The Real Cost of Bottled Water
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 17 мар 2020
- Thank you for The Great Courses Plus for supporting PBS. To learn more click ow.ly/xIds30qn1nd
SUPPORT us on PATREON: / twocentspbsds
SUBSCRIBE to Two Cents! goo.gl/jQ857H
The water that comes from your tap is 3000x cheaper than what you can buy in a store... so why are Americans willing to spend money on it?
Two Cents on FB: / twocentspbs
Two Cents on Twitter: @twocentspbs
Email us: twocentspbs@gmail.com
sources:
www.circleofblue.org/2018/wat...
www.pvwc.com/story_of_water/h...
www.smithsonianmag.com/scienc...
www.foodandwaterwatch.org/abo...
www.foodandwaterwatch.org/ins...
www.bloomberg.com/news/featur...
www.cbsnews.com/news/water-bi...
www.cbsnews.com/news/are-you-...
www.vox.com/science-and-healt...
www.npr.org/2019/02/08/691409...
www.bottledwater.org/types/ta...
thefactsaboutwater.org/regula...
www.americanrivers.org/rivers...
www.epa.gov/sourcewaterprotec...
www.npr.org/2016/04/14/473806...
www.moneycrashers.com/bottled...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bottled...
www.creditdonkey.com/bottled-...
www.cbsnews.com/news/bottled-...
www.npr.org/templates/story/s...
www.businessinsider.com/pepsi...
qz.com/1520602/americans-want...
--
Two Cents was created by Katie Graham, Andrew Matthews, Philip Olson CFP® and Julia Lorenz-Olson and is brought to you by PBS Digital Studios. We love dropping some knowledge on all things personal finance and helping you make better money decisions.
Two Cents is hosted by Philip Olson, CFP® and Julia Lorenz-Olson
Directors: Katie Graham & Andrew Matthews
Written by: Andrew Matthews
Executive Producer: Amanda Fox
Produced by: Katie Graham
Edited & Animated by: Andrew Matthews
Images by: Shutterstock
Music by: APM
I remember back in the 1980's when I was in high school in Economics class. The teacher told us that in the future there would be bottled water for us to purchase in grocery stores. We all thought it was the stupidest invention ever. We all agreed that why would anyone pay for bottled water when you can get it for free at a water fountain or even at your house or a friend's house. Look at us now. We've gotten so dumbed down.🤦♀️
Sounds like you had a very smart teacher and a class of very dumb students though
In the future, we will be buying purified bottled air. I'm calling it:p
@@dlamz92
China’s already doing that
@@Phlegethon lol
now they tell the same thing about air :'(
I was literally telling my 2 friends the other day how buying water bottles instead of tap water is the greatest waste of money, and they didn’t believe me because the tap water isn’t “filtered enough” or “still has bacteria” or some bs😂 this video came at the perfect time thank you I will show it to them rn
Don't,
Don't repeat what I did and become "nerd"
That's mentally corrosive....
The chlorine tastes bad, we get 5 gallons filled for 1.75 I mean its a bit more pricy then faucet water I assume but it has a better taste it's probably the old ass pipes that we never upgrade so ya... Nevermind the barnacles that grow in the water lines but it's natural and probably adds benefits so ya...
this video also proves their point. Some pipes need to be changed and arent. You could be drinking lead because the hundreds of miles of old pipes. The water could be clean at the start but when it reaches you it its a different story. I wouldnt be patting my back if I were you
@@lilclout5118 you're correct! I personally NEED bottled water here in the US (lived in both East & West magnate coast cities). I get diarrhea every time I drink non-heavily filtered water (e.g., Brita/PUR)--let alone directly from tap! I'm proof that the gunk in there is not safe. Just because you and this video maker may be ok, doesn't mean the toxicity still doesn't pile up inside you guys!
When you tell them did they just give you fluoride stare....
Hey, Environmental Engineer here. I cannot thank you enough for compiling a video like this!
Yes, many people are concerned about what comes out of their tap water. They think about the chemicals and the many miles of pipeline that the water has to travel through before it reaches their sink, but fail to realize that what is inside their water bottle can be just as dangerous. The water inside their plastic bottle literally comes from the same place, has the same treated chemicals, and also now has an extra ingredient (BPA, a known hormone disruptor) due to the plastic bottle degrading over time. Note: That "plastic taste" from a water bottle might be this dangerous substance.
