Experimental technique-advertising bad science-bottled water

In 2006 Americans bought 31.2 billion litres of bottled water. The raw material for making plastic comes from oil. To produce enough plastic containers for 31.2 billion litres requires in excess of 1.5 billion barrels of oil. Now this is enough to fuel 100,000 American cars for one year. To process this amount of plastic required 106 billion megajoules of energy the equivalent of the energy stored in 17 million barrels of oil.

The energy usage doesn't stop there. Consider the energy needed to fill the bottles at the factory, move them by truck, train, ship, or air freight to the consumer, cool it in grocery stores or home refrigerators, and recycle the empty bottles or clean up the ones thrown away.

For every litre of bottled water produced two extra litres of water are needed in its processing.

Most plastic bottles are made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The manufacture of every ton of PET produces around 3 tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂). Bottling water thus created more than 2.5 million tons of CO₂ in 2006. Carbon dioxide would also be produced in transport, refrigerating and processing the water.

Only about 14% percent of plastic water bottles get recycled in the U.S. according to the Container Recycling Institute in Washington, D.C. the rest become garbage or litter.

So the question must be asked. How sustainable is bottled water?

Beverage Marketing Corporation estimate for 2006.

Plastics Europe. http://lca.plasticseurope.org/petb5.htm

I. Bousted. 2005. Eco-profiles of the European Plastics Industry: Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), (Bottle grade).

Bottled water
We were once told that a good salesperson can sell ice cubes to Eskimos. Well guess what? They are selling bottled water to Melbournians who have arguably one of the best sources of water of any city in the world. Clever marketing has made us obsessed with bottled water and has many children looking at drinking fountains with disdain. Children's lunch boxes now contain small plastic bottles of water.
In 2007 Americans spent $(US)10.3 billion on bottled water. Although the labels show clean, pristine mountain ranges the source of the bottled water is often municipal water as is the case with the bottled water produced by Pepsi and Coke. Read the article from Bloomberg. It reveals outcomes of studies conducted on certain brands of bottled water in America.
In 2006 Americans bought 31.2 billion litres of bottled water. The raw material for making plastic comes from oil. To produce enough plastic containers for 31.2 billion litres requires in excess of 1.5 billion barrels of oil. Now this is enough to fuel 100,000 American cars for one year. To process this amount of plastic required 106 billion megajoules of energy the equivalent of the energy stored in 17 million barrels of oil. The energy usage doesn't stop there. Consider the energy needed to fill the bottles at the factory, move them by truck, train, ship, or air freight to the consumer, cool it in grocery stores or home refrigerators, and recycle the empty bottles or clean up the ones thrown away. For every litre of bottled water produced two extra litres of water are needed in its processing. Most plastic bottles are made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The manufacture of every ton of PET produces around 3 tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂). Bottling water thus created more than 2.5 million tons of CO₂ in 2006. Carbon dioxide would also be produced in transport, refrigerating and processing the water. Only about 14% percent of plastic water bottles get recycled in the U.S. according to the Container Recycling Institute in Washington, D.C. the rest become garbage or litter. So the question must be asked. How sustainable is bottled water?
Sources: Beverage Marketing Corporation estimate for 2006. Plastics Europe. http://lca.plasticseurope.org/petb5.htm I. Bousted. 2005. Eco-profiles of the European Plastics Industry: Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), (Bottle grade).
What are the arguments against bottled water?
What natural resource is needed for the production of plastic bottles?
Describe why the production of bottled water is energy intensive?
Explain how the production and distribution of bottled water produces atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Argue against the sustainability of bottle water.
Discuss how advertising has an impact on our lifestyle choices and how these lifestyle choices impact on the environment. You may find this link useful. Consider: - our desire to live in huge houses with spas, multiple T.V sets and home entertainment units: - our thirst for bottled water; - hunger for fast food; - reliance on private vehicles for transport ( Can you find any advertising for fast, fuel hungry cars? Is this necessary in a time of global warming and fuel shortages?) You may present your discussion in a Power Point presentation or poster format.
Continue with "How dumb do you think we are" bad science in water advertising