Do You Want Some Water With that Plastic? By: Lorena Zeppilli

 Before attending UCSC (and learning about their environmentally friendly ways) I used plastic water bottles daily! Oh no!

The Design Problem  According to the plastics manufacturing industry, it takes around 3.4 mega joules of energy to make a typical 1 liter cap, bottle, and packaging.  Making enough plastic to bottle 31.2 billion liters of water required 106 billion mega joules of energy!  The manufacture of every ton of PET produces around 3 Tons of Carbon Dioxide (Co2).  According to the plastics manufacturing industry, it takes around 3.4 mega joules of energy to make a typical 1 liter cap, bottle, and packaging.  Making enough plastic to bottle 31.2 billion liters of water required 106 billion mega joules of energy!  The manufacture of every ton of PET produces around 3 Tons of Carbon Dioxide (Co2).

The Design Problem (cont.)…  In addition to the water sold in plastic bottles, the Pacific Institute estimates that twice that amount is used in production…Every liter sold=3 liters of water.  Then, the transportation of this bottled water requires even more energy!  In addition to the water sold in plastic bottles, the Pacific Institute estimates that twice that amount is used in production…Every liter sold=3 liters of water.  Then, the transportation of this bottled water requires even more energy!

What Kind of Design Problem?  This design problem has to do with production and content  Production: it uses plastic. This is bad for the reasons stated above and it is not sustainable because it does not biodegrade and it pollutes.  Content: Bottled water is much more expensive than tap water. This discrepancy in price is not proportional to its benefits over tap water.  This design problem has to do with production and content  Production: it uses plastic. This is bad for the reasons stated above and it is not sustainable because it does not biodegrade and it pollutes.  Content: Bottled water is much more expensive than tap water. This discrepancy in price is not proportional to its benefits over tap water.

Hmmm? What to do!!??

Redesign  Water Bottles using less plastic  There are now bottles using 30% less plastic and smaller labels, this makes the bottles more flexible (easier for recycling), and reduces CO2 emissions  Water Bottles using less plastic  There are now bottles using 30% less plastic and smaller labels, this makes the bottles more flexible (easier for recycling), and reduces CO2 emissions

Redesign Cont…  A bill could be written and passed requiring all plastic manufacturing to reduce to 30% less plastic.  Less plastic still means plastic however, and plastic production requires tons of energy…and there is still the issue of bottled water versus tap water!  So….  A bill could be written and passed requiring all plastic manufacturing to reduce to 30% less plastic.  Less plastic still means plastic however, and plastic production requires tons of energy…and there is still the issue of bottled water versus tap water!  So….

Redesign cont…  Instead people should use canteens!  Anticipate: people may think that canteens are just the “latest thing” instead of sustainable since all bottles used to be glass then went to plastic  Canteens are reusable and safe (no Bisphenol A [BPA])  They allow people to drink tap water by filling their canteens at the sink (much more cost effective!)  And for those who don’t trust tap water…  Instead people should use canteens!  Anticipate: people may think that canteens are just the “latest thing” instead of sustainable since all bottles used to be glass then went to plastic  Canteens are reusable and safe (no Bisphenol A [BPA])  They allow people to drink tap water by filling their canteens at the sink (much more cost effective!)  And for those who don’t trust tap water…

Incentives to use canteens?  Connect: metal is known for being durable; if its durable it can be reusable.  We can’t just expect people to use canteens, there has to be incentive to do so!  My proposal involves a redesign of our every-day vending machines to include a filtered water- tap.  Connect: metal is known for being durable; if its durable it can be reusable.  We can’t just expect people to use canteens, there has to be incentive to do so!  My proposal involves a redesign of our every-day vending machines to include a filtered water- tap.

Incentives/ redesign cont..  If cold drink vending machines were redesigned to include a filtered water tap (much like the glacier vending machines), then people would have a choice between buying a cold drink or refilling their canteen at the vending machine while out of the house.  Appropriate: Carrying around a canteen fits our daily life and would be accepted because its no different than carrying around a plastic water bottle other than it being long-lasting.  If cold drink vending machines were redesigned to include a filtered water tap (much like the glacier vending machines), then people would have a choice between buying a cold drink or refilling their canteen at the vending machine while out of the house.  Appropriate: Carrying around a canteen fits our daily life and would be accepted because its no different than carrying around a plastic water bottle other than it being long-lasting.

Incentives/redesign cont…  There would be incentives to choose refilling a canteen over purchasing a new bottled cold drink because a bottled cold drink costs about $2.00 while using the filtered tap add-on to the machine would only cost $0.30.  Consumers would save money while still being able to have portable water (in their canteens), and once more people switch to canteens instead of purchasing bottled water, plastic production would decrease (and thus CO2 emission would also lessen).  There would be incentives to choose refilling a canteen over purchasing a new bottled cold drink because a bottled cold drink costs about $2.00 while using the filtered tap add-on to the machine would only cost $0.30.  Consumers would save money while still being able to have portable water (in their canteens), and once more people switch to canteens instead of purchasing bottled water, plastic production would decrease (and thus CO2 emission would also lessen).

The unsustainable use around plastic bottles would then be greatly reduced!  Reflect: This makes the problem better, but it still raises some questions such as: if people will continue to use plastic simply due to brand name loyalty?  Recount: spread the word of reusable water canteens and the new vending machines with purified water taps!  Reflect: This makes the problem better, but it still raises some questions such as: if people will continue to use plastic simply due to brand name loyalty?  Recount: spread the word of reusable water canteens and the new vending machines with purified water taps!

The End