Beyond Bottles: A Better Way to Hydrate

Elizabeth Barker via Green Goes Simple
Posted on Wednesday 1st December 2010

Ditching bottled water is one of the easiest ways to protect the planet and slash your spending. Often sold at a 4,000 percent markup, bottled water accounts for about 2 million tons of landfill waste annually -- and its production and shipping guzzle enough fuel to power 250,000 homes for a year!

Jennifer Roberts, author of Good Green Kitchens, recommends finding a water filter to help break the bottled-water habit. Available in faucet attachments, under-the-sink units and carafe-style purifiers, activated carbon filters get rid of chlorine and perk up the taste of your tap water. To tackle other contaminants, contact your water department to find out what’s in your water and which filter can remove those pollutants.

Next, pick up a reusable bottle made from stainless steel or plastic. “Store it somewhere that’ll make you more likely to grab your bottle before leaving the house,” Roberts suggests. “Make sure it fits in your car cupholder and in your purse, and choose a cool design so you’re happy to take your bottle with you wherever you go!”

Elizabeth Barker is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer and executive editor of fashion blog NoGoodForMe.com. Her work has appeared in Body + Soul, Natural Health, Vegetarian Times, Variety and Kiwi.


test image for this block