Everywhere that we look in these days in parks and open spaces there are litter bins nigh on overflowing – on a (more or less) daily basis – with discarded PET bottles. The great majority of those come from bottled water – which is a scam anyway – and also to a lesser extent and degree from soda pop, such as Coke, Pepsi, Dr Pepper, Lilt, etc.
Not only, though, do we see empty bottles in the litter bins; nay, even full, often unopened, bottles of water of different sizes are found on a rather regular basis.While rehydration during any activity, even including simply walking, especially in warn and hot weather (but also during cold and winter), is essential to good health there is no need whatsoever to go and buy bottled water.
Bottled water is NOT better for you than tap water (unless, maybe you happen to be abroad in foreign climes where the local tap water may be suspect) as, as research has shown now more than once by now that much, probably up to 75%, of all bottled water is in fact nothing but repackaged tap water and that therefore drinking bottled water is no more beneficial for you than drinking just plain old tap water. Is is also a fact that the hygiene standard of tap water, say Thames Water's water, is much higher than that of bottled spring water.
It would be more beneficial to both people's pocketbooks and the environment if they'd get refillable sports bottles of a good quality for a couple of bucks and just filled them up with tap water. Why would I pay say 60pence (about US$ 1) or thereabouts for a small 250ml bottle of water if I can fill a bottle up at home for nothing and simply take along with me. That way there is no bottle left behind either for once it is empty it does not weigh much.
But it would appear that people require education on this subject and therefore an educational campaign from the side of parks departments and possibly even organizations such as CABE might be called for.
© M V Smith, May 2007
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