Water and Water Bottles

Many years ago we used to drink water out of cups. When went to the park as kids we used to drink water from the water fountain. Granted, if you place your fingers just right on the water spigot, you could spray the next person in line, but that was part of the fun of drinking from a water fountain.

New Age Water Consumption

Now a days with the push for hydration, just about everyone has a water bottle. Whether we have water bottles in the car, in the pocket book, back pack or held in hand, we all walk around with water. We know it’s important to keep our bodies hydrated, but our hydration is coming at a high cost.

We’re left with tons of empty water bottles. I’m glad that my state instituted the 5 cent water bottle deposit because it forces people to return bottles to the recycling center.

In the old days tap water was just fine. Now it seems that tap water isn’t fine unless it’s placed in a bottle and sold in a store. Let’s face it, no one really knows where their bottled water comes from but we buy it anyway.

Bottled Water Convenience

Having kids that participate in sports, disposable water bottles come in handy and are slightly more cost effective than purchasing water receptacles and filling them. All you need to do is look at any outdoor practice field once practice is over to understand why disposable water bottles are more cost effective. The field is littered with attractive water containers purchased by environmentally conscious moms.

While the intent of re-using the environmentally friendly water bottle is a noble one, in actuality, it’s a waste of money. The water receptacle goes to practice and is never seen again (quite a costly ritual).

Bottled Water and the Office

If your office has a water cooler, take advantage of it. Bring in your water receptacle, and fill it with water from the water cooler. Think of it as an employment perk, instead of a bonus, you get free water.

If your office doesn’t offer the water cooler perk, get a  Brita water pitcher. I know for a fact that the local store located downstairs in your office building charges too much for a bottle of water.

Just for grins, say the local store charges $1 for bottled water (plus $.05 deposit). That will cost $5.25 per week for one bottle of water a day. Add that up over the months and you’re spending quite a bit of money on water.

A Brita system, on the other hand, costs less than $30. You place it on your desk and fill it with plain old tap water (the water that used to be acceptable many years ago) and drink as much water as you want. The Brita filter cartridges need to be replaced every two months or so but the replacement filters cost less than $10 (it can cost as little as $5 per filter if you buy in bulk).

Environmentally Friendly Gym Water

It’s easy to grab a bottle of store-bought water from the cabinet as you run out the door just minutes before your trip to the gym, but slow down. Do your part for the environment. Grab a water receptacle, fill it half way with ice and the rest with water. Nothing is better than “homemade” cold water during and after an exercise class.

You don’t have to buy the sexiest, coolest looking water bottle the stores have to offer. I use a 32 oz Rubbermaid bottle. The screw off top makes it easy to add ice and the flip top spout gives me a larger sip of water than any store-bought bottled water spout. I don’t know about you, but when I get a quick water break during a spinning class, I try to swallow as much water as I can. The small hard to open water bottle spouts just don’t cut it anymore.

The Long and the Short

There are ways to cut back on water bottle waste. You just have to think out of the box and find ways that work for you.