One Habit at a Time – Avoid Plastic Water Bottles

Consider the following: (from www.news.independent.co.uk/environment/article621200.ece)

Many environmentalists are questioning whether we need to be buying so many products in the first place, and say bottled water is a case in point. One recent study by the US-based Earth Policy Institute estimated that bottled water is 10,000 times more environmentally damaging than tap water because of the effort involved in extraction, packaging and transportation. The U.S.’s second most imported brand, Fiji, is shipped around the world from the middle of the South Pacific. Yet global sales of bottled water have leapt by 57 per cent in a decade, to 154 billion litres in 2004.

 "Why not drink from the tap?" suggested Anna Watson, of Friends of the Earth. "We should celebrate the fact that we have fantastic drinking water in this country. We ask: do you need that product and do you need that packaging?"

 Even if we recycle and occasionally reuse these bottles, they are still costly to the environment.

Consider switching to refillable hard-plastic or lightweight stainless steel containers.  There are some health concerns about certain plastics, especially after they’ve been in the dishwasher (see articles such as www.sierraclub.org/sierra/200311/lol5.asp ) so we’re recommending the following alternative, available from www.kleankanteen.com and tested by Susan and family!

 Kleen Kanteen Product Features:

•  Durable, ultralight electropolished #304 stainless steel
•  Toxin-free and non-leaching, clean tasting (hot or cold)
•  Bottle is dishwasher safe
•  Available in varying sizes and with various tops 

First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto
www.fprespa.org/coolplanet
February, 2007