H2O. Two Oxygen atoms and one Hydrogen. Water is essential for all life as we know it (thus the search for water on Mars). So who thought it would be okay to filter it, put it in bottles, and sell it?

Bottled water may be convenient but at what cost? The plastic bottles water is sold in use a ton of fossil fuels to produce and transport. According to Pacific Institute, in order to make the plastic bottles to quench America’s thirst for bottled water, companies used “17 million barrels of oil last year – enough fuel for more than 1 million U.S. cars for a year – and generated more than 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide.”

Dasani (Coca-Cola) and Aquafina (PepsiCo), the two top-selling bottled water brands, have both made clear that their water is essentially filtered tap water. Can’t we just filter and bottle our own water and save the cash?

Evian, Poland Springs, and other brands may actually use Spring water, but think about the cost of transporting that water all over the world.

“But isn’t bottled water cleaner than tap water?” you ask. No. As a matter of fact tap water is regulated on a regular basis by the government, whereas the laws on testing tap water are less strict. According to www.thinkoutsidethebottle.org, “tap water is tested far more frequently and has more independent oversight by state and federal environmental authorities (EPA and DEP).” As a matter of fact, companies are often responsible for testing the water themselves. I know I feel slightly brainwashed after hearing that companies spend tens of millions of dollars per year trying to convince us that bottled water is cleaner and purer.

I was reading an article about a week ago in the Washington Post Express that was saying it was becoming trendy to actively boycott bottled water. The trend may be catching on in a big way. San Fransisco, Los Angeles, and Salt Lake city have banned city employees from buying bottled water with city funds when tap water is available or discouraged employees from drinking bottled water. Ann Arbor, Michigan banned commercially-bottled water from all city events. Santa Barbara, CA has also stopped offering bottled water at city events. Restaurants across the country have stopped offering bottled water. Chicago began taxing bottled water. Seattle city departments have stopped buying bottled water.

Quick quiz:

Drinking tap water is:

a) cheaper than drinking bottled water

b) a small step towards being kind to the environment

c) just as safe

d) all of the above.

You’re right, folks, d is the correct answer!

So, what should we do? Invest in a reusable water bottle. I know refilling a bottle of water may seem like a good idea but refilling a plastic water bottle has been shown to be potentially dangerous. So, either use a glass bottle (eg Perrier) or invest in a BPA-free bottle and fill it with filtered or non-filtered tap water. Here are some examples:

-Nalgene choice (www.nalgenechoice.com)

Nalgene is a classic. The website organizes the bottles by color, volume, and usage, which is super-helpful and means you have a ton of options. Examples include:

Nalgene Flask ($9):

12oz, dishwasher safe, with a polycarbonate insulation sleeve. Its leak-proof and can double as an actual flask on the weekends (party safely!).

The Classic Wide-Mouth ($9):

The Classic Nalgene is 32oz of sturdy goodness. It makes a statement too. It says “I’m rugged and outdoorsy.” Also available in 16oz.

On the Go (OTG) ($10):

Perfect for the gym with its one-handed usage (for swigging on the elliptical) and spill-proof nozzle (for throwing into your duffel bag). Plus, 24 oz is just enough water.

-Fit & Fresh LivPure ($13)

This water bottle, which holds 20 oz of water, has a built in filter which traps up to 50% of the chlorine in tap water and prevents the growth of bacteria and mildew.

(www.fit-fresh.com/products/livpure/)-Check out the where to buy tab.

-Camelbak Better Bottle with Classic Cap

Available in 16oz ($8), 25oz ($9), and 32oz ($10), these are pretty standard bottles. They come in cute colors, too! (www.rei.com).

For more information on the anti-bottled water movement check out:

www.thinkoutsidethebottle.org