the background: That's just the sweet sound of all that extra change jangling in your pocket!

This article was supplied by RepairClinic.com, a comprehensive online resource for do-it-yourself home appliance repair help, parts and information.

©Copyright 2008 by AlternativeApproaches.com