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?

Your weekly trip to the supermarket can be a strategic part of a green lifestyle if you plan ahead. Here are a few ideas for green grocery shopping.

Avoid single serving packages: If you’re trying to shop green and reduce waste, avoid food and drinks in single serving sizes. These items cost more and require more packaging materials. When grocery shopping, purchase the largest package of the item you need, and then divide it up into reusable containers when you get home.

Choose items you can recycle: A big part of any green home is recycling. However, all of us at one time or another have been stuck with a package or box that isn’t recyclable. Before leaving for a day of green shopping, make a list of the types of materials you know you can recycle, and look for food in packages made from those materials. By planning ahead, you’ll avoid being stuck with an empty package that cannot be recycled.

Skip the bottled water: Plastic water bottles are a growing environmental problem. Producing and transporting them requires serious fuel consumption, and they’re filling up our landfills. Instead of buying bottled water, invest in a water filtration pitcher and stainless steel water bottles to avoid the waste and expense of plastic.

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.