Companies across the globe are leaving their competition behind and coming up for a common cause. The cause being such, that it can’t be ignored even if they want to. Major brands companies like Pepsi and Coke have been promising in the past and the present, to take up recycling as a major issue, but the truth is no one is bothered. It is just a strategy to get publicity Why Bottled water became popular? As more and more people grow health conscious, the need for portable water also has taken a leap. Sight of bottled water is as common as sight of a cell phone in somebody’s hand. 1. Population growth and pollution led to disbelief in tap water amongst people. This made people believe in bottled water as a safer source. 2. Bulk packaging made it more affordable in India and US and many other countries as well. 3. Advertising prompted the health conscious population to buy bottled water as an alternative to soft drink and alcohol. 4. It is perceived by many that it is safer than tap water. In France people buy bottled water because they think it tastes better! 
Bottled Water VS Tap water According to WHO the only difference between bottled water and tap water is that it is made available in PET(polyethylene terephthalate)bottles and not through pipes. A four year long study by Natural Resources Defense Council showed that on testing thousand bottles sold in the United States, about one fifth contained deadly chemicals such as toluene, xylene, or styrene–known or possible carcinogens and neurotoxins. In India, a few years back, tests done by Center for Science and environment revealed high levels of pesticides in sampled waters, resulting in governmental quality certificates being taken away from a number of brands and warnings issued to Coca-Cola and PepsiCo. However this has not hampered the skyrocketing popularity of bottled water which has become more of a status symbol than need. 
Sheer Energy wasted A research showed that in quenching Americans’ thirst with bottled water bottles for one year consumes more than 1.5 million barrels of oil, which is enough to generate electricity for more than 250,000 homes for a year or enough to fuel 100,000 cars for a year. The figures are rising every passing day. Harmful to the environment The empty water bottles are soon eating up landfills where it can lay up to 1000 years before dying out completely! And not to forget the toxins they’ll emit that can harm the Ozone layer. A single bottle when it melts fumes out green house gases that are detrimental to the Ozone. Canada has banned manufacturing of bottled water as it foresees the long term affect on local communities where the water comes from. The challenge The challenge is not to just set up recycling units but to make people aware that these bottles are recyclable and should not be put in trash. The companies are not getting enough bottles to be recycled. Simply because this portable drink is used outside the house where there is no recycling. Less than 15% of the bottles that reach the landfill get recycled. 
Alternatives According to WWF, there are traditional ways available for those who buy water for health concerns. It’s as simple as boiling and filtering which for generations we’ve been doing. Did you know that the PET bottles that we throw in the bin can actually be recycled to be as raw material in sweaters, carpets, and even in home products! So think before you buy that Bottle! 
Container Recycling Institute CRI, advises people to carry their own water whenever they go out. Thanks to advertising, the only concern is that the bottled water market is booming and it shows no signs of drying up! Via: FT
