You know, the evidence against buying bottled water certainly seems to be adding up lately.  I read this article over the weekend about a recent California study of bottled water that showed bottled water to be just as contaminated as tap water in many cases.  In fact, upon examining the “purity” levels of  10 different brands of bottled water, the study turned up crazy stuff like acetaminophen, fertilizer, and plastic chemicals.  Yuck!  One major retailer’s store brand water had more than 3 times the California limit for chlorine byproducts.

When you consider this information, on top of all the environmental problems caused by bottled water, has there ever been a better time to purchase  a water filtration pitcher and some stainless steel water bottles? Can you really trust anyone but yourself to filter the drinking water your family consumes?

The Brita water pitcher above filters out 95-98 percent of lead, reduces chlorine, and has a bacteriostatic system for preventing the regrowth of bacteria.  I like the sleek, modern design of this thing (proof that going green doesn’t make you a nerd), and the fact that it will fit in the door of your refrigerator.  The Brita 42632 drinking water pitcher is available at d! Mart.

Here’s another reason to go green when it comes to drinking water– bottled water is 1,900 times more expensive that tap water.  At a dollar for a 20 ounce bottle, that equates to over $6 a gallon.  Suddenly the price of gasoline seems like a bargain! Can you believe we pay so much for something with so many disadvantages?

Yesterday, we discussed how to pack for a green vacation. But how do you go green while on the road and staying in a hotel? According to the EPA, being away from the comforts of home comes with a brand new “to do” list for green living.

First, pack any food or snacks to take along in reusable containers. This is a great way to save a little cash on your green vacation and it will eliminate the waste that comes with individually wrapped snacks. Water and other drinks can be stored in stainless steel water bottles or other insulated containers.

Next, consider the ways you can implement green living ideas while at a hotel. Leave a note for housekeeping to let them know you don’t have to have your sheets changed every day. You can even hang your towels to dry and ask the housekeeper to leave them for the next day. By implementing just these two ideas, you’ll be saving water and conserving energy as part of your green vacation.

For more information about green hotels and green vacations, visit the Green Hotels Association.

As a continuation of my last post about stainless steel water bottles, let’s talk about another green alternative to buying bottled water - water filtration pitchers. By filtering your own tap water at home, hopefully you won’t feel the need to rush out for “pure” bottled water. Check out this water filtration pitcher made by Lotus- actually it’s more of a complete water filtration system than just a water pitcher. It uses a 2-stage water filtration process, which includes a patented ozone infusion process followed up by carbon filtering. The water filter lasts about one year when filtering one gallon of water per day. I love the side dispenser on this filtration system. According to Green and More, the Lotus Water Filtration System removes 99.9% of known pathogens from tap, well and even lake water. Match up this green water filtration system with the stainless steel water bottles in my last post and you’ll have an eco-friendly alternative to bottled water in your very own kitchen.

The impact of plastic water bottles on the environment has recently been covered at length in the news and on daytime talk shows including Oprah. According to Earth 911, a website dedicated to green living, Americans purchase 28 billion plastic water bottles each and every year, and only a mere 13 percent of them are recycled. These stainless steel water bottles made by New Wave Enviro are a classy alternative to plastic. They’re available in 3 colors, hold a ½ liter of water each, and include a carabineer for attaching to your belt or backpack. You’ll find them at Nubius Organics. A few more words on the woes of plastic water bottles: In addition to the mounting piles of plastic water bottles in landfills everywhere, the use of plastic water bottles is criticized for the amount of petroleum it takes to produce them—a whopping 17 million barrels of oil per year! And, plastic water bottles have recently been suspected of leeching chemical residue into their contents. Stainless steel water bottles work great in conjunction with your own water filtration pitcher…see tomorrow’s post for a suggestion!