The 4 Best Ways to Ditch Bottled Water

Bottled water is a huge resource hog, from the plastic and shipping to the water itself. Not only is there the waste to consider, but many large bottled water companies fill those plastic bottles up at the expense of local water rights.

Taking back the tap is about more than reducing waste. It’s about telling those large corporations that water is not a luxury item.

1. Bring Your Own

Whether you’re on a road trip or out for the day, bringing your own, reusable water bottle ensures that you’ll be able to stay hydrated. Most gas stations and fast food joints will let you fill up your bottle at their soda fountains. Just ask really nicely.

Heck, you don’t even need a fancy pants store bought bottle. Take a page from No Impact Man and get yourself an ultra cool, reusable water bottle for free!

2. Don’t Believe the Hype

Bottled water makers are getting a little desperate to sell you that blue gold. Don’t let their clever marketing fool you! Nestle’s “eco-shape” bottle is a great example of this sort of marketing. Sure, the bottle uses less plastic, but that doesn’t change Nestle’s track record for trampling on water rights to obtain the water inside.

3. Go Filtered

One of the big pro-bottled water arguments is that tap water isn’t clean. If you’re worried about drinking contaminated water, you might consider a reusable bottle with a built in filter.

4. Take the Pledge

Sometimes, just committing to something officially can help you stick with it. Over at Food & Water Watch, you can pledge to ditch bottled water and help take back the tap.

Source: Green Upgrader

Bottled water production and sales have been banned in some places, notably Australia.  There are ‘bio-degradable’ water bottles on the market but the majority take up to 700 years to degrade.  From experience,  some South African municipality tap water is so full of chemicals that it becomes a problem to drink.  White River municipal water in Mpumalanga is terrible to drink but ‘safe’, meaning that there are supposedly no biological pathogens in the water (because of all the added chemicals!).  However, these added chemicals are toxic and have a negative effect on the human body.  It is very tempting to buy bottled water in these circumstances but, as the article above points out, the water may taste better but it’s not necessarily safer.  Rather install a good quality water filtration system and fill up reusable bottles  to take with you when you leave the house.  In the end you will be saving money, saving your health and saving the environment; kick the bottle habit!

Water Rhapsody Mpumalanga offers water tank and rainwater tank installation, rainwater harvesting, grey water recycling and water-saving devices for swimming pools and toilet flush systems (see product demo ).  Our water systems can be retrofitted or built into new buildings and can be adapted to small households or large business blocks, lodges & hotels.   Water Rhapsody has incorporated Yes Solar- official distributor of German-made Solsquare solar water heating systems that are installed by Eskom-accredited solar installers (our solar geysers are eligible for Eskom solar energy rebates).  We are authorized JoJo Water Tank dealers and Atlas Plastics water tank suppliers in Mpumalanga and Limpopo Province (best water tank prices in the Lowveld!).

Contact us for a free quote on a solar water geyser, water tank or water system today!