For the first time ever, Americans are drinking more water than soda. According to the Beverage Marketing Corporation Firm total bottled water volume grew by 9% in 2016, reaching 12.8 billion gallons. That means that the average person is drinking 39 gallons of bottled water, compared to 38.5 gallons of soda. The good news is that people are drinking more water, but the bad news is that it’s bottled.
Companies selling bottled water have convinced consumers that drinking bottled water is the healthier alternative, yet tap water is perfectly safe to drink. In fact, it’s about 2,000 times more convenient and less expensive.
Reasons to Skip Bottled Water
It Doesn’t All Come From Springs
Approximately 25% of bottled water is sourced from the tap. Yes, the water gets filtered, but more than likely it’s the same quality as the tap water you have at home.
Plastic Bottles Are Bad For The Environment
Bottles are manufactured and even though they are recyclable, 6 out of 7 plastic bottles are “downcycled”, which means they’re sent away or repurposed, still leaving toxins and a huge carbon footprint behind for future generations.
Some Bottled Water Contains Salt
Dasani, made by Coca-Cola is just one of many that add salt and magnesium sulfate, which is what you get when you buy Epsom salts or bath salts. These additives are not doing you any favors, many times leaving you thirsty.
Plastic Contains Toxins
Leaving a case of water in your car trunk sounds like a great idea, but if you leave it in the parking lot all day while you work, the sunlight heats your car including your bottled water. The plastic bottles release chemicals into the water, which over time can lead to you getting sick.
What To Do?
The best thing that you could do for you and your family is to get a home filter system. There are many inexpensive options that you can connect underneath your kitchen sink or on your faucet. This is really inexpensive compared to how much you’re spending on bottled water without the added chemicals from a plastic bottle. A personal water bottle that you can refill is also a good idea, but make sure you drop it in the dishwasher because these are prone to collecting a lot of germs. Add a splash of apple cider vinegar when you are washing it to make sure you’re not ingesting that bacteria. Drink up, because water is vital to your health and healthy living!