Move Over Avian, It's Tap Time!
by Amanda Keegan
Like most college students, I do what I can to save a buck or two. This includes using spare change, almost always using my meal plan, buying in bulk, and re-using my plastic water bottles. Early last semester I decided to hit up the two for $9 Poland Spring case at Staple's one day with my roommate. We both decided to buy two cases each, which seemed liked a smart idea at the time - —until we had to walk four blocks back to our dorm on Broadway. After accidentally walking into nearby pedestrians and almost falling over from the weight of the cases, we made sure those water bottles would last us the rest of the semester. Everyday we would refill our bottles with tap water without thinking twice about it - until all of those rumors about the dangers of the chemicals in the plastic started circulating. Then San Francisco raised eyebrows when it placed bans on plastic water bottles, in an effort to stop global warming. Suddenly the truths about our favorite accessory and its detriments to the environment were revealed. With all of the speculation surrounding plastic water bottles, their safety, and their harms, I decided to do some research on the topic and make everything crystal clear.
Water has become the most stylish beverage to carry around or even order while out at dinner. But according to the Earth Policy Institute, bottled water is not any healthier than tap water and about 40% of bottled water is tap originated. But the pure convenience of grabbing a plastic water bottle and heading out the door has largely increased the consumption of bottled water in the past decade. Meanwhile, there has been conjecture about the safety of the plastic that the bottles are made of and whether or not any of its components are leaked into our beverage.
Most recently, a random email was sent to millions of people stating that DEHA, a plasticizer used for food storage, is in plastic water bottles and can cause cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, DEHA is not used to make plastic water bottles and has never been linked to cancer or any other chronic health defects. The email was based on a student from Johns Hopkins University Master's thesis and has no legitimate research to back it up. Since then, Johns Hopkins has released a statement from Rolf Halden, a doctor in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences claiming that plastic water bottles leading to cancer is an urban legend. Instead he advises consumers to be concerned about the quality of their water, and that tap water is the healthiest because it is constantly regulated.
Another concern is that the chemicals from the plastic can be released into the water when the bottle warms up. But according to Amy Hanoian-Fontana, representative from the Connecticut Poison Control, plastic water bottles are put under numerous tests in extreme heat to determine if the plastic is safe before they are sold. These tests are important because of the high heat environment of the delivery trucks in which the water bottles are transported. While the chemical buildup is not an issue, Hanoian-Fontana claims that bacteria buildup in re-used water bottles can be harmful to your health. But fret not, pesky bacteria can be eliminated simply by washing water bottles in hot water with soap.
Perhaps the biggest concern about these plastic water bottles, though, is their effect on the environment. While most of the United States' bottled water is created domestically, large amounts of fossil fuels are used for its packaging and transportation around the globe. Shipments overseas, especially to China - one of the world's largest bottled water consumers — is extremely detrimental to the environment. Oil is also used to create the PET, the plasticizer used for bottled water. According to the Earth Policy Institute, America uses about 1.5 million barrels of oil every year for this purpose.
While we are constantly urged to recycle plastic containers, I was astounded to learn that most Americans throw empty bottles in the garbage can instead of the recycle bin. Because of this choice, the Container Recycling Institute claims that 86% of plastic bottles become trash that takes about 1,000 years to degrade. The remaining 14% of bottles are recycled, yet about half of these bottles are shipped overseas to do so. The plastic water bottle is constantly expending fossil fuels and contributing to global warming. Don't believe me? Visit the Container Recycling Institute's website (http://www.container-recycling.org) to watch as the alarming number of cans and bottles that have been landfilled, incinerated, and littered in the U.S. grows by the second.
So what can we do to save the environment from our favorite convenience? I've recently purchased a Nalgene bottle (about $10), a reusable 32 ounce plastic water bottle. These un-breakable bottles can be found at your local sports store and can be filled with almost any beverage. On the national level, the mayor of San Francisco placed a ban on plastic water bottles from city departments under the argument that plastic bottles are a huge detriment to the environment. The mayor hopes to increase the use of tap water and wants to set an example for other cities nationwide.
So now that the rumors and controversies surrounding bottled water have been clarified, it is up to you - the consumer - to decide if using a plastic water bottle is really necessary. What harm is there in investing in a good quality, reusable water bottle? Being the college student that I am, I've taken this as an opportunity to save some money on those huge cases of Poland Spring water and now I have a new favorite accessory: tap water.
Sources:
For a list of sources, email the writer at amandakeegan@crossingsmagazine.org.
