On this Sunday,  as I take a moment to try and do some Good Stewardship of the Earth,  I decided I would take a moment and offer a suggestion on how YOU can help America, and the World.

     I realize it is a challenge to live Green,  and can look like a very daunting prospect that is full of sacrifice and being deprived of the things we have in our lives.   However,  as Ed Bagley Jr.  says… “You do not have to be perfectly Green….Just be as Green as you can be.”    So,  I am going to take a moment here and suggest a small change that will not only do good things for the Earth,  but,  will save each of us large amounts of money every year.

     The issue at hand is that of the plastic bottles of water we have scattered all over the place, and purchase in huge quantities.   Every year,  according to THIS ARTICLE  Americans pitch 20 BILLION empty bottles every year.   THink about that for a second.   That is a huge waste,  not only because many of these end up in Land Fills,  turning valleys into mountains,  but, that is a HUGE amount of oil that could be used for many other,  more productive purposes.   Another negative is that a large number of these bottles are dumped into the ocean, where they end up doing terrible things to the food chain.  As for costs….next time you pick up a bottle of water…think of the fact that the water you are drinking probably cost 1/10th of a penny…and you are likely paying over $1.00 for it

     So…let me offer you a simple,  inexpensive alternative that will end up saving you huge amounts of money and hassle.    Since, in many cases that water you are purchasing is nothing more than tap water….why not do the ecologically smart thing,   and get a re-usable water container and re-fill it.   Everywhere one looks,  it is possible to find a store selling reusable drinking containers,  with built-in lid and straw.   I have a number of aluminum ones around the house and use them regularly.   I also have a number of plastic,  water bottles that can be cleaned and re-filled.    While metal is better than plastic, in my opinion,   the more important thing is that every time one refills a container,   that is one more plastic bottle that is NOT going into the waste stream.

     Of course, I am not the first person to bring this up…THIS,  for example,  is an excellent piece that discusses the issues of disposable water bottles in more detail, and is well worth reading.

     Some folks fret about how clean this is.   The fact is that ALL the bottles I have run across have been safe for the dishwasher,   and that does a great job of cleaning and sterilizing the surfaces.    So…it is as clean, or cleaner,  than purchasing a case of water bottles at the store.

     One of the most insightful things that I have heard,  in the area of living Green,  is the quote from Ed Bagley Jr.  I mentioned at the start of this essay.   Try to be as Green as you can be,  and restore the Good Stewardship of the Earth that we need to have to survive much longer.

     Pleasant Dreams

     Bee Man Dave