photo by emdot
Somehow we have become obsessed with water. With how much to drink each day, and with drinking better water. I wonder how our needs have changed from the old days. Not much, I suspect. What’s wrong with drinking when you’re thirsty, and filling a glass at the sink?
We are fortunate in most parts of this country to have high quality water delivered to our tap. Here, in the San Francisco Bay Area, most communities have excellent water quality. So why do so many people buy bottled water?
Why we’ve gotten bottled
Whole books have been written on this subject. And on the arguments against bottled water:
- tap water is not unhealthy
- marketing drives the switch
- disposable bottles are wasteful
- plastic bottles can taint the water
- transporting water and bottles is wasteful
- bottled water isn’t regulated as well as tap water
If you are really scared of your tap water, read Bottled and Sold by Peter Gleick. Or do a bit of your own research online. And then try to find out just what is in the bottled water you buy. It’s not easy.
Kitchen filters do better
But what if your tap water just doesn’t taste as good as it should? Or you find out it does have some chemicals you’d rather avoid? There’s a better solution. Put a filter system at your kitchen sink. Here are some advantages:
- filters last for months
- they can go above or below the sink
- there are many types to choose from
- you know what they are removing
You can still take a bottle with you when you go out. And you’ll be part of the solution to the many problems the bottled water industry is creating. Personally, if I get thirsty when I’m out I just use a drinking fountain or ask for a cup of water.
What do you think of bottled water and why so many buy it?