Nia Price Walden University April 18, 2009. Purpose The purpose of this presentation is to make consumers of bottle water more aware of the consequences.

Nia Price

Walden University

April 18, 2009

Purpose

The purpose of this presentation is to make consumers of bottle water more aware of the consequences of continued consumption of plastic bottled water. And it aims to change their perspective and encourage them to move towards drinking more tap water and push their local governments to improve local water supply and/or encourage more environmentally safe or biodegradable plastics.

Key Learning Goals

To Understand:Current state of bottle water consumptionEnvironmental effects of bottle water

consumptionMisconceptions fueling the high demand for

bottled waterPossible alternative ways to facilitate

consumers desire for safe drinking water and simultaneously protect the health of the environment

Introduction Bottle water is the world’s fastest-growing

beverage (USA Today, Aug. 2007).

Most consumers buy it for taste, convenience, emergency or necessity. But most importantly, many consumers buy it for safety and potential or perceived health benefits (Hession, 2006).

Many consumers fail to properly dispose of or recycle plastic bottles, which creates waste that causes unhealthy effects on the environment (Hession, 2006).

Plastic bottles in Landfills

Approx. 1.5 million tons of plastic are used in the bottled water industry every year (Hession, 2006).

8 out of 10 water bottles end up in over-burdened landfills (Knopper, 2008).

It is estimated that it takes 1,000 years for some plastic bottles to break down (Knopper, 2008).

Environmental Cost of Producing and Recycling Plastic bottles

Millions of tons of oil-derived plastics are used to produce water bottles (USA Today, Aug. 2007).

The transportation cost to produce, distribute, and reconvert recycled bottles back to being shelf ready, puts and enormous cost on the environment (CSI, 2009).

These factors cause questions as to whether our recycling process is as environmentally efficient as intended.

Individual Health Effects

Bottled vs. Tap

Alternative solutions…

Your Local Water Supply

ConclusionThus far, bottled water has made most consumers feel safer

and has been a convenience.

However, as noted earlier it is not safer than tap water and poses a large threat to our environment and can also have an impact on health on an individual level.

So instead of giving into convenience, and the false beliefs about bottled waters superior purity, I hope that consumers will have more compassion for our environment and our future generations, by making a conscious effort to minimize unnecessary waste and choose tap instead of bottled water.

References Manajan, R., Walia, T.P., Lark, B., et. al. (April 2006). Analysis of

physical and chemical parameters of bottled drinking water. International Journal of Environmental Health Research, 16(12):89-98.

Knopper, M. (May/June 2008). Bottled water backlash. The Environmental Magazine., 19(3): p36-39.

Hession, A. (Nov. 27, 2006).The bottled water industry and its effects on the environment. Retrieved on April 17, 2009 from, http://www.buzzle.com/articles/bottled-water-industry-effect-environment.html.

USA Today (August 2007). Bottled water pricey in more ways than one., p.6.

Colorado Springs Independent(April 16-22, 2009). One love: Single string recycling has motivated a new wave of recyclers, but one question: where does it all go? P.15.