Ditch Disposable Bottles & Make A Difference
The average American uses an incredible 167 plastic water bottles each year—and all told, the U.S. goes through a mind-blowing 1,500 disposable water bottles per second, totaling 129,600 in just one day. There’s a solution, though. We can be instrumental in helping that number shrink by kicking the disposable water bottle habit and utilizing reusable water bottles for hydration.
Incredibly, some statistics state that only 30% of plastic water bottles are currently recycled, so that means that 70% of them end up in landfills, piled high in non-biodegradable perpetuity—hanging around and polluting the planet for up to a thousand years.
The Difficulty with Disposables
The landfill problem is becoming a worldwide crisis, with floating islands of garbage in the ocean, including the infamous 600,000 square mile Great Pacific Garbage Patch and another recently found in the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Honduras composed almost entirely of plastic.
It’s not just the litter that’s a problem; the creation of disposable plastic bottles uses vast quantities of fossil fuels and water in the manufacturing process. As the demand for disposable bottles diminishes, the less waste will be created in the first place.
Made from a compound called polyethylene terephthalate, disposable plastic bottles are not reusable, either. Manufacturers warn that using them more than once can lead to bacterial contamination, and as the plastic breaks down over time they can leak chemicals and toxins into the water itself.
Some experts also note that the purified or spring water you’re supposedly drinking could be little better than plain tap water. Unless you’re using your own filtration system, you may never know for sure. And even if the water does come from a pure source, the plastic in the bottles can leach cancer-causing chemicals into it, according to some reports.
Hydration Meets Conservation
Conservation begins with making our personal carbon footprint as small as we can manage, each in our own way. Fortunately, giving up disposable plastic bottles is one of the easiest lifestyle changes you can make.
When you trade your disposable plastic bottles for an eco-friendly reusable water bottle, you also have the opportunity to upgrade the function and the versatility in your choice of portable personal water bottle.
Save the Planet—and Express Yourself
Choosing your bottle is fun—you get to decide which finishes, colors, sizes and features meld best with your image and lifestyle. All Primula water bottles are free from harmful chemicals like BPA, so you’ll be making a healthier choice as well as helping the planet. Following are just a few of Primula’s many water bottle choices:
The double wall stainless steel Discovery is available in both a compact 17 oz. and a generous 40 oz. size, and boasts a clever wide-mouthed design and carrying handle.
The slim 17 oz. Silhouette has a secure leak-proof twist top lid and fits most standard vehicle cup holders.
Into flavored water? The Primula Sentinel Bottle even includes an infusion core to let you add fresh lemon, lime or other fruit flavors to your water…you certainly can’t do that with a plastic water bottle.
Of course, these versatile drinking vessels can be used for more than just water…coffee, tea or any beverage you choose. And speaking of coffee—
Stop the Styrofoam, Too
Not a big water drinker? If you’re a coffee lover, you can still be part of the solution by carrying your own cup. Definitely, we should all be ditching the polystyrene, better known as Styrofoam. Speaking of landfills and biodegradability, polystyrene cannot be completely recycled, either. Like plastic water bottles, most of the Styrofoam disposed of today will still be present in landfills hundreds of years from now. And believe it or not, most paper coffee cups are not recyclable either—most have a polythene plastic coating to help them hold liquids more safely, and the coating clogs the machinery of recycled paper mills.
For the Eco-Friendly Coffee Drinker
Make a personal statement and help the environment by carrying a cool thermal tumbler or mug. Double wall stainless steel keeps your beverage hot for 8 hours, or cold up to 24. Primula favorites include the Avalance Stainless Steel Tumbler and the Hamilton Stainless Steel Mug.
On behalf of Planet Earth, we thank you so much for considering trading your plastic bottles and Styrofoam and paper coffee cups for the reusable variety. Every single person who converts will make a difference!