A 5 Gallon Water Dispenser Can Help Reduce Plastic Waste in Our Landfills

How many plastic water bottles have you used in the past day? How about in the past week? Did you know that Americans use over 20 billion plastic water bottles every single year? Although many cities around the world have established plastic recycling programs, it is estimated that 80% of all plastic water bottles still end up in our landfills. Some bottles are burned in incinerators and release toxic gases into the air we breathe. For how long can this continue?

Once companies discovered that they could profit from reselling water by marketing it as ‘cleaner’ and ‘healthier,’ they never looked back. Water is bottled and imported and shipped all over the world, and sold to consumers who are afraid of their tap water. Many tests have shown, however, that some bottled water is actually less clean than tap water, depending on where you live. If we can change the way we think about water, we can prevent a lot of unnecessary waste.

Two household items can help us all reduce our plastic water bottle waste. The first is an eco-friendly home appliance that can help you eliminate your plastic water bottle waste-a 5 gallon water dispenser. There is also a water bottle alternative-reusable plastic and metal water bottles made by companies like Sigg, BlueQ, and Vessel. Many of them are available in very stylish designs.

A 5 gallon water dispenser is a great size for your home or workplace. It’s not too big for your desk or kitchen counter. The ideal type of water dispenser requires no energy to run and is usually a ceramic base on some kind of stand that the 5 gallon water bottle fits into. Many of these types of dispensers hold 3 or 5 gallon bottles. You can usually find these units for about $25-$50 USD.

If you want your water to be hot or cold, you’ll probably want to buy a 5 gallon water dispenser that requires energy to run and costs a little bit more. These sell for about $100-$200 depending on the model. Some newer dispenser models even have ice-making capabilities.

Buying one of these is definitely an investment up front, but it will pay for itself before you know it. Bottled water is more expensive than gasoline in most places! Save your money and spend it on your Starbucks latte addiction instead (kidding!).