"What difference is one plastic bottle going to make?”
Thankfully, some countries are taking positive steps forward in the reduction of single-use plastic. As of recently, all Australian states are now banning single-use plastic bags from major supermarkets. It has been reported that Victoria will go next level and ban the bags from other smaller stores as well.
Single-use plastic straws have also gained attention. Did you know that Australians reportedly use 10 million straws every day – all of which end up in landfill or our oceans? McDonald’s has already started trialing paper straws with a view to completely removing plastic straws from stores by 2020.
But what about single-use plastic water bottles? It’s a topic that goes in and out of fashion when it comes to media reporting but one that we believe needs as much attention as single-use plastic bags.
Alarming Single Use Plastic Bottle Statistics
Did you know that a mind-boggling one million single-use plastic bottles are purchased around the world every minute of the day? That equates to about 20,000 bottles per second.
They are some big numbers to swallow.
When you consider Australia alone, a Roy Morgan Australia report notes that 5.3 million people (27.1 per cent of the Australian population) drank bottled water in any given week. Another report claimed that every year in Australia, an estimated 370 million plastic water bottles end up in landfill with discarded plastic drink bottles accounting for 38 per cent of Australia’s total rubbish volume. Quite literally, bottled water is rubbish.
How Can You Help Stop Plastic Water Bottle Pollution
Aside from lobbying the major retailers and companies for change, how can you help stop plastic bottle pollution? It’s simple - start small and start at home.
Long-life refillable/reusable water bottles and keep cups are an obvious first choice. Stainless steel water bottles and glass water bottles are both proving popular in regards to functionality and flair. While the initial outlay for one of these water bottles might be more than a single-use plastic bottle of water from the shops, you will have no ongoing costs. Simply refill from the tap at the end of each day and you are right to go tomorrow.
Good Health Begins With Good Water
Many believe good health begins with good water and so, if it’s tap water that puts you off changing from single-use plastic bottled water to a reusable bottle, why not consider a water purification system?
There are so many little ways that you can help our environment by reducing (or completely removing) your family’s dependence on single-use plastics. And remember that what you do DOES make a difference. Every little bit counts.
There are many options available to meet your needs when it comes to filtering your water at home - from water bottles to benchtop water filters, under-sink water filters and inline filters.
Say no to single use plastic
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