Green Water

Sources: Data derived from the American Plastics Council and the American Chemistry Council (2010)

2,675 778.5 29.1% 1,896.5

SOLD thousand tons

RECYCLEDthousand tons Recycling rate WASTED

thousand tons

Inefficient Water Transport

It takes about 1,100 to 2,000 times as much energy to produce and transport the average bottle of water to Los Angeles as to

produce the same amount of tap water.U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2010, March 1). Statistics on the Management of Used and End-of-Life Electronics.

Impact in the US vs. Personal Impact

43.6 Billion Containers Wasted Every Year

That is 14.3 Million Barrels of Crude Oil

At this Rate Every Person Would Be Consuming

Almost a Quarter Barrel of Oil Just on Bottles of Water

Average Adult Male Needs 3 Litters of Water a Day

At this Rate Every Person Would Be Consuming

Almost a Quarter Barrel of Oil Just on Bottles of Water

3 Litters is 101 oz./ 16.9 Which Equals 6 Bottles a

Day

At this Rate Every Person Would Be Consuming

Almost a Quarter Barrel of Oil Just on Bottles of Water

If a Person Got All Their Water from Bottles its 2181

Bottles a Year

At this Rate Every Person Would Be Consuming

Almost a Quarter Barrel of Oil Just on Bottles of Water

In Wasted Oil For Water Bottles That’s Enough Gasoline to Drive All the Way to Boston

In a 2005 Honda Civic

If all undergrad’s drank this many water bottles…One Third: 2,340 Barrels of OilTwo Thirds: 4,680 Barrels of Oil

All: 7,000 Barrels of Oil

One Third Two Thirds All0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.234

0.468

0.7

Water Bottles as % of Total Water Consumption and % Barrel of Crude Oil

Water Bottles as % of Total Water Consumption

Barr

el o

f Cru

de O

il

James Water Bottle Consumption

Last Year• Bought on Average Two

Bottles of Water on a School Day

• At an Average Price of $1.84 that is $552

This Year• This Semester I’ve cut my

consumption in Half• Estimated Savings of $276

Cost of Daily Water Bottle Purchases

No Bottles

One Bottle a day

Two Bottles a Day

$-

$100.00

$200.00

$300.00

$400.00

$500.00

$600.00

$276.00

$552.00

Joe’s Water Consumption

Last Year• Last year I bought 2/3’s of

my water from water bottles. That’s 28 bottles a week

• That’s 26 cases or $260

This Year• Bought a Brita Filter • Refillable Water Bottle • The Brita+Replacement

Filters for the year: $50

33% Water Bottles 50% Water Bottles 66% Water Bottles 100% Water Bottles$0.00

$50.00

$100.00

$150.00

$200.00

$250.00

$300.00

$350.00

$400.00

$122

$182

$260

$365

The Cost of Buying Water Bottles

Cost of a Brita Filter

Savings from Using a Brita Filter

33% Water Bottles 50% Water Bottles 66% Water Bottles 100% Water Bottles

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

72

132

210

315

Campus Solutions

• We already have water bottle filling stations– Awesome!

• But we need more! One in the lobby of every hall• Giving out free water bottles at

sporting events

Nationwide Solutions

• Providing subsides to those who recycle plastics

• Instead of just trash cans, include a recycling bin

• Improve tap water and provide education on where it is safe to drink from the tap (2,000 more efficient than bottles)

Big Picture

• As great as recycling is the reality is this boils down to a simple economic issue

• Either way, by case or individually, buying water bottles is so much more expensive than using tap and Brita water

• Students can save hundreds by investing in a Brita Filter and reusable water bottle