If you want to be extra cautious, I'd recommend just buying a Brita filter and filtering out what comes out of your tap water and using a metallic, nonrustable water bottle or glass water bottle. It's safer, healthier for both you and the environment, and saves you A LOT of money in the long run.
I drink bottled water. Although I do not live In US, I bet there are areas with radioactive water there too, and you can't really filter it out. In my area they do not recommend giving tap water to babies because they can get leukemia. So yeah, bottled water for my family.
@@DohMkay I know some countries and even certain regions in the US have different things coming out of their tap water (i.e. Flint Michigan). You'll have to check with the local water treatment facility on that one. But in general, tap water should be relatively safe
🌪 Reverse Osmosis is better than carbon filters because it removes 93% of all impurities, and yes RO also removes minerals, but to that I say so what! Nobody should be relying on water for sustenance anyway because water has zero nutrient value, food is where sustenance comes from, I personally hardly ever drink water, I drink either tea, juice drinks, plant milks, etc anytime I drink something it's always something with nutrient value, and plus if you're eating a Whole Food Plant Based Diet, with lots of FRESH fruits, and vegetables, soups, stews, etc you won't need to drink insane amounts of water to keep hydrated, your liquid intake should come primarily from your DIET, not water.
@@Hardin9 That sounds like what most reptiles do, get their hydration from their food. People like myself who work construction cant carry around gallons of soups & stews to rehydrate. It's just not feasable. I'm not stating your argument is invalid, that theory doesnt work for most.
@@Hardin9 I have a village in my country where they can go for about year without drinking water but they make drink popular here to live by. They even not used to water
Not mentioned is how local communities are deprived of their water source when bottled water companies move in. Also the environmental cost of shipping water from exotic places for no reason.
ehem *FIJI WATER* ehem
At this point in the economy this might not be an issue at the moment. Buy a filter guys, that way you don't have to fight over tissue paper AND water bottles.
The Cash Compass I’m kinda dumb, but I still bought a filter!
@@theemptylegend0 that makes you a genius! lol
TheEmptyLegend Animations you’re not dumb for saving money and utilizing a free resource! You’re doing great 👍🏽
so if I buy a filter its magically gonna make paper tissue as well?
A bidet and undersink filter ftw
in my country, we don't have drinkable tap water
that's why bottled water is very common consumables
but I don't understand why people with drinkable tap water still buy bottled water
In some places the tap water smells funny, like if you live around Disney world.
Xung Nham filters. Use filters.
Its because a lot of countries are super privileged and still complain
Angelo Cipra yup.
@@angelocipra4459 more like, some coutries steal from other countries to have the infrastructure they have. imagine paying those systems out of the taxes of the local people, impossible
I hate the taste of bottled water, especially ones with the “minerals added for taste.”
My only issue with tap water is taste
@@barneystn7521 That's why I have a Brita. Filter tab water taste 100 times than bottle water and straight tap.
same, my family and I have been drinking filtered water since like forever, so I drink soft drinks when I don't drink water. It's annoying at school, where I have to drink.
@@TheBoxingNinja Same!
@@bic.550 For school they have water filter for your water bottle. I had a refresh2go, and my sister had a Brita water bottle filter. You can find them on eBay for like $6 for a 3 pack.
Ah Nestle, you never fail to disappoint
They disappointed before?
@@ricardozk Only always.
How do they disappoint you? Maybe morally in third world countries but these kinds of profit margins impress me rather than disappoint me!
@@ricardozk they're probably the most evil company in the world after the East India company
@@sylvianblade75 East India company?
Viewers should know even if bottles get recycled, they're still much worse for the environment than refilling a reusable bottle.
@@phatcrayonz that a boy
Only 9 percent of recycled plastic actually gets recycled. Plastic can only be recycled once. Just avoid using plastic when you can.
You forgot my favorite benefit of stopping bottled water; not having to carry around cases of heavy water
_"Convenience"_
Yh i use to carry three bottled water to school
I don't think you should be drinking D2O (a heavy water pun ) 😝
@@awesomenitin You're underappreciated. Lmfao
@@awesomenitin maybe he needs for nuclear reason.
Get a simple 3 stage water filter which attaches to your sink line, when you want good water it filters the tap and removes sediment and chlorine. They are really affordable and easily installed yourself. I did side by side blind taste test with my family, nobody could tell the difference between the filtered tap and the spring bottled water but could easily tell the non-filtered tap by taste, smell, and look.
