World Water Day provides an opportunity to learn more about water-related issues, share them with others and take action to make a difference. On this day, we invite you to learn more about the acute problem associated with the bottled water industry.
The bottled water industry is a multi-million dollar industry using what is essentially a free and accessible resource. That being said, the bottled water industry is quite unsustainable and harmful to the environment. Nearly 80% of plastic bottles simply end up in trash, creating 2 million tons of plastic waste every year.
Here are 10 facts you might not know about the bottled water industry.
1. The first recorded case of the sale of bottled water occurred in the 1760s in the United States. Mineral water was bottled and sold at the resort for medicinal purposes.
2. Sales of bottled water outsell sales of soda in the US.
3. Global bottled water consumption is increasing by 10% every year. The slowest growth was recorded in Europe, and the fastest in North America.
4. The energy we use to produce bottled water would be enough to power 190 homes.
5. Food & Water Watch reports that more than half of bottled water comes from the tap.
6. Bottled water is not safer than tap water. According to studies, 22% of bottled water brands tested contained chemicals at concentrations hazardous to human health.
7. It takes three times as much water to make a plastic bottle as it does to fill it.
8. The amount of oil used to make bottles in a year could be enough for a million cars.
9. Only one in five plastic bottles end up being recycled.
10. The bottled water industry made $2014 billion in 13, but it would only take $10 billion to provide clean water to everyone in the world.
Water is one of the most valuable resources on our planet. One of the steps to its conscious use can be the refusal to consume bottled water. It is in the power of each of us to treat this natural treasure with care!