How much bottled water costs us
How much bottled water costs us
When we ask the question: How much does bottled water cost? We must give ourselves an answer that is not only economic but also in terms of ecological footprint; that is, the connected environmental costs to produce and distribute it, compared to the water available on the network. By making very simple accounts, if we use water instead of bottled water, we bring a large contribution to the environment and our pockets. On average 1,000 liters of tap water cost 6 bottles of ore (12 liters) and the consumption of resources to produce them is 200-300 times lower. There is therefore a proportion of 12 to 1,000. With the same amount (1.60-2.00 euro) you can buy 6 bottles of ore or 1,000 liters of water. The reasons for the convenience of preferring tap water to that purchased at the supermarket are therefore considerable; not only because about 10% of the weekly food expenditure supported by a family concerns the purchase of mineral water but also for environmental reasons.
In fact, just think that in order to produce a plastic bottle it is necessary to triple the water that it can contain. But let’s see the data of this highly illogical thing to which to put remedies soon. In fact, the use of tap water also means less CO2 emissions.
With 192 liters per capita, Italy is in first place in Europe for bottled water consumption. For the production of packaging (78% of the water consumed in our country is in a plastic bottle), 350 thousand tons of PET are used, equal to 665 thousand tons of oil. This process involves the emission of 1 million tonnes of CO2 (equivalent to 6.8 million plastic to be treated each year as waste). But the ecological footprint does not end here: to this must be added the emissions due to the transport of water bottles from the production plants to our tables.
In terms of Ecological Footprint, therefore, there are no comparisons; the comparison is 1: 200/300 times. A cost too salty to which the Politics and Governments not only have not given answers but seem to sleep soundly and highly responsible sleeps.
Some might reply that water from aqueducts is not always drinkable and drinkable; this is also a legend to debunk the drinking water could not be put on the network if they did not respect strict parameters of “potability” and therefore of precise chemical-physical and microbiological characteristics.
At the limit, in some cases (of piping a bit ‘worn and old) just get small physical filters to give us the safety of a product (water mains) much cheaper and respectful of our environment and the whole future of the ‘humanity.
We are wary of the misleading advertising that this water offers us as the panacea for those who know what. If we fall, the whole balance of this planet falls with us.
Guido Bissanti