There is an article in the Scotsman today about the massive amount of bottled water people in the UK buy and drink. The Environment Minister, Phil Woolas who has, in the past tried to urge people to drink tap water stresses again that Britain has some of the best quality tap water in the world, and argues that it is,

“bordering on the morally unacceptable for Britons to drink millions of litres of bottled water everyday when safe tap water is available everywhere.”

Well, I’m not sure about the morally unacceptable bit – that’s perhaps a little too judgemental. But, when you think about it, it surely is just a little stupid. I have long thought it a bit silly to buy bottled water when there’s perfectly good water available from the tap. In fact, it must be the ultimate triumph of marketing over common sense – and shows just how gullible we all are.

And, in addition, as the Environment Minister points out in The Soctsman article,

“It’s absurd to use up the Earth’s resources, including oil and lots more water, to manufacture a bottle, fill it with water from elsewhere, transporting it hundreds or even thousands of miles, only to end up with the bottle being sent to landfill or using energy to be recycled – when the alternative is turning on the tap.”

You have to admit, he does have a point!

However, I have to admit to being rather inconsistent here. Because, despite thinking it stupid, I frequently buy bottled water. I used to just buy the occasional bottle and then keep filling it with tap water. But, after all the cancer scares associated with refilling them (what can you do nowadays that doesn’t carry the risk of cancer?) I now tend to use them only once. This means that we buy somewhere in the region of 12 bottles of water a week.

The thing is, they’re so convenient – they can be slipped in a coat pocket – and there are holders in the car just the right size for them.

But no more – at least, not for me!

I’ve been to Tesco and bought two plastic water bottles for £3.20 each – and I intend to keep them full and in the fridge, ready for me whenever I need them.