From an Environmental Scientist working in water quality - thank you so much for bringing this to your audience's attention.
If only it applied where I grew up.
i dont know whats up with bottle water, i only knew recently that people buy bottle water as daily for daily drink. i always drink home filtered water, and this was like the common sense to me. The only time bottle water comes to mind is when there is water distruption, and even so i would have stored some before hand
In my home the tap water is not drinkable so we cook it by fire and later fiter it. There's no taste but it's very refreshing more than bottle water.
I live in the UK, in a country where tap water is completely safe to drink. If you also live there, you know that there's an ever increasing demand for bottled water despite the many alternatives.I understand filtered water solutions such as a Brita can do the job, however you would be impressed by the amount of my friends who still prefer bottled water! And usually those are immigrants or expats who lived in countries where tap water is not safe! They say bottled water is "safer, you know exactly the mineral composition of the water each time, and so it has a great taste". Filtered water should technically enhance the flavor, but it does not recreate premium bottled water, such as Evian or Volvic.
Full disclaimer: I do not work for this company.
Since I live in London, I came across this startup called "Sküma" claiming to recreate and miniaturize the bottled water process, at home from your tap! This seemed interesting since it limits plastic waste and recreates the same purity, mineral composition and taste as other bottled water.
Being an expat myself, I can see this being a viable long-term solution for people with similar background or tap water concerns.
Are you refering to www.skumaltd.co.uk
?
@@mraspire2222 Yes, that's the one! Thanks Alex :)
Skuma? That’s a drug in the video game series The Elder Scrolls
Remember to buy a new filter every 6 months! Those things have an unexpectedly short lifespan when used routinely!
If I ever travel out of USA I will be sure to bring a lifestraw.
Some filters come with a tester to see when the filter is done. My local supply is really clean already so my filters can actually last months longer than a lot of places
@@eastsidetactown That's smart. I've never seen one with such thing in Brazil.
The website says "La Croy" is the pronunciation, rhymes with "enjoy" 😊
The dislikes you see on this video are from bottled water companies! You go 2 Cents team
I live in Alaska (which of course isn't on the USA map), lots of bottled water comes from right here. And lots of people here drink bottled water rather than tap, and that bottled water came from somewhere else because the local bottled water is more valuable to ship to the lower 48 than use here...
Same here in British Columbia, Canada
Same thing here in Maine! Poland spring drawers from, well it’s called Poland spring and it’s less than a few hours from where I live. I have a well at my house and it tastes great. Had to get a house filter for heavy metals though. We have great local water
As an environmental microbiologist who has been to Flint so many times the lady at the Enterprise counter knows me by sight, I can't thank you enough for this episode!! We're not perfect, but never in the history of mankind have so many people had such inexpensive and easy access to potable water. It's practically free people!! Why do you feel the need to pay for it?
I've lived for the past 21 years in countries with no potable water. 3 times in the past few years, I've had a glass of tap water (out of desperation) and have ended up with guardiasis three times. It always makes me feel a little sad that when we travel, my son asks, "Are we allowed to drink the water in this country?"
Now you have an influx of "Premium" water brands, with their fancy bottles and marketing hype. Not buying it AND......not buying it.
Evian is naive spelled backwards.
One thing I noticed on some of these bottled water products is a label that says "recommended to infants". However, it is never stated what the reason for this recommendation is, how they tested it and what the benefits actually are [compared to tap water].
I imagine that if a manufacturer was ever confronted on this matter, they'd say "It is recommended to infants so that they stay hydrated".
Thanks 2 Cents🙏
You made my financial sense 10x
Love you a lot from 🇮🇳
Also, the immense environmental damage.
I don't know for how many people this is an option, but where I live there's carboy distributing system, which is a nice middle safer option
Lol it boggles my mind how some people waste their money on something that's basically a living being right
Depending where you live, you can find local springs... We've been getting water from a local spring all the time, and once checked a Deer Park label, they get it from the same spring! ;)
I’m so grateful for Two Cents videos!! 😭❤️
Appreciate your content from Kenya🇰🇪🍻
I guess you're people don't care if its bottled you just need water
@@GreaterBayArea
What a stereotype 🤦♂️
Bro....not all people are in such a situation.....smh
@@GreaterBayArea so unnecessary
Getting a water filter is super easy and convenient. We have one that attaches to our sink and we just flip a switch when we want filtered water. Then we also buy powdered drink mixes for lemonade and tea. It saves a lot of money and it’s better for the environment
Sharing this with my significant other ASAP. Thanks for the info. And Julia get well Soon!
