Have you ever gone to a park on a hot day and brought some bottled water? Most of us have. Some feel like using bottled water is safer and more convenient. Others believe that bottled water is harming our environment. Some also believe that plastic bottles are actually not good for you because of the plastic. This debate has been going on for a while and let’s try and understand both sides of the argument.

The pros: 

• Bottled water is safer than using a glass or a reusable water bottle 

When you use a plastic bottle of water you’re drinking from something no one else has used before, therefore reducing the risk of germs. 

• It tastes better than tap water 

Bottled water tends to taste better than water that comes from a tap. 

• Plastic bottles aren’t 100% of the plastic in the ocean and on beaches 

Banning bottled water would reduce some amounts of plastic from the ocean, but there are still plastic bags, containers, and other things that litter the ocean. 

• It’s more convenient than reusable bottles 

Plastic bottles are easier to just grab and go, instead of having to take the time to fill up reusable bottles. 

• Plastic bottles are more accessible and less expensive than something reusable 

You can get lots of water bottles by just buying a whole pack of them, but to buy just 2 reusable bottles is more expensive. 

These are good reasons to keep plastic bottles, but here are the reasons why we should ban plastic bottles. In my opinion, I agree with this side of the argument. 

The cons: 

• Plastic bottles are hurting animals 

Animals can see the bottles as food, and they eat it, which kills them. Without animals, their ecosystems can collapse. 

• The production of plastic bottles releases emissions and can hurt the environment 

When plastic bottles are made, the production of them in factories produces smoke and emissions and harms the environment. It also can enlarge the hole in the ozone layer.  

• Plastic bottles have chemicals in them. It’s therefore dangerous to drink water out of these bottles, right?

Because of the chemicals in the plastic, it can be unsafe to drink from because the chemicals can leach out of the bottle ¹. 

• Along with the actual plastic bottles, they’re usually wrapped in even more plastic ²

Plastic bottles not only come with their own plastic – but also with more unnecessary plastic that will never be used again after the bottles are used. 

• Tap water can increase your opposition to certain bacteria ³

Drinking tap water can increase your resistance to certain types of bacteria. 

In my opinion, we should ban plastic bottles. They are harming animals when they are thrown into the ocean and on land, and are increasing emissions when they are made. 

Some towns and places even have banned plastic bottles like Kenya, ⁴ the UK, ⁵ and many towns in Cape Cod. Your town can, too! We need to work together to ban plastic bottles as a step closer to saving the environment.

Image: https://unsplash.com/s/photos/plastic-bottles, Erik Mclean

1. https://home.drinkflowater.com/blogs/posts/the-dangers-of-drinking-from-plastic-water-bottles#:~:text=Drinking%20from%20disposable%20a%20plastic,be%20released%20into%20the%20water.&text=Although%20there’s%20been%20conflicting%20data,a%20long%20time%20is%20harmful.
2.  31 Key Pros & Cons Of Bottled Water Vs. Tap Water – E&C
3.  31 Key Pros & Cons Of Bottled Water Vs. Tap Water – E&C
4.  https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/plastic-bans-around-the-world/
5.  https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/plastic-bans-around-the-world/