BE KIND TO THE EARTH and YOURSELF; stop using disposable water bottles. “TAKE BACK THE TAP”

A new day. Taken by PKSenagore September 2018. All rights reserved.

EARTH DAY OFFICIALLY FALLS ON APRIL 22 EACH YEAR.  The half-year mark will be coming up on October 22.  Consider celebrating the halfway holiday.  Treat Mother Earth, and your own body, with a little extra TLC by ceasing use of disposable plastic water bottles, if you still do so, by that day, and drinking water from the tap.  
 
Brittany Risher wrote a convincing article for Under Armor’s MyFitnessPal.com blog, “The Benefits and Impact of Ditching Disposable Water Bottles.” Risher separates benefits of not using plastic into those that have a positive effect on the environment and those that may help you physically.
 
On the environment side:  wildlife protection, reduced air pollution, waste reduction, decreased energy usage, water supply defense.
 
On the personal health side, that mostly are related to avoidance of low levels of dehydration: improved workout performance, fewer headaches, help with constipation and possibly weight loss, and better mood.
 
Financially: it costs less to drink water that isn’t purchased in bottled form.
 
Risher offers more specific information on each point that is bound to be more convincing than this simple summary of her info-graphic article. The item that grabbed my attention had to do with water bottling facilities, the last of her piece. “Bottled water facilities deplete community water supplies and can harm resources used for drinking water, farming, recreation and other uses”.  She doesn’t offer a reference to back up this claim or others in her article.
 
Earned Runs found a recent report from foodandwaterwatch.org that highlights the population health risks and environmental and financial costs associated with producing and consuming bottled water, and eliminating plastic container litter.
 
The report makes the argument that in the state of Michigan at the time of the report, Nestle annually pays an annual $200 water use fee and a one-time $5000 application fee to extract millions of gallons of water near Osceola Township.  This is in contrast, the report says to high water service fees paid by residents, in some instances in cities with contaminated water systems like Flint and Detroit.  Nestle sought and was granted permission to expand operations in 2018, increasing water withdrawal from 250 gallons per minute to 400 gallons per minute despite public outcry and disapproval.
 
The same report indicates that during the California drought, 2011 to 2014, Nestle continued to pump water, increasing its use by 19% over these years and paying an annual fee of $524 to the state for the permit.
 
If you’re thinking bottled water is safer than tap water the report has some conflicting information. Over the past 15 years there have been 35 safety recalls, as recent as 2014, 2015, and 2017. Other issues exist with regard to contaminants fro plastics.
 
The Food and Water Watch report is entitled, “Take Back the Tap”. Considering that roughly 63% of bottled water IS TAP WATER and is not spring water, we might want to do so.  We pay about a 2000% more for the bottled version. Tap water is approximately $.005/gallon, the average cost of bottled water translates to $9.50/gallon.
 
At that mark-up rate, it’s possible that decreased demand for bottled water, by drinking it from the “tap” instead, will decrease corporate profits and lead to the closure of such facilities.
 
There is need to fund improvements in infrastructure that help guarantee safety, access, and trust in water, the report says.  And switching to drinking tap water can be a personal cost saving move that encourages private support for public projects.  
 
Why not celebrate “halfway” earth day in 2018? Prepare by testing a few alternatives to disposable bottles, for use away from home, at work, and for sport. Set October 22 as the date to break free and join the movement to “take back the tap”.
 
RUN & MOVE HAPPY!

https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/the-benefits-and-impact-of-ditching-disposable-water-bottles/
 
https://www.ecowatch.com/bottled-water-sources-tap-2537510642.html
 
https://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/sites/default/files/rpt_1802_tbttbigwaterhustle-web.pdf
 
https://www.freep.com/story/news/2018/04/02/michigan-oks-nestle-permit-increased-water-withdrawal-bottled-water-plant/479896002/
 
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/the-highest-rated-bpa-free-water-bottles-on-amazon_us_5a81cf16e4b044b3821feed7