Through a Green Lens

I’m going to start off by throwing some facts at you:

• Americans by 28 billion plastic bottles every year.
• Production of plastics accounts for four percent of energy consumption in the U.S.
• Nearly eight out of ten plastic bottles will end up in a landfill.
• Plastic in the ocean is dangerous to sea life.
• Plastic takes thousands of years to begin decomposing.
• It takes seven liters of water to produce one plastic bottle.

If you, like me, are one of the 20% of the world’s population that uses 80% of the earth’s

resources, decreasing usage is a logical step.  If you look hard enough, you will find a world of reasons to ditch disposable bottles.  While we can’t eliminate plastic from our lives altogether, buying less of it is an easy way to make our lifestyles greener.

We also have to remember the issue of toxic chemicals, which can leach from plastic containers into food and water.  The most well-known chemical is bisphenol A (BPA), which has been found to cause health problems.

So what’s the alternative?  Reusable bottles like these are sturdy and lightweight.  A variety of cool designs allow you to showcase your style as well as your greenness.  In fact, Through a Green Lens has its own custom bottle, available from Eco Ink Designs.

Simple green changes like this don’t need to be revolutionary, but if more people ditch the plastic and go reusable, it can make a big difference.