Plastic-ocide
Plastic quickly went from holding our beverages to soiling our earth. The extra effort to recycle cans and bottles has caused Americans to fall into a trap that infects the environment. More specifically, plastic water bottles have been a growing phenomenon since the early 1960s. The roots of bottled water originated from Italy, where mineral water was drawn from San Pellegrino and sold from there.
Soon after that, the French got their start with Evian and Perrier water varieties. First off, bottled water is controversial. This is because there are certain chemicals in the plastic that makes tap water a better alternative. Secondly, it leads to a lot of waste (especially when it isn’t recycled). It’s estimated that over 50 billion bottles of water are consumed daily.
The worst part is that a majority of these plastic bottles end up in the ocean and plague the wildlife of the ocean. But even when plastics do get recycled, they sometimes end up in the trash by accident. For example, in April of 2002, a dead whale washed up on the Normandy coast. An investigation found that the whale’s stomach contained 800 kilograms of plastic. Although plastic water bottles seem like a nuisance, bottle producers are becoming more and more environmentally-friendly. For example, BPA-free water bottles are becoming more popular.
The producers of the water bottles make the plastic stronger, more lightweight and more resistant to heat and shattering. Using plastic water bottles is a positive. First, they are convenient and in addition, they are very portable and can be taken anywhere. That’s why it’s rare to see cars made in this generation without cup holders. Another aspect is that most places sell flavored water alternatives. These are similar to original water bottles except they come in a variety of flavors.
And usually they have a higher selling point. Starting in the early 1990s, the water industry revolutionized water production with water filters. This eliminates most of the waste from water bottles and even makes water safer and cleaner. Water is something we can’t take for granted. Everyone believes water should be free, but it’s the plastic that makes water so expensive.
I’m sure in the future there will be some way that water will become transportable without the plastic to ruin the earth. Water is one of the three main necessities for life, and it should not be something that weighs down on the world. Water purifiers are quite advanced, but we need the water industry to take their next big step. I propose that we find a new material to substitute in for plastic bottles. Maybe even a material that could be thrown away easily.
All in all, since water is required everywhere it means plastic is currently required everywhere. And without the ability to recycle, we have been plaguing our wildlife and mother earth with this plastic-ocide. Like I said, once the water industry takes their big, next step we should be in much better hands. This would be to carry water and other liquids in a more economy-friendly fashion. Water filters are a great start to conserving the earth, but we need something a little more.
