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With roughly 9.2 billion tons of plastic flowing into our oceans each year, it's hard to fathom the impact we're having on our big, mostly blue marble. According to a recent study conducted by some 10,000 volunteers on behalf of Greenpeace and the Break Free From Plastic movement, the majority of these plastics are coming from single-use plastic bottles produced by brands like Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and Nestlé.
But, while the world is beginning to recognize and consider that soda and other soft drinks are little more than sugar, water, and carbonation (as the case may be), there's one habit many of us still can't shake: bottled water. But what's a poor bottled-water fiend to do?
"Filtering water at home," it turns out, "is the best and most cost-effective solution," senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group (EWG) Dr. David Andrews tells Insider Picks.
"In many cases, bottled water may not necessarily be better than tap water," Andrews says, "and oftentimes companies do not provide much disclosure in terms of where that water came from and whether it is any better than municipal water."
So, now that you have no reason not to kick your plastic water bottle habit, how do you know which kind of filtration system to get, or whether it's even worth getting one at all? The EWG has a Tapwater Database of 30 million state water records. Enter your zip code, and you'll learn all about all the terrifying things that may be coming out of your tap and which contraptions or systems will help eliminate, or at least neutralize them.
Friday, March 22 is World Water Day, and whether you have a shred of concern for the environment or not, here are a few ways to give the oceans - and your bank account - a break. You're welcome.
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