A Bottle’s Journey

Over the past few decades, greater access and propagation of information has created an increase in general eco awareness. People are beginning to see issues from a broader perspective. An interesting shift is occurring in the general view of plastic bottles, specifically water bottles.

Bottled water has historically been a consumer health choice, from an ancient miracle cure to the mainstream emergence of Perrier in the 1970s. However, the rapid growth in plastic bottled water in the US over the last decade has consumers looking at not only the health aspects but environmental impacts of these water choices.

As a sustainability consultant, we stress the application of the ‘Three Rs’ (reduce, reuse, recycle) as a key component of a sustainable lifestyle as well as business sustainability strategies. When it comes to the plastic bottles, only two of the three sustainability concepts are applicable to plastic water bottles.

As you follow a plastic bottles journey from the trash barrel, it can either end up in a landfill or the ocean. For those lucky ones that make it into the recycling bin, they find their way into a variety of recycled products such as Recycled-Content PET Carpet and recycled polyester clothing.

For many the most sustainable long-term option is to ‘reduce’ the use of plastic bottles. With the health concerns and small percentage of bottles actually making it into the recycling bin, choosing alternatives seems to be the most sustainable long-term strategy.

At Taiga Company, we have made a commitment to reduce and eliminate the use of plastic bottles. As part of our business sustainability plan, we have explored alternative options in not only our water use but in other areas of the company's consumption and waste.