Pierre-Louis, K. (2015, July 8) We don’t trust drinking fountains

         anymore, and that’s bad for our health. Opinions, The Washington

         Post. Retrieved August 20, 2015 from https://www.washi

         ngtonpost.com/opinions/we-dont-trust-drinking-fountains-

         anymore-and-thats-bad-for-our-health/2015/07/02/24eca9bc-

         15f0-11e5-9ddc e3353542100c_story.html

 

As a result of 1990s slogans insinuating that tap water and water fountains were polluted and generally unsafe, the general population has gradually moved away from water fountains to bottled water. Despite the fact that the water supply for water fountains is treated the same way that bottled water is and is “as safe as bottled,” 77 percent of the American population is preoccupied with polluted drinking water. But the shift to bottled water has caused even more plastic and waste to contaminate our oceans as only about 25 percent of bottles are recycled. Not only are the bottles expensive and pollute our environment, the cost of overseas transport and the pollution resulting from that threatens marine life and is a waste of money. Drinking fountains provide clean drinking water to the public for less money and keeps more people healthy as they are more readily accessible, not to mention environment friendly.

To think that a couple slogans and rumors sparked a movement away from water fountains to bottled water and increased pollution shows how little people knew about the  environment and the impact their consumerism had upon it. Water fountains same the American people money, keep us healthy and hydrated, as well as remain environmentally friendly. Were this a widely known fact, pollution, waste, and the damage to our environment would be largely cut down and promote sustainable living.