Plastic Bottles are Evil

Ok, y’all, we now KNOW that plastic pollution is not an abstract threat, but rather, a threat relevant to everything alive on Earth. There’s no un-knowing what we know. Our oceans are projected to contain more plastic than fish by 2050, our seafood contains micro-plastic, our water contains micro-plastic, and the impact of plastic waste globally is impacting all systems and their functions. Friends, this is the hard truth we’re facing. But YOU care! I care! And SO many care to shift this tide – we can do it! So far this month, you’ve audited your bin, learned more about what’s actually recycled, explored the feel-good savings of shopping in Bulk, replaced plastic kitchen cleaning supplies with those more sustainable, broken up with plastic grocery bags and replaced them with reusable bags, considered alternatives to your personal products – you’ve taken these and SO many important steps in reducing single-use plastic pollution, not all of them easy. These steps require planning, researching, and a new layer of mindfulness as a consumer. CONGRATULATIONS! It feels good to do good.

Well, today’s post offers an easy tip, inviting a simple yet powerful swap that diverts plastic bottles from landfills and waterways: carry a reusable water bottle with you everywhere you go, and refuse single-use plastic-bottle consumption. Personally, I love my Hydro Flask, an insulated metal bottle that keeps beverages hot or cold, but there are countless options, even available at Goodwill or yard sales! This swap doesn’t have to cost a thing. In fact, your wallet will thank you when you begin to Refuse. ​

According to a recent article in Forbes, “humans buy a million plastic bottles per minute. 91% of all plastic is not recycled. On top of that, it is estimated that over half a trillion plastic bottles will be sold in 2020.” Each plastic bottle we consume, made from polyethylene terephthalate (Pet), takes 500 years to naturally decompose. Unfortunately, plastic recycling is complex. Most material is transported across the globe to find markets for recycled materials. A recent Greenpeace report found six of the largest soft drinks companies, excluding Coca-Cola, use a combined average of just 6.6% recycled plastic globally. Why? New plastic is cheaper than recycled.

https://www.waecorp.com/ourgreenisblue/say-no-to-bottled-water/9

What if water fountains were more numerous, and tap water more clearly available in cafes, restaurants and elsewhere? Before plastic and the marketing that made us think we needed bottled water in the first place, drinking fountains were an urban fixture. I’d like to see a revival! And what if, aside from times of natural or public health disaster when we have access to safe drinking water, we just refused these bottles? Our bodies would thank us, avoiding leached plastic and sugary drinks, our bank accounts would thank us, and the planet would thank us! Actress Emma Watson reminds us, “as consumers, we have so much power to change the world by just being careful in what we buy.” Or, what we DON’T buy. These days, plastic bottled beverages are at the top of my list.

Tip: most any restaurant/café you pass will refill your water bottle if you ask nicely. And, if there’s a water spigot with single-use plastic cups beside it and you don’t have your own water bottle with you that day, just ask for a “for here” cup and they will gladly help you out, diverting one more item from its near-eternity as trash.​

For more on plastic bottles, check out this video, "The Story of Bottled Water" with Annie Leonard and The Story of Stuff.

Sincerely,
​Hilary Drake, Founder
Mind Your Plastic