small steps, smaller footprints

 

The average American consumes roughly 100 gallons of bottled water and soft drinks annually. This would change if everyone was aware of the fact that a large portion of bottled water is just municipal tap water, the health regulations for bottled water are less stringent than for public water sources, and certain bottled water companies exploit the valuable water resources of developing regions where freshwater is scarce. Certain organizations claim the bottled water industry is energy efficient. This couldn't be more deceptive. Producing bottled water and soft drinks is an unnecessary, energy-intensive process. When considering the energy required to source, manufacturing, package, transport, chill, and recycle or dispose of bottled drinks, the same amount of municipal tap water would require roughly 100 times less energy (or even less) and come at a fraction of the cost. As for soft drinks, why not eliminate a habit from your life that you know is unhealthy and unnecessary? Get in the habit of keeping your reusable water bottle by your side. We assure you it is much more convenient than buying and transporting single-use bottles countless times. If you've forgotten your trusty reusable bottle, you can endure the very beginning stages of dehydration and wait until you reach a tap. You will be rewarded monetarily and with carbon savings. The annual impact of eliminating bottled water and soft drinks from your life is:

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