We all know that drinking water throughout the day is important. Humans are made up of about 60 percent water and without it we start to lag through the workday. The thing is, if we drink water from plastic water bottles -- think every bottle of water you've ever taken a swig from -- we're consuming the resources of a massive amount of different industries that we haven't even considered.
Every bottle, cap, and wrapper needs to be manufactured somewhere and then put together to fill with nothing other than water for us to drink. Then, trucks need to ship all those cases of water all over the country. Let's just say, it's a lot. So how does an environmentally savvy consumer get their fill without worrying about the concern of plastic water bottles?
What is Ban the Bottle?
We can look first and foremost at the San Francisco water bottle ban. The whole city cut the sale of single-use plastic water bottles to decrease the amount of wasteful plastic that the city population uses. Single-use products are, in general, wasteful and problematic.
San Francisco's ban decreases the amount of plastic that gets used, the amount of garbage that gets tossed aside, and the amount of civic and private resources that have to worry about any of the above. Essentially, it decreases the entire carbon footprint of every individual who just wants a sip of water -- and who doesn't want that?
Single-use plastic water bottles require the input of an incredible amount of energy that the everyday consumer can avoid while simultaneously getting their daily fill of H2O. So if we aren't drinking from plastic water bottles, where can we get our recommended daily amount of water?
Refillable Bottles
The first and most obvious method for the everyday water consumer (read: everybody) is to use a refillable water bottle. You need to drink water throughout the day regardless of your occupation -- whether you're talking with coworkers about the latest TV shows at the water cooler or rushing from one conference room to the next, filling your own water bottle is imperative for consistent hydration. Holistic Health Coach and Wellness Author Kimberly Petrosino says, "I have two reusable water bottles -- a large one for my workspace, which I drink from throughout the day, and a smaller one for my purse. It is not only better for the environment, but it's great for your health! Having a reusable water bottle handy all of the time makes it almost impossible NOT to drink, and you can do so knowing you're minimizing your carbon footprint."
Water Refill Station
Like we said, single-use water bottles are wasteful and environmentally problematic. A water refill station gives you and your employees the ability to not only stay hydrated and healthy, but environmentally sound as well.
We already mentioned the refillable water containers, but what would they be without a water refill station? An easily accessible water cooler dispenser gives everyone an opportunity to get their fill whenever they need it.
Filtered Water Dispenser
The last step is making sure what you're providing is what everyone wants to drink. Filtered water coolers for your office or workplace provide an outlet for everyone to fill their respective refillable bottles, chat for a bit with friends, and feel comfortable within the workplace.
In the end, it's the small acts that make up a sound environmental policy. Drinking water from refillable bottles filled at filtered water dispensers is the first and easiest step to "Ban the Bottle."
Written by Chris Garner in collaboration with Kimberly Petrosino. With nearly 10 years in the water industry and over 20 years of experience in international business-to-business sales and marketing, Chris Garner is the Global Marketing Director of Waterlogic, a designer, manufacturer and distributor of bottleless water dispenser and purification systems. He is actively involved in the development of new water dispensers and in promoting the awareness of the need for better drinking water.
Kimberly Petrosino is the author of "The Small Change Solution: A 52 Step Guide to Getting the Naturally Healthy Lifestyle You Want". She loves working with people who are ready to take control of their health and don't know where to begin, through her 6 Week Small Change Kickstart. For more information visit Happy Healthy Hearts or follow her on Twitter.