What is a solution for bottled water companies?

Question

Bottling water is a significant environmental problem. What is a solution for these companies? What can they do to solve this problem of wasting plastic and using fossil fuels to transport them?

Answer 1

much of the plastic used in the bottling process has been recycled, in fact beverage producers from beer to soda to H2O recycle more material annually than any other industry.

Be sure to check the "Source" of your bottled water. It might simply be from a municipal water source and undergone additional purification.... think Brita here, but only at 10,000 gallons a minute.

Fossil fuels.... good question.... here are a few issues in regard to the logistics of providing an inexpensive product... Most loads transported by a large commercial truck from the manufacturer to the supplier weigh around 48000-50000# By carrying this much weight at one time, the bulk expense is less leaving room for some profitability. The secondary vendor (delivery person) uses the same theory... in a slow season, a route might be combined in an area to minimize the amount of delivery people and trucks used to purvey their product to a specific region. Conversely, in a high season, when demand for the product warrants another vehicle, this also minimizes time lost in traffic and driving between stops. To date, and to my knowledge, there is NOT a heavy truck available that operates on an alternative fuel. Would I drive one if there was one available that performs as well or better than a diesel truck???? Absolutely.

Answer 2

we talking the little bottles or 5 gal bottles. people could just filter their own. I agree in general with you though. One thing I always look at, is of the foods you buy, how much is just water. ie. canned beans, mostly water. get dried and make your own. sodas, what a rip. just drink water or tea, but buy juice and milk. examine yours and others carts at the store and see just how much water they are carrying, it can quite interesting. I do wonder when they say net contents, is that the food or the water also. Im quite sure its water weight also. so for 16 ozs of beans in a can, you dont really get that in food. thats why i buy dried. remember though the cheapest way to prepare them is the overnight soak method. did you know they can be solar cooked. look it up. costs next to nothing. you also eliminate the cans. cans are good for long term storage, not for everyday open and eat. another waste of resources.