Family Life

reducing plastic water bottles in our world

plastic-bottles

This post is brought to you by Cleansui

Recycling. It is a word we all know, some a little more. It is one of those words which we use repeatedly but sometimes question how we use it. Ever since I can remember I have recycled household items, bottles and rubbish in some shape or form. Whether it be by putting it in the recycling bin or taking it to school for art and craft projects, or arts and crafts at home, recycling has been a part of my life.

Naturally I have transfered this little obsession onto my children. I kind of feel if i can do at least one small thing each day to help the environment, then why not? And because arts and crafts is the best thing in our house for my three year year, well…. you can do anything with a little cardboard from the cereal box, or the toilet roll holder, or the big long roll from the glad wrap. Anything.

But there is something else when it comes to water and plastic bottles. For me, buying water is a wasted expensive when I could have and should have filled up the bottle at home. Wasted. Recycling these days comes in a good quality water bottle.

Talking about bottles, did you know:

* Australians spend more than half a billion dollars a year on bottled water. Australia produced 582.9 million litres of bottled water in 2009-10.

* Producing and delivering a litre of bottled water can emit hundreds of times more greenhouse gases than a litre of tap water.

* Australia recycles only 36% of PET plastic drink bottles. Assuming the 582.9 million litres of bottled water produced in 2009-10 is in litre bottles, according to these figures, 373 million of those bottles will end up as waste.

That is a lot of wastage and money! Especially when we have such simple water solutions like Cleansui to use at home!!

So what can you be doing at home? How can you minimise the use of plastic water bottles?

1. Let them choose their bottle. We all know that if kids don’t like something, no matter how much we push and probe, they won’t change their mind. Let them take ownership of their drink bottle that they can fill and re-fill with the freshest water around.

2. Don’t have just one bottle, have many. From being in the dishwasher, to being left at school, or at the park, or at a friends…. get my drift. Have many.

3. Collect plastic drink bottles – and turn it into an environmental crafting message. This is one way to take the use of plastic water bottle recycling to a new level….

4. Reduce the waste and keep bottles in the fridge for that ‘on-the-go’ situation. If you have a below the bench water purifier, it makes it super easy to simply fill these bottles.

Reduce water bottles

No matter how big or small, it is little steps that make the world of difference to the environment. It is a message that starts early, a behaviour and value that if instilled early, is carried on for years. Kids love making a difference and feel a sense of accomplishment and pride when they know they have made a difference.

So come on, tell me, share with me, how do you and your family make a difference to the water bottle consumption reduction? And recycling in general?

Cleansui is offering The Parenting Files readers a 30% discount off all products. Pop on over to the website to get the code.

Linking up with Essentially Jess

{image by SteadySticks}

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  • http://www.sakuraharuka.com Ai Sakura

    Yeah we all have many tumblers and bottles to bring out our water in. I find it a waste to buy bottled water too :p i love looking at Pinterest to find interesting upcycling projects to do. Such an inspiration!

  • http://www.aparentinglife.com Rhianna

    I refuse to buy water. Well as much as possible I do I just can’t stand the expense and aside from that how do we really know it is as pure as water as what the label will have you believe?

    These look like great water bottles I love the holder in the fridge. We have a 20 litre cooler that sits on the bench so the kids can always access water easily.

  • http://www.jfgibson.com.au JodiGibson (@JFGibsonWriter)

    We have a draw of drink bottles and rarely purchase bottled drinks, where we can of course. And recycle, recycle, recycle. Every bit helps!

  • http://mylittlesunshinehouse.com Zanni Louise

    We try and reuse bottles too Tahlia. I hate buying bottled water. Especially from airports!
    But I am pretty hopeless when getting ready to leave the house so 9/10 I forget water bottles. We end up relying on cafe pitstops to get our fluid intake. This is one area of my life which requires improvement! x

  • http://www.musingnmayhem.com carmen

    Plastic water bottles and takeaway cups are a banned substance in our cars/house and environment!

    Each of our kids have a couple of stainless water bottles each and at the age of 10 each is gifted a KeepCup for tea and these are standard items packed each time we go out.

    We also carry two two litre bottles full of water for refills when out on day trips.

    Here’s hoping it makes a major impact on everyone.

  • http://neesayer.com Née

    I must confess this is something I’m really bad at. I do reuse my bought water bottles most of the time (we have a water filter/cooler at home) but do often buy water when I’m out & about.

  • http://withsomegrace.com grace

    I so agree with you on the plastic bottle wastage! I try and use drink bottles as much as I can but I can be so forgetful sometimes and cave in and buy a plastic bottle of water. So bad. I’m trying, though. Little steps…

  • http://www.myjourney20-me.blogspot.com Me

    I am afraid to say that I am one of the people who buys water – I do have a water filter at home but after the articles etc on the stuff that is leeched out of the plastic bottles when they are re-used, I stopped re-using them and just recycle them. Aftyer reading this I may have to have a re-think about how many I use !!
    Thanks for an interesting article.
    Have the best dya !
    Me

  • http://havealaughonme.wordpress.com Emily @ Have a laugh on me

    My kids all have stainless drink bottles, even the husband, just to get one for me now! I try to warn everyone not to refill the plastic ones :)