Bottled Water

So tap water is safe to drink, but people still spend large amounts of money every year to buy bottled water.  Is bottled water better than tap water or is it just a convenient product?  According to the Minnesota Department of Health bottled water is no safer than tap water.  The bottled water industry is an 11 billion dollar industry.  So why are so many people spending so much money on a product that is generally the same as something that they already get basically for free? 

It all started with Perrier water in 1977.  In 1989 manufacturers were able to start manufacturing water in thin plastic bottles, and the game changed.  This process was cheap, and really increased the market for such a product.  Marketing was what really sold all of these cheaply made bottles of water to the masses.  Tap water doesn't have a marketing plan, and it isn't telling people how healthy it is.  The bottled water industry spent plenty of money to tell people how great it was, and people bought it hook, line, and sinker.  Everyone thought drinking bottled water was better than drinking tap water. 

Only about 15% of water bottles that bought end up being recycled.  People are on the go when they are drinking bottled water, and they aren't too concerned about where the bottle goes.  This causes a big issue considering the bottles will last thousands of years. 

So why drink bottled water?  Maybe you want to feel fancy, maybe your in a hurry, or maybe you just like holding a bottle.  It's not better for your health and it is definitely not better for the environment.  Think before you buy your next bottle. 

Sources:
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/water/factsheet/com/bottledwater.html
http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Health/story?id=728070&page=1
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92222327