Although plastic bottles may be convenient for beverages, they can have a big impact on the environment. The environmental impact is worsening due to the increased usage of water bottles, from 3.3 billion sold in 1997 to 15 billion in 2002, according to MSNBC. Relying on tap water and recycling the plastic bottles you do use are some ways to keep your household green.
Increased Oil Consumption
National Geographic estimates on their website that about 17 million gallons of crude oil are used on an annual basis to produce plastic bottles. If you fill up a water bottle ¼ of the way with oil, that is approximately the amount used to manufacture the bottle. This amount of oil is enough to fuel approximately a million cars for one year. Recycling plastic bottles also saves energy. According to nationalgeographic.com recycling only one plastic bottle saves the same amount of energy as powering a 60-watt light bulb for six hours.
Landfills
Even though plastic bottles are able to be recycled, only one in five water bottles are recycled. The rest of the bottles end up piled high in landfills. Plastics are not biodegradable so the bottles stick around for hundreds of years. As the plastic breaks down, it may contaminate the soil and our water supply. It is estimated by the Container Recycling Institute and featured on reusablebags.com, 22 billion water bottles each year end up in landfills.
Petroleum Usage
MSNBC states that it's important for plastic bottles to be recycled in order to prevent less petroleum from being consumed. Petroleum is considered a fine commodity in the manufacturing industry.
Land and Water Pollution
Empty bottles are a source of pollution for both the land and sea. Bottles are seen on roadways, parks, oceans, streams and lakes.
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