My neighbor asked me why I still buy bottled water

I was taking out my recycling bin full of plastic bottles and she just said, 'You know, the tap water here in Portland is tested more than the bottled stuff.' I looked it up and she was right. I spent about $30 a month on something I could get for free. Now I just use a filter pitcher and a metal bottle. Has anyone else made a small switch that cut down a lot of waste?

3 comments

3 Comments

gibson.sarah7d ago

What about the waste from all those plastic bottles though? Even if your tap tastes bad, those giant refillable jugs are a way better deal and create way less trash. I get the convenience thing, but it's wild how much single use plastic we just accept as normal. That metal taste is nasty, but maybe a different filter could fix it?

diana_black8d ago

Hold on, tap water quality can be a real gamble depending on where you live. My old apartment had pipes that made the water taste like metal, and a basic filter didn't fix it. Bottled water gave me a known, consistent taste without that worry. Also, grabbing a bottle on a long drive or at a park is just more convenient than planning ahead with a reusable one every single time. For some people, that little bit of reliable convenience is worth the cost and the plastic.

christopherwilson8d ago

Totally get that. The tap water at my last place was just awful, it had this weird cloudy look sometimes. A filter pitcher did nothing for it. Buying those big jugs was the only way to get water that didn't make me nervous. And yeah, forgetting your reusable bottle at home just happens. Having a plastic bottle in the car for those days is a real lifesaver.