Nearly every desk at school has reusable water bottles, because they claim to reduce waste and be beneficial to the environment. However, are they just a trend or are they actually as environmentally friendly as we believe?
Opting for a reusable water bottle is certainly the better choice to grabbing a new plastic bottle every day. Plastic bottles are extremely harmful to the environment, often ending up in landfills and the ocean. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states in “Plastics: Material-Specific Data” that single-use-plastics account for a significant portion of garbage, so making the switch to reusable bottles seem extremely beneficial. The problem is that purchasing numerous trendy bottles simply because they are popular has negative environmental effects.
Consider the manufacturing process of these bottles; many of them are constructed from stainless steel, which requires a significant amount of materials and energy to make. According to a report “Stuff versus Stuff: Which water bottle?” around 5.5 kilograms of carbon dioxide is produced during the production of one stainless steel bottle, while one ounce of carbon dioxide is caused by the usage and production of single-use plastics according to The Link Between Plastic Use and Climate Change: Nitty-gritty. Also, moving these bottles from factories to store locations generates additional pollution and energy consumption, whether its single-use plastic bottles or reusable metal bottles.
However, this water bottle problem of overconsumption goes beyond the environment. Everyone seems to be displaying their newest bottle at school. It’s Stanley today, and an Owala tomorrow. Most of the time, people want the newest bottle even when the old ones are still in perfect condition. This overconsumption is not environmentally beneficial.
Absolutely, reusable water bottles have positive aspects, one being they will not need to be replaced for a long period of time. Some companies, such as Stanely and Hydro Flask, use recyclable packaging or make donations to environmental organizations such as The Nature Conservancy. That being said, if consumers continue to purchase new bottles when they don’t need them, these factors become less significant.
The way social media influences people should also be taken into account. Suddenly, water bottles are being bought at a record amount, more than $2 billion in refillable bottles were sold in 2022 according to Reusable Bottle Sales Are Up As Americans Drink More Water. Even if you don’t actually need a product, companies know how to make it look trendy. The reason reusable water bottles gained popularity in the first place is overlooked: to benefit the environment.
What can be done to fix this problem? Think before you buy and not replace your water bottle if it’s still in good condition. Just because everyone else has the newest design doesn’t mean you have to. Keep in mind that the purpose of these bottles is to protect the environment. The goal is to use less plastic and waste less material, not to be trendy. Share the message and perhaps we can reverse this trend if more people realize that excessive bottle consumption harms the environment.
It doesn’t matter how many water bottles you have or how nice they look in the end. It’s about making wise decisions that benefit the environment. Therefore, the next time you see a new Stanley or Owala, consider whether you truly need it or if your current bottle is sufficient. Little adjustments like this can have a significant impact on the planet.
In reality, while trends change throughout time, the environment endures. Rather than merely following the next big thing, let’s make sure we’re supporting it.
