What are you Really paying for water?
Bottled water may seem to be a good alternative to tap water. But are you paying more than you think?
Bottled water gets pretty pricey. In Canada, a one liter of brand name plain water costs about $1.50.1 In the U.S., it's about $1.20 for 1.5 liters.2 Compare that with the same amount of tap water: New York City, 1/100th of a cent; Knoxville, Tennessee, 1/800th of a cent.2 Even at $1 for a gallon, you're still paying a lot.
There are tons of questions about the plastic that leaches into the water. I'll leave that for you to investigate.What is not usually considered is the amount of plastic that is wasted.
"Today's skyrocketing sales in bottled water have, in turn, translated into a frightening number of discarded plastic bottles that release toxic chemicals into both groundwater and the atmosphere, thereby contributing to global warming and acid rain."2
"According to the EPA, plastics are the fastest growing form of solid waste in the country. Between 1995 and 2001, there has been a 56 percent increase in plastic resins in the U.S. alone. The bottled water industry share of this plastic resin production has grown so rapidly that it is now estimated to be almost 25 percent."2
Filter, anyone?
1CTV.ca, October 6, 2006, Some tap water safer than bottled water: report, quoting "Waterproof 2: Canada's Drinking Water Report Card", Sierra Legal Defense Fund, Randy Christensen, October 2006
2PolarisInstitute.org, February 23, 2005