Go Green: Bottle vs. Tap
Written by: Sarfaraz Nasir
The effective marketing strategies of water bottle companies make most people question the quality of tap water. As a result, many people raise health concerns about drinking tap water. Andrew from Plant Green tests 8oz of tap water versus 8oz of filtered bottled water. The test includes measuring pH (measure of acidity), total alkalinity, the amount of chlorine in the water, and wheather the water is hard or soft.
These measurements are important. Higher pH can cause fatigue, weight gain problems, and digestive problems. Lower alkalinity levels fosters radical swings in pH. High levels of chlorine in the water can cause chest pain, irritate skins, and retain water in the lungs. Soft water is high in sodium that can adversely impact people with circulatory problems, heart disease, and people on low sodium diets.
The 20 seconds test on all three types water reveals that the bottle water is not necessarily safe or better than the tap water. The tap water is not only cheap, but also has low carbon footprint. In contrast, the bottle water compromises our environment and taps natural resources. The process of bottleing and shipping requires large amount energy. The production of plastic also produces emissions.
Here are the recommended Go Green Action Steps:
- Buy a home water test kit
- Buy water filter to improve test, smell, and color
- Limit consumption of bottled water
See Andrew in action below:
February 22nd, 2010 at 9:17 am
I’ve always drank water from a tap. Perhaps we have decent tap water in the uk but i don’t really see the need for buying bottled water. I only buy bottled when im out and i don’t have access to a tap