People can use reusable bottles to carry water along with them as people do in hiking.....but after all, it's convenience that matters most of us.
Those reusable filter bottles taste better anyways
5:01 i love that reference
YES! Thank you so much for this video. Preaching to the choir here, but there's clearly plenty of people out there who don't know.
Probably your best video so far! this needs to be played in all public schools, colleges, universities and the subway!
Another insightful eye opening video! cheers you guys!
Love your channel!
Thanks for the info, greetings from Portugal
This channel is unbelievably underrated. Continue smashing it!
Just want to say I really enjoy your videos which are always interesting and educational.
Thankyou for making this video
Not sure it was mentioned, but the refillable 5-gallon jugs in grocery stores are a very good alternative to bottled water and tap water if you need to avoid it. Sometimes they can be had for as cheap as 19¢ a gallon.
My new favorite channel!
Epic! Thank you for this eye opening content.
As usual, your two cents are worth gold, thanks guys!!!
That last line: You're only solving Coke's problem. OUCH! Love it.
Thank you for the great video!
Great video like always
Love you guys!
Great work 👌
I got all my family drinking from a Brita filter. We love it
Thank you for existing
Amazing video !
Best video yet!
I just love this channel and the videos, informative fun and can actually help you save money 💰.
So much different than the rest of the internet
Thank you! As if it needed any more explanation. Some people really swear by bottled water though, while most of them wouldn't even be able to tell them apart in a blind taste test.
What you pay for a $1 bottle water:
$0.0003 water
$0.01 bottle
$0.9897 intelligent tax
Check your maths
@@rasmussuonio3014 It's correct?
@@rasmussuonio3014 I checked, before I post
0:46 ...which means that 16oz of water equals $0.03
@@rasmussuonio3014 Obviously, I made up those number. The true cost should include packing/transportation/labour/etc
Thank you for talking about Flint!
I have had an extra filter installed in my house houses tap ever since I was a baby. The difference between filtered and regular city tap water is night and day. Even if the treatment plants do a good job making it safe to drink, that chlorine and chemicals leaves an aftertaste. Additionally, that doesn’t account for rust that accumulates in the cities pipes that gets washed along on its way to your tap. Having a filter installed in your own tap fixes all of that, and beats bottled water at the same time.
This is exactly what I've been trying to tell my friends and family. Just buy a good water filter and if you're really concerned, but in sink water filters for $35-$60 that filters out 99.5% of all contaminants and last for 6-8 months!
I have a water filtering set up for years and it has provided peace of mind and delicious tasting water at a very small fraction of the price of bottle water.
I do still buy bottle water packs from Costco for use when I travel but I know they are more expensive than the filtered water at home, despite costing just $3 to $5 for a pack of 40 bottles.
Hope you guys stay safe !
I stopped drinking bottle water years ago (unless really have to) Safety regulations are followed in my country and I don't see the sense in buying bottle water.....
Thank you
Lol this is funny giving the current climate of covid19
Also water filters are cheap I buy them twice a year.
Better yet, people can fill up their own bottles/containers/whatever full of water at home if they're that worried about the water supply right now. Makes life easier for everyone else.
How long does 1 filter last you?
@@TheBoxingNinja 6 months theyre the brita jugg ones for like 10 dollars
@@sovashadow I have a Brita, it only last 2 months. What do you have? How much does it cost?
@@sovashadow thanks
I love your chanel because you are never afraid to take on the giants with the truth out.
*This is good to know.* 👍
Where I'm at water often can contain high levels of lead, chlorine, or disinfectants :(
The solution, replaceable water filter or refillable jug from Whole Foods (about same price per gallon)
really osm video. tysm for making it
You cant fool me I only drink beer. Beating the system!
I’ve seen a lot of people/friends use charcoal sticks as a filter. I rather try that since our fridge is always packed.
True, on sale, my brother and I have been stacking bottles at the cost of 12.33 cents on average per bottle....
