A plastic problem

Going green is in. The new environmental friendly label has become the hot new item in American industry. From cars to meals, everyone says their product is helping create a sustainable planet. But despite all this feel-good tree-hugging, society has failed to end one of its most damaging practices.

The water bottle industry, one of America's fastest growing and most profitable industries, has boomed in recent years with the popularization of the most basic necessity – water. Creating over 38 billion bottles in plastic waste each year, Americans are plowing through water bottles at unprecedented rates. The biggest irony is that 24 percent of this bottled water, which many believe is healthier than that at the water fountain, is the same stuff that flows from the tap of your sink.

From the soccer mom minivan to the high school lunch line, Blazers are being caught up in this newest and almost impulsive craze. While water fountains are readily available throughout the school, Blazers decided to spend $1.25 to buy bottled water that they could otherwise get for free. Think about it: if a Blazer were to buy one bottle of water four out of every five days of school for the whole school year (about 144 bottles), they would be spending roughly $180 from Sept. until June. That is $180 that could be spent on shoes, iPods and all those other accessories that we love.

There is also the harm that the bottles cause to the environment. After chugging down that refreshing water, most people – I am guilty of it myself – trot over to the trash can and toss their drink. Forgetting to recycle the bottles or simply aiming for the trashcan as a measure of convenience, Blazers end up throwing away 100 percent recyclable plastic. You might shrug your shoulders at this and move on, but consider this: America throws away over $1 billion worth of plastic bottles that could be recycled for profit.

For all you thirsty Blazers, the solution is simple. Buy one water bottle, save and reuse it for multiple days. This will not only take a burden off of your wallet, so that you can spend that $180 as you like, but it will clean up the plastic waste that these bottle create. Well, good luck Blazers and remember, save yourself and your environment by cutting back on the amount of bottled water you drink.