We are using way too many plastic bottles for no reason.
I was filling up my water bottle with tap water the other day when I noticed my friend watching in horror.
"That's not filtered," he gasped, shoving a plastic bottle of water into my hands.
I know quite a few people who exclusively drink bottled water. They have a myriad of reasons for their decision, but they're usually worried tap water isn't safe.
This is generally not true.
"Tap water and bottled water are generally comparable in terms of safety," wrote Katherine Zeratsky, a doctor on the Mayo Clinic website.
I don't know where the myth about tap water danger started. Sure, tap water is unsafe in some countries, but in most of the U.S. it's ok.
"The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees bottled water, while the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates tap water," continued Zeratsky. "However, they use similar standards for ensuring safety."
Sometimes news comes out about contaminated tap water. But that happens with bottled water too. In fact, bottled water may be even more contaminated as microplastics eke their way into the water. One group of scientists tested 259 bottles of water across 11 brands and found 93% of bottled water is contaminated with microplastics.
So drink tap water! Rant over.
We are using way too many plastic bottles for no reason.
