Since 2007, the news that Aquafina bottled water is just purified tap water has been reported. Just this past week, another website blasted the news again as if it were new and alluded that we’ve been duped by PepsiCo into thinking we were drinking mountain fresh spring water.
And everyone gets riled up and raises their fists against the trickster PepsiCo who has mislead them.
But, the reality is, no one reads the labels. Everyone just assumes.
Aquafina’s label features a mountain graphic. There are no words that state the water you are drinking is from a fresh mountain spring. In fact, the label, in 2007, under pressure from consumer groups, was changed from indicating the water came from P.W.S. to a spelled out explanation – public water source.
The Aquafina label has always clearly said “purified” water … never said “spring” water.
Visit the Aquafina website and you will learn about the purification process they use.
If consumers had bothered to read the label instead of assuming, would there be such an uproar?
It seems to me the rants against bottled water like Aquafina are unwarranted. There is clearly a lack of consumers taking the initiative to read the label to find out more, especially if they were seriously concerned about the quality of water they were drinking.
Clearly, the bottle water industry is huge. Its convenience has contributed to massive growth in sales but, sadly, it has also contributed to a massive amount of trash that accumulating.
Instead of being angry at a company that is giving consumers what they are in the habit of purchasing, we should be angry at what our bottled water habit is doing to our planet, wildlife and even our own health. Angry enough to change what we do.
Eighty percent of the water bottles we buy end up in landfills, the absolute worst place for them to be. That means roughly for every 10 bottles we drink, only two end up in the recycle bin. [Source]
More alarming is the impact of this plastic trash on the environment and the wildlife as it accumulates in our oceans.
I don’t get upset at Aquafina’s marketing, but I do cringe when I read the statistics of production and consumption costs of bottled water:
The recommended eight glasses of water a day, at U.S. tap rates equals about $.49 per year; that same amount of bottled water is about $1,400. [Source]
So, while some are ranting about Aquafina’s so called misleading marketing, I’m going to focus on what each one of us can do to stop trashing this beautiful planet.
I believe that instead of opting for the convenience, we must decide to change our habits. We have the information available to give us the reasons to do so. It’s not just about the environment and the wildlife, it’s about your health and your family’s health:
Most water bottles are made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate), a clear plastic derived from oil. PET is made with a cocktail of cancer-causing substances, including benzene and arsenic. These chemicals can leach into the water, especially if it is stored for a long time or gets direct sunlight on it.
PET can disrupt the functioning of the endocrine system. The communities in which PET bottles are produced report skyrocketing numbers of cancer from the air and water pollution created by manufacturing these bottles. [Source]
My plan to change my habits?
- Stop buying bottled water (it’s going to be quite a change since we are living fulltime in our camper)
- Purchase Nalgene bottles to use and refill
- Never litter
- Pick up other’s careless litter
- Invest in a Nikkon home water purifier
- Drink more water!
What will you do now?
I am an employee of an aquafina bottler in ny state and all water bottles have a 5cent deposit. Hoping everyone return them.
Although I prefer not to drink bottled water because of the chems in the plastic. I drink my well from a reusable bottle , much safer.
I’m with you Steven! The massive amount of trash generated by plastic water bottles is crazy! Spend $20 bucks on a reusable bottle. Do your part! Right?
Excellent article. The problem is MUCH bigger than I was willing to see. While I am doing what I can (don’t buy bottled water, don’t litter, pick up other people’s trash….), it is not nearly enough. What else can I do? Raising awareness is a must. If you have other thoughts, please let me know…
Barb, we just gotta start somewhere. Do all we can from where we are and be an example to others. Teach our kids. Be mindful of how much we contribute to the issue. Learn more about the ideas and solutions that are being implemented to restore some sense back to society. It seems like a huge, impossible task to stop the monster, but as always, change starts with one choice, one decision, one person at a time.
Hi Trisha,
I’m with you on the bottled water issue. Even though I am quite consistent with recycling any bottles from bottled water (or to-go drink cups), I use a Zero water filter pitcher at home and keep a stainless steel thermos of filtered water in my car (for when I travel). If I were on the road like you, I would probably invest in thermos-style filters as well.
It’s amazing to me how much junk ends up in landfills. I’m not always the best at buying things in minimal packaging, but I do recycle like a demon and often take out more in recycling than in garbage. What surprises me is that my apartment complex has 2 dumpsters for the weekly garbage but only one rolling “bin” for recycling (and it’s almost never full).
It’s soooooooo sad.
Thanks for sharing your experience and insight Karen! It’s a hard habit to break – we were raised just throwing everything into one garbage bin. Gosh – my grandparents just took everything to the “ditch” – there was no garbage service. I think each one of us can do a little more to help ease this problem. Awareness is the key.