Plastic bottles are a common find during beach clean-ups and the statistics surrounding them are staggering. One million plastic bottles are bought every minute around the world. Most are used only once, less than half get properly recycled and only around 7% get turned into new bottles. Most end up in landfill, or worse, are littered on land, in rivers, or out at sea. Investing in a reusable water bottle is a simple way to eliminate plastic bottle use. Not only will it minimise waste, it will save you money and, research suggests, benefit your health too. Thankfully in Aotearoa, pretty much everyone can drink water from the tap, and when you’re out and about, it’s getting easier to find somewhere to fill up thanks to a growing number of strategically placed public water fountains.
