The first picture shows what we Americans use every single day: the water bottle. The second image shows water we could be drinking from (the faucet!) to save cash and our environment. I personally love the faucet image because the water droplet is shaped as a globe, and shows that plastic water bottles ruins the world that we love so dearly.
I read the article Bottled Water News by Bill Marsh from the New York Times. Read this awesome article here: http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/subjects/w/water/bottled_water/index.html
Summary: This article begins with stating that it will only cost Americans roughly 49 cents per year if we drink out of the tap. However, we'd rather "live large" (we are known to do so, aren't we?), and spend $1,400 per year on bottled water. Just out of common sense, which route seems smarter economically? Yes, the tap water! Not only does tap water allow us to save up on our money but it improves our environment too. Oil is used for shipping, the plastic itself and refrigerating the water bottles and by the end, everything just ends up in landfills. Dr. Allen Hershkowitz, a senior scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council is currently researching water bottles that can be made from plants. We should either improve the water bottle itself to help rescue our planet or drink tap water (because it is perfectly fine).
Reflection: I certainly agree with this article! Unfortunately, I know for a fact that my family purchases water bottles for us to use in school and for lunch. However, it would be so much smarter to reuse one water bottle and just refill it with tap water everyday! Or even buy a portable cup (for what, $5?) and drink tap water from it, instead of spending tons of money on pre-bottled water. I've realized from reading this article how terrible the plastic is for our environment and how drinking from the faucet can greatly improve our Earth. By connecting this to class, we did a lab on tap water and I discovered that the tap water from my house is certainly safe and completely drinkable! I believe Americans should save cash and our world by turning on those faucets!
Questions:
1) How can the plastic from water bottles harm our environment?
2) What can we do with the extra money saved from using tap water instead of bottled water? (stated in the article) How can this plan be useful?
3) Do you think Americans will listen and stop buying water bottles? Why or why not?
4) What is a good campaigning method to spread the news about drinking tap water instead of water bottles?
Thanks for reading and commenting! Excuse me, I now need to tap into some wonderful water! :)
Opinion/Reflection
ReplyDeleteI was completely shocked when I read that we could only spend 49 cents a year if we use tap water. Bottle water is becoming more expensive and people think that bottle water is "cleaner" than tap. In reality, tap water and bottle water are almost the exact same thing. ALso with bottled water you have the factory emissions released into the air everytime a bottle of water is made. This doesn't thrill me knowing that people are not only releasing plactic onto the planet but also releasing emissons into the atmosphere. Bottled water may seem "cleaner" but it could be even worst just by using a water bottle. This affects me because whatever isbeing releasing into the atmosphere is causing lung diseases. Also the price of bottle water is increasing, and knowing that tap water is much cheaper makes more aware that you can gain more from drink tap water. I think from not on, I'm going to drink bottle water less often, and start filling bottles up with tap water.
Answer a Question
1) Well for one thing plastice is harmful because it does not biodigrate quickly. All the plastic water is slowly building in landfills across the world. Also it takes a lot to make the plastic water bottles. Factories release harmful emissions into the atmosphere. The emission are playing a huge role in affect global warming in the world. I really hope people start saving their money and the planet by using tap water.
Reflection: First of all, I never even thought of the oil and fuel used to transport bottled water for consumers to purchase. That just goes to show that we are not only harming the planet due to the plastic bottles, but also by releasing oil into the air. This article made me realize how much more economically beneficial tap water could be. This reminded me of that chart we read in class that showed how often different types of water were tested for certain contaminants, and the tap water had the best results. I am guilty of refusing to drink tap water because I feel that it is dirty, but this article and the chart is making me think twice, honestly. I am curious about using plants to make water bottles, that whole idea kind of grosses me out too haha. Overall, I think that bottled water is killing the environment and breaking the bank. Good article!
ReplyDeleteLenny's Questions 3 and 4: I do think that Americans will be stubborn in switching from bottles to tap water. Americans rely on a quick way to transport water, and bottles are just so convenient, you drink and then toss is, no washing or filling of re-usable bottles. However, I think ads showing the amount of tests done on bottled water, and these money statistics may make people realize the better choice.
Reflection: It was really hard to believe in the beginning that we are harming the world by buying water bottles even though most are still recycled! But, I do think it is a much better idea to drink from faucets. It would be saving so much money and doing a lot less harm to the environment. I am so surprised that we only spend 49 cents PER YEAR on tap water. It would definitely be the better choice. I know that my family is big on using the water from the faucet. We always refill our used water bottles with tap water too. Even though a lot of people are grossed out by tap water, it is safe. You always have very trustworthy sources to check if it is safe too, so why not save some money and not buy water bottles? This was a really good article!
ReplyDeleteQuestion #4: I think a good way to get the news out about not using water bottles and using tap water would be to post flyers in grocery stores in the water bottle aisles with Lenny's title, "Close your wallets and Turn on the Faucets!" I love that line! It makes so much sense. Then if there was a stat report saying how we only spend 49 cents per year on tap water and $1,400 per year on water bottles, so why not save up that money for something better instead of something everybody already has at home!