If you are still purchasing bottled water for yourself and your family, there has never been a better time to consider switching to a more permanent (and less damaging) solution. Below, you can find a few fun alternatives that can help you say no to plastic water bottles and hello to more eco-friendly hydration.
Shocking Facts about Bottled Water
Bottled water is a huge problem both in the United States and worldwide. Every second of every day, Americans discard 1000 plastic water bottles, leading to enormous amounts of plastic waste and sending billions of tons of carbon dioxide and other pollutants into the atmosphere. When you consider that only 9% of those plastic bottles are successfully recycled, that means 910 bottles are going into landfills, clogging our waterways, and littering our beaches every single second. Sadly, because plastic does not biodegrade, those bottles will be there for hundreds if not thousands of years. It’s time to put a stop to the unnecessary plastic waste by finding ways to stay hydrated that don’t slowly kill our planet.
Fun & Eco-Friendly Alternatives to Commercially Bottled Water
If you buy bottled water because you don’t enjoy the taste of your tap water, there are other alternatives available that use far less plastic and provide a crisp, fresh taste. There are numerous eco-friendly filtration devices that you can use, ranging from containers that hold more than a gallon of water to personal travel bottles with built-in filters. You can choose plastic-free options as well as options that minimize the use of disposable plastic. The possibilities are truly endless, so choose the filtration device that works best for your unique needs.
How to Take Your Water With You
Now that you’ve learned more about the terrible impact that plastic water bottles can have on the environment, it’s time to consider some alternatives that you can utilize to make drinking your water just as convenient as opening a bottle. Some of our favorite options include:
- Mason jars with unique lids for drinking. Many brands make handled Mason jars with specially-designed lids and straws that are perfect for taking your water with you. Rather than tossing a plastic bottle, you can simply rinse and reuse the jar, the lid, and the straw.
- Plastic-free travel bottles. Another option includes shopping around for a plastic-free lidded water bottle that you can carry with you just about everywhere. Some great brands to consider include Stay Sixty, Yuhme, and Jerry, though there are numerous others out there.
- Repurposed jars from the kitchen. Finally, rather than rinsing and recycling that pasta sauce jar, consider giving it a good scrub and using it as a drinking glass, instead. Repurposed jars are perfect for holding all your favorite beverages – including your filtered water. Even if you cannot find a leakproof lid, you can still use it around the house instead of plastic tumblers and commercially packaged water bottles.
If you want to do your part to reduce plastic consumption and waste, pledge to stop buying bottled water and start filtering your own water at home. For the cost of just a few cases of bottled water, you can invest in a quality plastic-free water bottle that’s just as beautiful and unique as you are.
