5 Ways You Can Help Reduce Plastic Water Bottle Waste

As many of us may be aware, plastic bottle waste is an enormous, detrimental issue not only in the United States, but all around the world. On average, the United States alone purchases and consumes over 50 billion plastic bottles per year. If that statistic isn’t bad enough, only 40% of those 50 billion plastic bottles are recycled or put to better use. This means that 3 out of 5 plastic bottles purchased in the United States are thrown away.

In doing so, our landfills are increasing in size, thus unfavorably threatening our ecosystem.  This includes humankind. Plastic bottles contain a harmful industrial chemical called Bisphenol A or BPA. Although consuming this chemical in small amounts by drinking through a plastic bottle is not toxic, the plastic bottle waste build up can accumulate masses of this chemical, infecting clean water supply.

In addition to the potential harm of BPA, most plastic bottles are made of polyethylene terephthalate or PET. Studies show, similar to BPA, that minute amounts of PET found in plastic bottles may not be directly harmful unless over consumed which then could negatively affect the human body by throwing off the hormonal balance or worse.

Although these statistics may be displeasing, there are many simple ways to do your part in reducing plastic bottle waste, thus reducing the damage inflicted on our ecosystem.

Here are 5 simple ways to reduce your part in plastic bottle waste:

1.    Discontinue purchasing plastic bottles. Instead, purchase a sustainable, reusable bottle.

2.    If you purchase a plastic bottled beverage, recycle it after use.

3.    Purchase an at-home water filter to keep in your refrigerator.

4.    Ban plastic bottles within your household and/or workplace.

5.    Find a reusable, sustainable, eco-friendly alternative for many household items such as shampoo, soap, and beverage containers.

Now, we’d like to know how YOU help reduce plastic bottle waste. Tell us your story below!