The Causes and Consequences of Water Privatization

Death by Water Privatization

Where do you think all the plastic water bottles you use end up? The fact is, much of the world’s population is undereducated on the problem of water privatization, or the selling of plastic water bottles. There are many causes as well as consequences to this problem. However, there are beginning to be conservation efforts too.

There are many causes as to why the privatization of water has created so many problems. Manufacturers try to trick people into buying their products everyday. In the bottled water industry, this has worked extremely well. One example is when The Story of Bottled Water states, “People in the U.S. buy more than half a billion bottles of water every week” (The Story of Bottled Water). This means that Americans use more than two billion plastic water bottles a month.

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This overwhelming usage of plastic water bottles has caused worldwide issues. In addition, Environmental Impact of Plastic Water Bottles says, “Only 27% [of plastic water bottles] are recycled” (Environmental Impact of Plastic Water Bottles). Twenty-seven percent of the weekly half a billion means more than 365 million plastic water bottles per week end up in either oceans or landfills. This is causing trouble worldwide. In summary, the colossal amount of plastic bottles we use is causing some major problems.

There are innumerable consequences of plastic water bottle usage. To begin, Environmental Impact of Plastic Water Bottles says, “70% [of plastic water bottles] end up in landfills… they take 1,000 years to biodegrade” (Environmental Impact of Plastic Water Bottles). The alternative to dumping the bottles into landfills is to incinerate them, which produces toxic fumes. The bottles we use will either stay on Earth for a millennium or pollute the Earth with toxins.

Secondly, there are many chemicals that are in plastic water bottles. Harvard School of Public Health reads, “Exposure to BPa [bisphenol A], used in the manufacture of polycarbonate and other plastics has been shown to interfere with reproductive development in animals and has been linked with cardiovascular disease and diabetes in humans” (HSPH). BPa is most commonly found in baby bottles. This shows that not only the disposal of plastic water bottles is dangerous, but also the water bottles as we drink from them. Those are just a few of the consequences to water privatization.

This issue will take a long time to solve, but progress is being made. The curse manufactures put on us to buy water bottles is being lifted. Ban the Bottle writes, “Bottled water sales have begun to drop while business is booming for safe, reusable water bottles” (Ban the Bottle). People have begun to listen and water privatization is declining. At the same time, the much less cheaper tap water is doing great. Another example of conservation is on the Bpa topic.

Harvard School of Public Health states, “Canada banned the use of BPA polycarbonate baby bottles... Some polycarbonate bottle manufacturers have voluntarily eliminated BPA from their products” (HSPH). Entire countries have started to make a change. Even plastic bottle manufacturers have realized the dangers of plastic bottles. In short, these examples shows that people have begun trying to solve this immense problem.

It is clear that there are several causes to the danger that is privatization of water. The overwhelming usage of these bottles threatens the entire world. Fortunately, although this is an enormous dilemma, improvements have begun. The answer to the question, “Where do you think your water bottles end up?” is everywhere. This entire global problem of plastic water bottles matters because human beings are killing Earth. Water privatization and every bottle you use helps kill the world and everyone in it.

Bibliography

• “Bottle Water Facts.” BantheBottle. <www.banthebottle.net>. 13 Jan 2016.
• Carwile, J., Luu, H., Bassat, L., Driscoll, D., Yuan, C., Chang, J., Ye, X., Calafat, A., & Michels, J.K. “Exposure to BPa May Have Harmful Health Effects.” HSPH. <www.hsph.harvard.edu>. 21 May 2009. 13 Jan 2016.
  Company, McConkey. “Environmental Impact of Plastic Water Bottles.” Youtube. <www.youtube.com>. 3 July 2011. 13 Jan 2016.
• The Story of Stuff. “The Story of Bottled Water.” Youtube. <www.youtube.com>.
  6 Aug 2012. 13 Jan 2016.

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