Plastic Free Challenge - Day 15
Today's challenge is to "opt for drinks in glass bottles and cans". This isn't to say go out and start drinking from glass bottles and cans if you don't already do so, it is more to make the choice when it is presented to you. I have friends that drink beverages from single-use plastic bottles daily, so switching to cans or glass will help our environment.
I found an article by Earth911 that does a full comparison of the beverage options analyzing three factors - how they're made, transport, and where they end up.
Beverage Container Showdown: Plastic vs. Glass vs. Aluminum
The verdict:
If you can find aluminum cans made from 100 percent recycled materials, they should be your top choice when shopping for single-serving beverages. Their low transportation footprint and ease of recyclability make them a winner. However, the extraction of raw bauxite is detrimental to the planet. New aluminum cans are not eco-friendly.
Glass should be your pick if recycled cans are not an option. Glass bottles are made from relatively innocuous raw materials and are, like aluminum cans, completely recyclable. Their weight and transportation footprint is their downfall.
Plastic does have a small carbon footprint when it comes to transportation, but it’s tough to ignore the giant carbon footprint when it comes to manufacturing. Plus, the plastic that doesn’t end up in a recycling bin can be a huge pollutant in our environment, killing wildlife and contaminating ecosystems. Our irresponsible use of plastic is ravaging the planet.
If you don't drink from plastic, glass or cans than you have today's challenge beat. However if you currently use plastic, make the switch to cans or glass. If you calculate how many plastic bottles you use in a day, a week, a year - the visual can be daunting.
One Guy Saved His Trash For Four Years To Make A Powerful Point About Waste
I found an article by Earth911 that does a full comparison of the beverage options analyzing three factors - how they're made, transport, and where they end up.
Beverage Container Showdown: Plastic vs. Glass vs. Aluminum
The verdict:
If you can find aluminum cans made from 100 percent recycled materials, they should be your top choice when shopping for single-serving beverages. Their low transportation footprint and ease of recyclability make them a winner. However, the extraction of raw bauxite is detrimental to the planet. New aluminum cans are not eco-friendly.
Glass should be your pick if recycled cans are not an option. Glass bottles are made from relatively innocuous raw materials and are, like aluminum cans, completely recyclable. Their weight and transportation footprint is their downfall.
Plastic does have a small carbon footprint when it comes to transportation, but it’s tough to ignore the giant carbon footprint when it comes to manufacturing. Plus, the plastic that doesn’t end up in a recycling bin can be a huge pollutant in our environment, killing wildlife and contaminating ecosystems. Our irresponsible use of plastic is ravaging the planet.
If you don't drink from plastic, glass or cans than you have today's challenge beat. However if you currently use plastic, make the switch to cans or glass. If you calculate how many plastic bottles you use in a day, a week, a year - the visual can be daunting.
One Guy Saved His Trash For Four Years To Make A Powerful Point About Waste
Comments
Post a Comment