Chiara Ferrante
Grade 7, Charles S. Pierce Middle School, Milton
Mrs. McEvoy, Teacher
Why is Tap Water Better than Bottled Water?
Remember the water fountain, that bountiful, and free, source of H20? It seems unnoticed now. Instead, bottled water is everywhere, in offices, airplanes, stores, homes and restaurants across the country.
Some bottled water comes from sparkling springs and other pristine sources.
But more than 25 percent of it comes from a local supply. The water is treated, purified and sold to us, often increased by the thousands in price. Most people are surprised to learn that they're drinking glorified tap water, but bottlers aren't required to list the source on the label.
Bottled water is refreshing, calorie-free, convenient to carry around, tastier than some tap water and a heck of a lot healthier than sugary sodas, but is it truly better?
Not only does bottled water create excess waste, but it costs us a thousand times more than water from our faucet at home, and bottled water is most likely not safer to drink, or cleaner than tap water.
Bottled water is a drain on the environment. The U.S. citizens go through about 50 billion water bottles a year, and most of the plastic containers used aren't even recycled.
More than 80 percent of recyclable plastic bottles end up in landfills each year. They don't break down naturally and release harmful chemicals when they eventually decompose.
$100 billion is spent every year on bottled water globally. In many cities in developing countries where there isn't a clean source of tap water, bottled water becomes the main option.
Bottled water is more expensive, and at the same time, less safe, and less clean. Tap water is the better option, and it's what we used to do.
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