In the United States alone, there are more than 80 brands of bottled water. That makes the United State one of the top bottled-water-consuming nations. A single-serve water bottle offers great convenience, which isn’t the only reason for bottled water’s rise in popularity. Many people believe that bottled water is cleaner and more healthful than tap water from public water system.
That is a misconception. In the United States, tap water is regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). By federal law, tap water is supposed to be tested every year to make sure it is safe to drink. Tap water also often contains naturally present minerals, such as calcium and magnesium. Those minerals make tap water healthful.
The impact of bottled water on the environment is staggering. Approximately 2.7 million tons of plastic are turned into disposable bottles each year. The manufacturing of all those bottles requires large quantities of crude oil and water. That process produces greenhouse gases. Bottled water is often shipped long distances to reach consumers, sometimes across vast continents. The transportation of the product uses even more fossil fuels and creates more pollution.
“Back to the tap” movements are cropping up around the world. They encourage people to use tap water and reusable “sports” bottles rather than bottled water. Colleges and universities have begun to ban the use and sale of bottled water on their campuses. San Francisco, Concord (Massachusetts), and other cities across the United States have adopted bans on single-serve water bottles. Cities in Canada (Toronto), Australia (New South Wales), and several states in India have taken similar action. Many bottled water companies are trying to do their part. They have reduced the amount of plastic in their bottles and bottle caps. Bottled water has become an international phenomenon, and it can be an important source of safe drinking water. We should not lose sight of a more environmentally friendly source, however: the water that comes out of our taps.
【小题1】Why do so many people prefer to drink bottled water according to the passage?【小题2】Find out all the advantages of tap water mentioned in the passage.
【小题3】How does bottled water negatively affect the environment?
【小题4】Design a slogan to appeal to your schoolmates “Back to the tap” .