My favorite part of this channel is that when they tackle subjects like "why you should drink tap water instead of bottled" or "is going green worth the effort," they never preach at you or put you down for the choices you make. They're simply here to inform you and keep it very unbiased. It's amazing.
Ok... So I live in Latin America and we do not have drinkable tap water but usually, we don't use bottled water either.
What my family does is boil (with the help of an electric kettle is a super fast task!) the tap water and then storage the safe water in a jug and then wait for it to cool off if we don't want it that hot.
If you do it over the night, the next day you can have two or three litres of water ready to be drink. :)
My family doesn't buy bottle water but we buy the big bottle water that you can refill its because we cant drink tape water because the chlorine
Fluoride is the main reason I don't consume tap water besides the fact that my water company sends a letter stating the water contains cancerous agents so I have no choice to drink spring water and use distilled water for cooking
Here in Italy it's common to buy bottled water if you want it sparkled, you are also bound to buy it bottled if you are at a restaurant. The waste I see the most is that some people have a stigma against public facilities bathroom tap water so they prefer and buy bottled water.
I LOVE YOU GUYS SOOOOO MUCH😭😭😭
I loved this
great video
I appreciate that you dedicated a portion of the video to Flint.
If only they acknowledged how most water systems in West Virginia are undrinkable thanks to frequent leaks by chemical companies.
The water at my house comes from a well and is perfectly good to drink straight from the tap. I have a 1-gallon plastic bottle that I fill up and take to work with me everyday.
I haven’t bought any bottled water in YEARS.
i saw this coming in 1989 when water filters were selling in Pyramid sales, bottle sales soared .
living near the Great Lakes low cost filters serve me well
Commenting for reach! People need to see this
I freakin loved this video. SO informative and isn't afraid to show the "emperor with no clothes" of some pretty powerful entities. You GO
If you are concerned about tap water quality just get a reverse osmosis Water filter that the big water bottle companies use. effectively making your tap water the same quality as bottled water
water bottle companies should pay a 50% tax for clean up efforts.
They are so pointless yet harmful!
One thing to mention is that people will not care about paying more by huge margins if the price of the item seems very small. I noticed that with items on Amazon vs Walmart. At Walmart, it might cost $1.25, but on Amazon, it is $9. But, to most people $9 isnt an amount they are comparison shopping for, and they just buy the product.
In my country, the only time that people drink bottled water is when they are out and need a drink. I have never heard of anyone drinking bottled water over tap water at home.
What's your country?
@@maten146 Ireland
I drink directly from the tap, water tastes just fine and you get healthy minerals. If you're too picky about the taste of tap water, or might be concerned about impurities, just buy an osmosis filter.
How can I like your videos tens of thousands of times?
Excuse me, but this is the best channel on RUclips.
I think one factor is that people tend to enjoy tap water that they’re used to, and not so much if they move to a new city. When I visited Europe I’m sure the tap water was perfectly safe but I could not stomach it. If you gave me a blind taste test I would tell you I thought it was contaminated. It likely just had a different range of minerals. But then there are people who come from countries where tap water isn’t drinkable. It seems like they’re used to not trusting any water source, and they tend to boil or filter tap water, but bottled water was safe where they came from and all around the world, so many opt for this alternative.
I try to avoid bottled water, and when I do use one I refill it several times on my faucet filter. Where I live I’m on well water which has heavier sulfur in it. It’s safe to drink and my landlord and I test it for safety monthly, but I use a faucet filter anyway to avoid stinky water and particulates in my older pipes
We bought a water distiller. Not cheap at first, but so worth it!
Interesting. In Brazil, bottled water are always mineral water from known springs. And we do not have the option of a drinkable tap water.
@LagiNaLangAko23 most houses have filters and the rest goes for the twenty liter mineral bottles, prices range from 5brl to 20brl depends on the brand
Thanks for the fantastic video! Can to please consider making a video of toilet paper versus using a bidet/ hand held bidder or faucet? I think holder paper is a rip-off and a waste of paper and further, less hygienic.
I watched this while drinking from an Arrowhead water bottle... I personally love the taste from that brand, and that brand alone.
I am curious then what would you say to the people that use the gallon water refill stations at any food supermarket? Ever since I was a kid I’ve drunken the water from those stations and now the tap water in South Florida actually taste grows.
I started buying bottled water when the news made multiple stores about cancnergons or bad stuff in the water here. Some even said boiling wasn't enough.