Refill not Landfill… Why You Shouldn’t be Purchasing Single-use Plastic Water Bottles.
According to the house of Commons, the UK uses 13 billion plastic bottles every year. Almost 50% of these bottles cannot be recycled, meaning that they are either landfilled, littered or incinerated. Plastic bottles make up a third of the plastic pollution in the sea, and if marine plastic pollution continues to rise at its current rate, the amount of plastic in the sea will outweigh fish by 2050.
Save the Planet and Your Pennies
Reducing your consumption of single-use plastic water bottles (or better still, cutting it out entirely) would help prevent plastic pollution at the source, contribute to combating climate change and help protect wildlife and marine life.
But imagine an ideal world where all plastic was 100% recyclable, climate change didn’t exist, and fish could swim carelessly in an ocean free of garbage... Even in this perfect world, purchasing single use plastic bottles would still be a ridiculously wasteful activity. Bottled water costs 300 to 2000 times more than tap water, and funds a huge global industry.
Bottled Water vs Tap Water
Much of this information isn’t uncommon knowledge, so why do we continue to purchase single-use plastic water bottles? For many people it is a taste or lifestyle choice, due to their mineral-enriched formula. Well we aren’t going to argue you on this one. Much of the water in single use bottles comes from underground reservoirs and unlike regular drinking water, this water does not undergo chemical processing. This means that the bottled water contains high quantities of minerals, especially magnesium, calcium and sodium. In addition to improving the taste, these minerals also provide various health benefits, such as promoting bone health, reducing stomach acidity, replenishing electrolytes and preventing muscle cramps.
Why Choose a Countrywise Water Cooler?
So how can you get the same taste of bottled water, with the same mineral content, at a cost that is not 3000 times that of tap water, all whilst caring for the environment? That’s where we come in. The water in our coolers comes from Wenlock Spring, located in Shropshire beside the Wenlock Edge. The mineral water filters naturally through a limestone rock stratum, providing it with a unique blend of minerals, giving it a refreshing and delicately sweet taste, and all those added health benefits. Countrywise Water Coolers are also environmentally sustainable because the containers can be reused up to 50 times. Our bottling plant use a carbon neutral biomass system and our hybrid lorries reduce fuel consumption by up to 23%.
What Can You Do?
Research has shown that 85% of the British public are concerned about plastic pollution, and more people in the UK would use a reusable bottle if they knew where they could fill it up for free. So, what can you do to help?
As a Business:
By purchasing one of our water coolers, you will be reducing single use plastic by conveniently providing employees and customers with great tasting mineral water, that can be refilled with fully recyclable cups or reusable bottles. To go one step further you could purchase one of our plumbed in water coolers and cut out plastic waste entirely.
As an Individual:
Don’t buy bottled water. It’s really that simple. Plastic bottles one of the leading causes of plastic waste. Invest in a reusable water bottle that you can refill from a water cooler or any drinkable water source.
If you want more info on how you can play your part in reducing plastic waste by purchasing one of our water coolers, give us a call on 0800 061 2193.